Asbury Seminary’s Most Recent Retirees
Published Date: July 3, 2018
We always look with a hint of sadness whenever any of our dear faculty retire from teaching. The impact and legacy they leave behind is a testament to the grace of God in their lives. We are both humbled and slightly nervous about bearing that torch further in their absence. Asbury Theological Seminary recently celebrated the retirement of two of our incredible faculty: Dr. Stephen Seamands and Dr. Christine Pohl. The Alumni Office contacted them both for interviews, so we could hear from them about this time in their lives and careers.
Dr. Stephen Seamands
Professor Emeritus, Asbury Theological Seminary
What has your time at Asbury meant to you?
“God gives the best to those who leave the choice with Him.” I’m not sure who originally said that, but those words surely became true in my life when the door opened for me to come teach at ATS in 1983. These past 35 years have been not merely “good” but “the best” for me. To be here at a time of such significant institutional growth and flourishing, to have taught such deeply committed, passionate students, to have been enriched by relationships with so many wonderful colleagues on the faculty, to have been given sabbaticals to write and publish, to have opportunities to travel across the world, and to have been able to minister to the emotional and spiritual needs of students–I am amazed when I think about it all. It fills my heart with gratitude. And it makes me wonder what I did to deserve all this!
What was one of your favorite memories of teaching at Asbury?
Late in the spring semester of 1990, I was preparing for a class I was teaching on The Doctrine of Holiness. As I was reading over the book we were supposed to discuss in class the next day, the Holy Spirit seemed to say to me, “You’ve been discussing holiness all semester. Tomorrow, why don’t you invite your students to experience the reality of it? Why don’t you give an invitation to holiness.”
I agreed, but found myself having lots of second thoughts. “What if nobody responds to my invitation? I’m going to look like a fool! And what will the faculty member who had been sitting in on the class think? This is surely not the way to gain academic respectability around here!”
The next morning, however, wanting to be obedient to the voice of the Spirit, I reluctantly resolved to go ahead.
But as it turned out, I never even got a chance to give the invitation that day! When I opened the class, I asked the students, “What did you think of this book?” The first student who responded said, “This book made me hungry for holiness. In fact, I’ve got to have what it’s talking about. As a student pastor the past two years, I’ve been deeply hurt by people in my congregation. I need God to cleanse and restore my soul. Would you pray for me?”
We gathered around him and prayed and God met him. As soon as we’d finished, another student said, “I need to confess something. Would you to pray for me too?” We did and then went on to pray for several others.
Surely, the presence of the Lord was in that place that day. I’ll never forget it.
What are your next steps as you retire?
I will continue to teach one course at the seminary each semester for the next few years. I’m also significantly involved in Seedbed in sowing for a great Awakening. I have a couple of books I want to work on. There are some places I’d like to see. Above all, I want to spend more with Carol, my four children and their spouses, along with my eight grandchildren. I also believe the Lord has some joyful surprises in store for me.
Dr. Christine Pohl
Professor Emerita, Asbury Theological Seminary
What has your time at Asbury meant to you?
My twenty-nine years at Asbury have provided an extraordinary opportunity to minister; I’ve had a chance to prepare generations of students and make resources available to them so that they would be able to grow in their capacity to minister. It has been a time of growth and grace for me as I have tried to help students mature in faithfulness, goodness, and wisdom, so that they would be equipped to help others do the same. It has been a privilege to be part of a community in which people are eager to serve Christ and His kingdom.
Asbury has been a great place in which to learn and teach, worship and serve, and get to know the most extraordinary range of people as colleagues, students, friends, and guides. Asbury also helped me to live into the Wesleyan tradition—to learn and embrace its riches and to share with others the riches that I’ve found. I have deeply appreciated the affirmation of women in leadership, the generous willingness of the community to let me share my gifts, and the friendships that helped me want to go deeper in my Christian faith.
What was one of your favorite memories of teaching at Asbury?
I’m not sure I can identify a single favorite memory, but two recurring experiences have brought me great joy:
- In the classroom when students grasp the significance and complexity of a moral issue or ethical paradigm. When they realize that it is not just some abstract or historical discussion, but hard-earned wisdom from folks who struggled with similar issues while seeking to serve God faithfully.
- The second experience is linked—it is when insights from a historical figure—e.g. Wesley, Calvin, John Chrysostom, or from Scripture– actually come alive for students and they start reflecting on how that insight matters for them and their ministry. I’ve especially cherished the times when this turned into a full class discussion.
What are your next steps as you retire?
I’m not exactly sure. I think it might take me a little while to make the transition. I am working on two books, and have agreed to a number of teaching and speaking engagements in the next year. So, many things won’t change very much. I plan to stay in Wilmore and look forward to staying connected to Asbury. However, I am hoping to have a little more time for other things I’ve had to put aside for a long time—more interactions with people who aren’t Christians, more time with extended family and friends, more time for gardening, travel, piano, and art projects. I’m really looking forward to having more frequent opportunities to provide hospitality.
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I never had the privilege of sitting under the teaching of these two giants. But the writings of both of them have been very helpful to me. They made me proud of my Asbury identity.
May God richly bless both of you, Dr. Pohl and Dr. Seamands, in the next stage of your journey with God. We all have drunk deeply from the well of your godly wisdom and the better for it.
I had the sacred privilege of having both Dr. Seamands and Dr. Pohl as a student in the early 1990s. God used them both to help shape my mind and heart as well as my ministry. I am so grateful for their influence on me and give thanks for them often. What gifts of God to the body of Christ!
MY NAME IS JOSEPH MENSAH ACCRA GHANA BOTH DR SEAMOND AND DR CHRISTINE POHL TAUGHT ME AT ASBURY IN THE EARLY 90S. i CHERISH THEIR ACADEMIC PROWESS AND SPIRITUAL INTEGRITY
MAY THEY BOTH ENJOY THEIR RETIREMENT
STAY BLESS
Christine and Steve,
“Retirement” is a wonderful gift from God.
It is a special “Sabbath” with lots of time for Family.
You have moved from “tension” to “pension”,
so enjoy fully.
You have moved from “stressed” to the word spelled
backwards, “desserts”.
In Christ,
Terry Faris, ATS Class of 1971
Dr. Seamands and Dr. Pohl,
I am so glad that I had the opportunity to have taken classes from both of you during my time at Asbury in the years of 1992-1995. You both have expanded the minds of your students to think more theologically and spiritually as we all face times of difficulties and challenges. Enjoy your retirements, for you both truly deserve this gift!
Blessings,
Melissa Geisler ATS Class of 1995
I did not have the privilege to have Dr. Pohl for a course but Dr. Seamands Idid have for class as well as being my mentor for my doctoral dissertation time. His influence and prayers made a huge difference in my time at Asbury. Thank you Dr. Seamands for sharing and caring from the heart! If it were possible we would love to have you come to Africa soon.
Peace in Christ,
Cindy North, ATS Class of 2010
I have been deeply blessed by both of these saints, although I didn’t have a class from either of them. Dr. Seamands’ ministry of healing prayer brought a few faithful prayer warriors together to intercede for my husband and me at a critical juncture, and God performed the miracle of reconciliation. Dr. Pohl invited me into a learning community after I finished seminary as part of a three-year Lilly Endowment grant. The group modeled mutual learning, with Christine’s unparalleled ability to moderate. Concepts from those times of wrestling with praxis are still with me, and some words (gratitude, for instance) recall those rich conversations every time I say, write, hear or read them. I thank God for both of you, friends!