Wesley Seminary

In 2008, IWU administrators and the Board of Trustees endorsed the concept of the seminary and set aside funding for the potential program. On April 3, 2009 the Board of Trustees unanimously approved the proposal after the seminary was accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The seminary opened for the fall 2009 semester.[1] On June 20, 2012 Wesley Seminary was admitted as an Associate Member of the Association of Theological Schools. On October 2, 2009, during IWU's Homecoming Chapel, university president Dr. Henry Smith announced that the Board of Trustees had officially voted to name the seminary Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University and had chosen Dr. Wayne Schmidt to be the seminary's first Vice President.[2]

Wesley Seminary has completed construction of its seminary on the IWU campus in Marion, Indiana in part through a donation from the Green family, owners of the Hobby Lobby corporation. On April 12, 2012, the cornerstone for the new $7 million Wesley Seminary building was laid and the facility was completed in 2013. Wesley Seminary is the first officially affiliated seminary in the history of the Wesleyan Church, which does not currently require pastors to hold a seminary degree for ordination. Currently, only about 15 percent of Wesleyan pastors have seminary degrees. Denominational leaders hope the creation of Wesley Seminary will double that number.[3] Wesley Seminary ranks in size within the top 10 percent of the Association of Theological Schools’ accredited seminaries.[4] Wesley Seminary currently employs 11 full-time faculty, 10 administrative staff members, and 3 executive administrators.

Wesley Seminary launched a Doctor of Ministry program in 2016. The first cohort began in June, when students traveled to Atlanta to learn about the foundations of urban, rural, and suburban leadership from nationally acclaimed pastors and Christian leaders. The first cohort will earn a Doctor of Ministry with a focus on transformational leadership. Upcoming cohorts in 2017 and 2018 will focus on preaching and spiritual formation, respectively.

In June 2016, Wesley Seminary Vice President Dr. Wayne Schmidt accepted the position of General Superintendent of the Wesleyan Church. As a result, Dr. Jo Anne Lyon was named Interim Vice President of Wesley Seminary.[5] In May of 2017, Associate Professor of Congregational Formation Rev. Dr. Colleen Derr was appointed President of Wesley Seminary and sits on the Executive Council of Indiana Wesleyan University as an Executive Vice President.[6]

Wesley Seminary is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. It also received accreditation from the Association of Theological Schools in 2014.[7]

The seminary currently offers an innovative Master of Divinity degree program, along with other graduate theology degrees, offered in on-site and online formats.[8]

• Master of Divinity (M.Div.) 75 credits
• Master of Arts in Ministry (M.A.) with six specialization options ranging from 36-42 credits
• Master of Practical Theology 36 credits
• Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) with three specializations ranging from 32-38 credits

• Dr. Chris Bounds, Professor of Christian Doctrine[9]
• Dr. Colleen Derr, President; Associate Professor of Christian Ministry and Congregational Formation[10]
• Dr. John L. Drury, Professor of Systematic Theology and Spiritual Formation[11]
• Dr. Patrick Eby, Associate Professor of Historical Theology and Wesley Studies; Doctor of Ministry Program Director[12]
• Dr. Tammie Grimm, Assistant Professor of Congregational Formation[13]
• Dr. Brannon Hancock, Associate Professor of Practical Theology and Worship; Assistant Dean[14]
• Dr. Abson Joseph, Vice President of Academic Affairs; Professor of New Testament[15]
• Dr. Kwasi Kena, Associate Professor Of Ethnic and Multicultural Ministry[16]
• Dr. AHyun Lee, Assistant Professor of Pastoral Care[17]
• Dr. Larisa Levicheva, Associate Professor of Biblical Studies[18]
• Dr. Lenny Luchetti, Professor of Proclamation and Christian Ministry[19]
• Dr. Luigi Peñaranda, Associate Professor of Global Leadership and Latino/Latina Christian Studies[20]
• Dr. Aaron Perry, Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology and Leadership[21]

• Official website
• Indiana Wesleyan University website