Asbury Faculty and Administration Wonder #10

The flurry of reports and narratives dating from 1 September 2006 has shed light on and generated heat regarding the critical situation in which Asbury Theological Seminary now finds itself. We are left with a number of questions. This is the tenth.

We wonder how President Greenway could be found guilty of insubordination, given that the parties to which he has allegedly been insubordinate have no formal authority over him.

According to its memorandum of September 5, 2006, the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees determined to offer President Greenway a financial package should he choose to resign and directed the Board Chair to call a special meeting of the Board of Trustees to act on the employment of the president should President Greenway refuse to resign by noon, 8 September 2006. According to this memorandum, the basis for this decision was the Executive Committee’s allegation of Dr. Greenway’s insubordination vis-a-vis the Board Chair-appointed ad hoc review committee and/or selected individuals of that committee.

Had the Board of Trustees itself called this ad hoc committee into being and formally delegated its authority to this committee, Dr. Greenway’s refusal to return to the meeting could technically have constituted insubordination. However, since by accreditation standards and board policy neither the Board Chair nor an ad hoc committee appointed by the chair may supervise or direct the president, we wonder how President Greenway’s behavior could be labeled insubordination.

According to the Standards of Accreditation, The Association of Theological Schools, Commission on Accreditation, "The board shall exercise its authority only as a group" (8.3.1.8). Moreover, according to the Asbury Theological Seminary Board Policies (May 12, 2003), which are defined as having the status of the By-Laws and Articles of Incorporation with respect to institutional governance (Serial No: 2.1), "the chairperson has no authority to supervise or direct the President" (Serial No: 2.5, 2b), and "only decisions of the board acting as a body are binding on the President" (Serial No: 3.1).

Signed:
Kenneth A. Boyd, Ph.D., Professor of Instructional Design
Allan Coppedge, Ph.D., Ralph Waldo Beeson Professor of Christian Theology
Ronald K. Crandall, D.Th.P., McCreless Professor of Evangelism and Sundo Kim Professor of Evangelism and Practical Theology
Richard L. Gray, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Leadership and Christian Ministry
Joel B. Green, Ph.D., Professor of New Testament Interpretation
Chuck Gutenson, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Philosophical Theology
Virginia Todd Holeman, Ph.D., Professor of Counseling
Eunice L. Irwin, Ph.D., Associate Professor: Mission and Contextual Theology
Randy Jessen, D.Min., Dean, Beeson International Center for Biblical Preaching and Church Leadership
C. Reginald Johnson, Ph.D., Roy and Weezie Anderson Professor of Prayer and Spiritual Formation
Beverly C. Johnson-Miller, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Christian Discipleship
Terry C. Muck, Ph.D., Professor of Missions and World Religions
M. Robert Mulholland Jr., Ph.D., Professor of New Testament
Christine Pohl, Ph.D., Professor of Church in Society
Ruth Anne Reese, Ph.D., Professor of New Testament
Lester Ruth, Ph.D., Lily May Jarvis Professor of Christian Worship
Michael A. Rynkiewich, Ph.D., Professor of Anthropology
Daryl Smith, Ed.D., Associate Professor of Mentored Ministry and Christian Leadership
Catherine Stonehouse, Ph.D., Orlean Bullard Beeson Professor of Christian Discipleship
David L. Thompson, Ph.D., F.M. and Ada Thompson Professor of Biblical Studies
Thomas F. Tumblin, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Christian Leadership
Jerry L. Walls, Ph.D., Professor of Philosophy of Religion
Ben Witherington III, Ph.D., Professor of New Testament
Laurence W. Wood, Ph.D., Frank Paul Morris Professor of Systematic Theology