Northern Seminary now has its third leader in three months. Trustees named Karen Walker Freeburg as the new acting president April 23. She succeeds John C. Bowling, who was named acting president Feb. 27, as President Bill Shiell was put…
One of the first whistleblowers at Northern Seminary says she has been fired by trustees
The chief development officer for Northern Seminary says she was fired this week and believes it is connected to her complaints about the former president, who resigned, and how the trustees handled the resignation. Jennie Boysen told Baptist News Global…
Northern Seminary trustees respond to student complaints
Trustees of Northern Seminary issued their first official correspondence with students since one-third of the student body signed a letter of no confidence in the board and called for the resignation of any trustees who could not sign a public…
Former staff at Knoxville church see a familiar pattern in Northern Seminary’s complaints about Shiell’s leadership
When former staff members at First Baptist Church of Knoxville, Tenn., read accounts of how faculty and staff at Northern Seminary said they had been mistreated by President Bill Shiell, they recognized a cautionary tale they wish all congregations and…
One-third of Northern Seminary students express no confidence in trustees
More than 100 students at Northern Seminary have signed a letter stating they have no confidence in the board of trustees to manage the Chicago-area school in light of recent events with former President Bill Shiell. That represents one-third of…
Acting chair of Northern Seminary board resigns in protest of board’s ‘official silence’ about Shiell
The acting chair of the Northern Seminary board of trustees resigned March 20, citing concern that her attempts to persuade the board to apologize for its handling of the resignation of the seminary president were met with “disrespect and condescension.”…
Shiell resigns as Northern Seminary president
William Shiell resigned as president of Northern Seminary March 13 while under scrutiny over accusations of bullying and retribution. Baptist News Global obtained a letter he tendered to the board of trustees and a letter from the board to the…
Northern Seminary names acting president
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…
Think you’ve ‘decided’ about women in ministry? Here’s why there’s more to do
In my work advocating for women in ministry for more than a decade, there have been many instances in which a conversation with a male pastor or religious leader has included some form of the following: “Our church/organization decided about…