Dr. Ryan N. Danker will continue to lead the Wesleyan resource initiative.
Wilmore, KY – October 1, 2026 – Asbury Theological Seminary today announced it has acquired the John Wesley Institute (JWI), formerly an academic research program of the Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD). The acquisition is effective October 1, 2026.
As part of the acquisition, Asbury Theological Seminary has assumed ownership of JWI’s assets and intellectual property, including its books, videos, magazines, events, and cohort-based programs. Ryan N. Danker, Th.D., who has served as JWI’s director since its founding in 2021, will continue to lead the institute.
“The Wesleyan tradition is not merely a historical inheritance; it is a living theological vision for the church’s witness in the world,” said Dr. David F. Watson, president of Asbury Theological Seminary. “The John Wesley Institute has helped bring that vision into conversation with the questions confronting the church today. We are grateful for the Institute on Religion and Democracy’s stewardship of this work and delighted to welcome JWI to Asbury Seminary. Under Dr. Ryan Danker’s continued leadership, we look forward to building on its work through scholarship that is intellectually rigorous, rooted in the life of the church, and directed toward faithful discipleship.”
“I am excited to welcome the John Wesley Institute and Dr. Ryan Danker to Asbury Theological Seminary,” said Dr. John Ragsdale, provost and vice president of academic affairs of Asbury Theological Seminary. “Dr. Danker’s commitment to preserving and extending the history and theology of John Wesley and the people called Methodists is much needed in a world that is often indifferent to true and rich discipleship within the Wesleyan tradition. His commitment to bringing these ideas to life in local congregations is both compelling and deeply aligned with what I believe the Lord is calling Asbury Theological Seminary to be and do in the 21st century.”
The John Wesley Institute advances the Wesleyan tradition by connecting leading scholars and church leaders with congregations and laypeople. Drawing on a network of more than 125 voices from Anglican, Methodist, Holiness, and Pentecostal traditions, JWI convenes scholars, church leaders, and laypeople around the depth and breadth of the Wesleyan tradition.
JWI’s work includes conferences, local teaching events, the School of Methodism, Teaching Fellows, scholar summits, publications, and leadership-formation initiatives such as the Epworth Fellows Program. The institute also oversees projects including Good News Magazine and Sermons for America.
As part of Asbury Theological Seminary, JWI will continue serving the broader Wesleyan community through rigorous scholarship and accessible resources that equip laypeople and church leaders for theology, discipleship, holiness, public life, worship, and ministry.
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. Asbury Theological Seminary continues to hold in its mission, providing holistic ministerial preparation as an interdenominational institution with a flagship campus in Wilmore, Ky., and extension sites in Memphis, Tennessee; Orlando, Florida; Tampa, Florida; and Tulsa, Oklahoma; and fully online degree programs. For more information, please visit asburyseminary.edu.
