Asbury Theological Seminary welcomes Dr. Maria Russell Kenney as the Assistant Professor of Christian Ethics within the School of Theology and Formation.

“Dr. Kenney will truly hit the ground running for the Asbury Seminary team,” Dr. Doug Matthews, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost, said. “She has taught successfully for the Seminary, is already well received by her colleagues in the School of Theology and Formation, is well grounded in virtue theory and has done tremendous work in a specific and creative application of virtue ethics, and has been superbly mentored in hospitality theology and ethics. She is familiar with and is passionately committed to our theology, mission and vision, and we greatly look forward to her future contribution to the institution, the academy, the church, and the world that God so loved. We gratefully welcome Dr. Kenney!”

Her doctoral work centered on the traditional virtue of ‘temperance,’ how it has been understood historically, and its relevance for addressing contemporary moral issues, particularly consumption and trans-humanism. In addition, she has particular interest in new forms of Christian community, such as the New Monasticism movement. Her publications include articles in the Dictionary of Scripture and Ethics and the T & T Clark Companion to Christian Ethics, as well as contributing to and co-editing the upcoming Practicing the Kingdom: Essays in Honor of Christine D. Pohl.

Alongside her academic pursuits, Dr. Kenney has participated in various forms of ministry for over twenty-five years, including campus ministry, low-income housing repair and advocacy in central Appalachia, residential work with emotionally disturbed adolescents, international medical relief work, and 17 years of pastoral and missional involvement in local congregations. She and her family currently attend Open Door Church, a neighborhood parish in Lexington.

Prior to this appointment, Dr. Kenney served as an Adjunct Professor of Christian Ethics at Asbury Theological Seminary. Dr. Kenney received her Ph.D. in theology and ethics from Durham University, Durham, England, in January 2017, having previously earned her M.Div. from Asbury Theological Seminary in 2002 and attending Texas Tech for undergraduate studies in cellular biology.