Wilmore, KY — November 7, 2025 — Asbury Theological Seminary has received a $15 million gift from The Paul S. and Jean R. Amos Family Foundation to establish a new Ph.D. program in Theology with a focus on Wesley Studies.  This gift will also enable us to name an Endowed Chair in Wesleyan Theology. This generous contribution marks a milestone in the institution’s history and will significantly expand its academic offerings and global impact in theological scholarship.

The gift will fund the creation of a rigorous doctoral program designed to prepare scholars, educators, and thought leaders with global impact for service in academia, the church, and society, with firm commitments to the authority of Scripture, the Wesleyan tradition, and the church’s historic and orthodox faith.

The endowed chair will be held by a distinguished theologian whose work exemplifies the values of rigorous scholarship, faithful engagement, and global relevance. 

“We are grateful for this extraordinary gift from the Paul S. and Jean R. Amos Family Foundation. This gift will help us to further our mission and maintain our commitment to deep theological inquiry. It will allow us to contribute in important ways to the formation of Wesleyan scholars who will shape the future of the church and the academy,” said Dr. David F. Watson, President of Asbury Theological Seminary. “We are deeply grateful for the Amos family’s vision and generosity towards our institution and the global church.”

The Paul S. and Jean R. Amos Family Foundation has long been a champion of theological education and leadership development. Nearly 20 years ago, the Amos family helped Asbury Theological Seminary establish its PhD in Biblical Studies. That visionary gift has borne fruit, training scholars and leaders who are now shaping the church and academia. This new gift continues their legacy of investing in fostering intellectual and spiritual growth in the United States and around the globe.

Recruitment for the inaugural cohort of Ph.D. students is expected to begin in 2026, with the program officially launching in fall 2027.

About Asbury Theological Seminary

Asbury Theological Seminary was founded in 1923 to prepare and send forth well-trained, sanctified, Spirit-filled, evangelistic ministers to spread scriptural holiness around the world. Today, thousands of Asbury Theological Seminary graduates flourish in every state, on every continent, and in every time zone, reaching the world through evangelism, missions, church planting, preaching, teaching, and counseling. The sun never sets on its graduates. Asbury Theological Seminary continues its mission in providing holistic ministerial preparation as an interdenominational institution with a flagship campus in Wilmore, Ky., and extension sites in Colorado Springs, Memphis, Orlando, Tampa, and Tulsa, and fully online degree programs. For more information, please visit asburyseminary.edu.

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Media Contact:

Asbury Theological Seminary
Gianfranco Ramirez
Director of Communications
gianfranco.ramirez@asburyseminary.edu