Nearly three months after not installing Joy Moore as president of Northern Seminary, trustees of the Baptist school announced an agreement on her departure.
On Oct. 9, at a fundraising dinner before the planned installation the next day, a trustee representative announced Moore would not be installed as president because she had decided she was not a good fit for the role as currently structured. The next day, Moore denied she had resigned.
Joy Moore
Although trustees were emphatic Moore was not president of the seminary, the school’s website continued to list her in that role through the remainder of 2025. Then on Jan. 2, Moore and the trustees released a joint statement and a news release clarifying her departure.
“We are writing to share that Dr. Joy Moore and the board of trustees for Northern Seminary have come to an agreement regarding the conclusion of her time as president of Northern Seminary,” the news release begins.
The joint statement says Moore and the board “were optimistic about the refreshing start her leadership represented for the institution.” However, “it gradually became clear that there was a disconnect between the board and Dr. Moore. Looking back, everyone involved acknowledges that there were missed opportunities for better communication of expectations and clarification of roles. Over time, this disconnect led to a loss of trust that both the president and the board recognized needed to be addressed.”
When conversations between Moore and the board broke down earlier in the day Oct. 9, Moore “expressed that she did not feel she could successfully move forward in her role or take the oath of office. While the board understood her remarks as a voluntary decision to step away from her position, Dr. Moore understood her comments to be prompts for further discussion.”
That “misunderstanding,” the statement says, “caused confusion and disappointment for some — especially for those at the Scholarship Dinner.” Seminary officials have contacted all who contributed that evening to offer the option of a refund for their scholarship donations.
A third party also made accusations of racism in Moore’s departure. The joint statement says Moore “did not join in those accusations, and Northern Seminary unequivocally affirms that this accusation was not warranted.”
Ingrid Faro has been named interim president. She serves as professor of Old Testament and coordinator of the master of arts in Old Testament at Northern and previously served as dean of academic affairs.
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