Four theological schools, including the flagship school of conservative Methodists, have been removed by the University Senate from the list of theological schools approved for United Methodist candidates for ministry.
Following usual quadrennial reviews by the senate’s Committee on Theological Education, the schools no longer approved “for providing theological education for candidates for licensed or ordained ministry” are:
- Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, Ky.
- Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn.
- Northeastern Seminary at Roberts Wesleyan University, Rochester, N.Y.
- Palmer Theological Seminary of Eastern University, St. Davids, Pa.
The University Senate is the United Methodist body that approves schools for an official relationship to the denomination.
Each approved seminary is reviewed every four years, explained Susan Clark, director of communications for the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, the University Senate’s related agency. “The reviews are designed to verify that candidates for ministry are formed in institutions that embody a United Methodist ethos and provide regular, substantive instruction in United Methodist history, doctrine and polity.
Approved seminaries become eligible to receive financial support from the Ministerial Education Fund, one of the seven churchwide funds supported by apportionments, the UMC’s giving system for funding ministries beyond local churches.
Roland Fernandes, top executive of the United Methodist General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, said the four seminaries were removed after a process of review and discernment, including conversations with each school’s administrative and academic leaders.
“The University Senate takes this kind of vote seriously,” said Fernandes, who along with Susanna Baxter, president of LaGrange College and Senate president, are the group’s only authorized spokespersons.
Fernandes said the seminaries were delisted primarily for two reasons:
- Lack of a United Methodist-affiliated professor teaching United Methodist history and polity
- Distance learning replacing on-campus resident study intended to provide direct spiritual and collegial formation for clergy candidates
Although never an official United Methodist seminary, multi-denominational Asbury Theological Seminary has been the ministerial education bastion for conservative United Methodist clergy for decades. Asbury alumni long have been advocates for conservative or “traditionalist” United Methodist theology. Asburians regularly served as delegates to General Conference, the UMC’s top legislative body, often forming political blocs that kept the denomination from enacting progressive policies.
Fernandes said the University Senate’s Committee on Theological Education had a “cordial meeting” with Asbury leaders in April. Fernandes said the University Senate’s criteria for disapproval included Asbury’s lack of a United Methodist professor to teach history and polity, and Asbury’s ethos that “includes language that is incompatible with United Methodist Social Principles and doctrine.”
Those disagreements include Asbury’s view on human sexuality, gender and marriage.
Regarding the other schools, their evaluations happened in different review cycles, according to Clark:
- In February 2026, the University Senate received official notification that Palmer wished to decline its invitation and be removed from the listing of UM-approved theological schools.
- In May 2026, Luther Seminary also declined the invitation for review and asked to be removed from the listing of UM-approved theological schools.
- Northeastern doesn’t have a United Methodist faculty member to teach required United Methodist history, doctrine and polity, and the school’s program is taught primarily online with no residential, formational experience, as is required by University Senate standards for non-United Methodist theological schools.
There are 13 official United Methodist seminaries and 26 non-UMC theological schools approved for clergy candidates to attend.