United Methodist Church Drops Asbury Seminary Over Marriage Stance
The United Methodist Church's University Senate voted on June 17-18, 2026, to remove Asbury Theological Seminary from its list of approved clergy training institutions. The decision followed a review that found Asbury's traditional marriage stance conflicts with the UMC's updated 2024 Social Principles.
The United Methodist Church removed Asbury Theological Seminary from its list of approved institutions for clergy training on June 17-18, 2026, after a closed-door meeting of the University Senate in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Senate cited Asbury's published ethos statement, which defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman, as incompatible with the UMC's 2024 Social Principles. Those principles no longer classify homosexuality as incompatible with Christian teaching.
Asbury had been an approved UMC institution since 1981. The seminary serves students from many denominations, with about 9 percent identifying as United Methodist.
The Senate also removed Northeastern Seminary from the approved list, citing a lack of UMC faculty and an over-reliance on online programming.
Students currently enrolled at Asbury or planning to attend in fall 2026 are protected under a grandfathering policy. They may complete their programs and remain eligible for UMC ordination. New students starting after fall 2026 must attend a UMC-affiliated or otherwise approved seminary.
Asbury President David F. Watson called the decision unilateral. "Asbury remains committed to its orthodox, Wesleyan roots," Watson said. "Our mission has not changed."
The seminary remains an approved institution for the Global Methodist Church, which split from the UMC in 2022 over similar theological disagreements.
