Northern Seminary Appoints New President Following Leadership Resignation

Twenty months after forcing the resignation of its president due to abuse of leadership allegations, Northern Seminary has named a new leader.

Trustees of the Chicago-based school, which is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA, announced Nov. 19 the election of Joy J. Moore as the seminary’s 13th president. Moore, an ordained elder in The United Methodist Church, most recently served as professor of biblical preaching at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minn., and as visiting professor of religion and Chapman-Benson Scholar in Residence at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Ala.

A seminary news release highlighted her “visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to theological education” and noted her “extensive experience across urban, rural and suburban ministry contexts.” Northern Seminary, founded in 1913, places a strong emphasis on online education. According to last year’s comparative data from the Association of Theological Schools, the institution had a headcount enrollment of 281 and a full-time equivalent of 79 students.

For most of the interim period, Northern has been led by Interim President Karen Walker Freeburg. Freeburg praised Moore’s “proven dedication to Christ and the church, her scholarship in homiletics, and her leadership in higher education,” stating these qualities would be “invaluable as we move into the future.”

A Chicago native, Moore earned a bachelor of arts degree in education and mathematics from National-Louis University, a master of divinity degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, and a PhD in practical theology from Brunel University/London School of Theology. Previously, she established the William E. Pannell Center for African American Church Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary and served as associate dean at Duke Divinity School.

The March 2023 resignation of former President Bill Shiell came amid allegations he was an abusive leader — allegations raised by faculty, staff, and students. Later, trustees were accused of mishandling the allegations, which led to resignations of some trustees and faculty. Today, the school’s website lists eight “regular” faculty members and various other affiliate and adjunct faculty.

One of the first whistleblowers at Northern Seminary says she has been fired by trustees. Acting chair of the Northern Seminary board resigned in protest of the board’s “official silence” about Shiell. Northern Seminary’s Shiell is on leave while trustees investigate bullying accusations.

Source: Read the original report