Asbury Faculty and Administration Wonder #11

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 eleventh.

We wonder why the administration, faculty, staff, and students were told that President Greenway’s failure centered on his polarizing the Seminary community through his alleged dictatorial and autocratic leadership style, why this indictment was dropped in favor of a charge of insubordination, and why the focus seems now to have been redirected toward issues of President Greenway’s performance.

On the one hand, the charge brought against President Greenway has the appearance of a moving target. On the other hand, each of these charges raises questions of its own. A charge of dividing the Seminary seems difficult to sustain, at least in the case of the faculty, given the overwhelming support given President Greenway in the Faculty Resolution of 5 September.

The charge of insubordination, at least insofar as this might be grounded in the events reported of 31 August — 1 September, seems difficult to sustain, given the nuanced understanding of the Board’s authority outlined in both accreditation standards and ATS Board Policies [see "We Wonder... (#10)"].

Finally, the nature of President Greenway’s performance is precisely what the review process was supposed to have examined — not with reference to the continuation or termination of President Greenway’s contract (since this was not the formal, third-year review) but with reference to President Greenway’s growth as the Seminary’s chief executive officer. The shifting nature of the charges leveled against President Greenway raises for us the question what is really at issue in the present impasse between the Executive Committee and the President.

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