Northern Seminary

Northern Seminary is a private Baptist seminary in Lisle, Illinois. Historically known as Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, it is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA.

History

The Seminary was founded in 1913 by the Second Baptist Church of Chicago named as Northern Baptist Theological Seminary as a theologically conservative alternative within the framework of its association with the American Baptist Churches USA. In 1920 a collegiate department was founded, and the American Baptist Churches became a seminary partner. In 1963, it moved to Lombard, Illinois. In 2004, it was renamed Northern Seminary. In 2017, it moved to Lisle, Illinois.

It is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada.

On March 13, 2023, the president, William D. Shiell, resigned from his position amid controversy. After several interim presidents were named, Joy J. Moore officially became the 13th president of Northern Seminary on December 1, 2024.

Presidents

No.	Name	Term	Ref
1	John Marvin Dean	1913 REDIRECT Template:En dash Template:R protected1918
2	George W. Taft	1918 REDIRECT Template:En dash Template:R protected1936
3	William Law Ferguson	1936 REDIRECT Template:En dash Template:R protected1938
4	Charles W. Koller	1938 REDIRECT Template:En dash Template:R protected1961
5	Benjamin P. BrowneTemplate:Efn	1960 REDIRECT Template:En dash Template:R protected1964
6	Bryan F. Archibald	1965 REDIRECT Template:En dash Template:R protected1975
7	William R. Myers Sr.	1975 REDIRECT Template:En dash Template:R protected1988
8	Ian M. Chapman	1988 REDIRECT Template:En dash Template:R protected2001
9	Charles W. Moore	2001 REDIRECT Template:En dash Template:R protected2006
REDIRECT Template:En dash	John F. KirnTemplate:Efn	2006 REDIRECT Template:En dash Template:R protected2008
10	Alistair Brown	2008 REDIRECT Template:En dash Template:R protected2016
11	William D. Shiell	2016 REDIRECT Template:En dash Template:R protected2023
REDIRECT Template:En dash	John C. BowlingTemplate:Efn	2023
REDIRECT Template:En dash	Karen Walker FreeburgTemplate:Efn	2023 REDIRECT Template:En dash Template:R protected2024
12	Joy J. Moore	2024 REDIRECT Template:En dash Template:R protectedpresent

Notable people

Alumni

• David Breese, evangelist, author, and radio broadcaster
• Millard Erickson, 20th-century theologian and author
• Clay Evans (pastor), 20th-century African-American evangelical pastor
• Derwin Gray, professional football player and pastor
• Carl Henry, founder and first editor of Christianity Today
• Torrey Johnson, first president of Youth for Christ
• Stephen R. Lawhead, fiction writer
• Tara Beth Leach, pastor and author
• John Osteen, first pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas
• Kenneth N. Taylor, creator of The Living Bible paraphrase and founder of Tyndale House publishers
• Warren W. Wiersbe, author, teacher, and minister for Moody Church and Back to the Bible
• Gideon B. Williamson, general superintendent in the Church of the Nazarene
• Mildred Bangs Wynkoop, Wesleyan-Holiness preacher, evangelist, and theologian

Faculty

• Lynn H. Cohick, former provost, dean of academic affairs and professor of New Testament
• Harold Lindsell, former professor
• Scot McKnight, former Julius R. Mantey chair of New Testament
• Joy J. Moore, president of Northern Seminary
• Robert E. Webber, former Myers Professor of Ministry