Dennis F. Kinlaw: American Wesleyan Scholar and Educator

Academic and Administrative Career

Kinlaw taught Old Testament languages and literature at Asbury Theological Seminary in the 1960s and later led Asbury College through two separate presidencies. His formal teaching included a period as a visiting professor at Seoul South Korea, reflecting an international dimension to his ministry. He studied as an undergraduate at Asbury and pursued further study at Brandeis University, bringing both evangelical conviction and rigorous scholarship to his roles.

Roles and Positions

• Professor of Old Testament Languages and Literature, Asbury Theological Seminary (1963–1968).
• President of Asbury College (1968–1981; 1986–1991).
• Chancellor of Asbury College (1992).
• Visiting professor at Seoul Theological College in 1959.

Writings, Teaching Emphases, and Organizations

Kinlaw authored several books and many articles aimed at pastors, students and lay readers. His published work emphasized spiritual disciplines, the practical relevance of biblical studies, and the Wesleyan tradition’s concern for holiness. He also founded the Francis Asbury Society, an organization dedicated to promoting spiritual formation and renewing interest in Asbury-related evangelical heritage. His teaching often sought to bridge careful exegesis of Scripture with pastoral application and character formation.

Influence and Legacy

Colleagues and former students remember Kinlaw for combining pastoral warmth with academic integrity. Under his leadership Asbury College navigated periods of institutional growth and cultural change while retaining a commitment to its religious identity. Through the Francis Asbury Society and numerous speaking engagements, he contributed to ongoing conversations about revival, discipleship and the renewal of Christian life within the Wesleyan-holiness movement.

Personal Life and Death

Kinlaw was married to Elsie Kinlaw until her death in 2003. He continued teaching and mentoring after stepping down from administrative posts and remained a respected voice in evangelical education. Dennis F. Kinlaw died in 2017 in Wilmore, Kentucky, leaving a legacy in both academic and church communities. His work is often cited by those engaged in Wesleyan theology, spiritual formation and Christian higher education.

Notable Facts

1. Kinlaw combined classical biblical scholarship with an emphasis on lived spirituality and pastoral formation.
2. He maintained connections with international theological education, including teaching in Seoul.
3. He remains associated with Asbury institutions and the Francis Asbury Society, which continue to promote his concerns for holiness and discipleship.

For further institutional information see Asbury College and seminarian publications, and for background on the movement he served consult materials on the Wesleyan-holiness tradition and twentieth-century American evangelical education. Additional reference material can be found through academic libraries and denominational archives.

Lumberton, North Carolina; Old Testament studies; Seoul; South Korea; Brandeis University; Wilmore, Kentucky.