A Nazarene administrator with a doctorate from a Baptist seminary has been named acting president at Northern Seminary while the seminary’s president is on administrative leave pending an investigation into charges of bullying and retaliation.
John C. Bowling served as president of Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Ill., from 1991 to 2021. His 30-year tenure made him the longest serving president in that school’s history.
Prior to that, he served eight years as senior pastor of College Church of the Nazarene in Bourbonnais and as senior pastor of First Church of the Nazarene in Dallas.
Bowling earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Olivet and a second master’s degree and a doctorate in education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, a Southern Baptist school in Fort Worth, Texas. He completed post-doctoral studies at Harvard University.
He is the author of multiple journal articles and four books: A Way with Words, Grace-full Leadership, Packin’ Up and Headin’ Out: Making the Most of Your College Adventure, and Making the Climb, which chronicles his ascent to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.
This Feb. 27 announcement from Northern Seminary’s trustees comes a little more than a week after the board placed President Bill Shiell on leave amid faculty complaints that he bullied female and male staff members and retaliated against them when they sought relief.
Northern Seminary is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA.
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