Dennis F. Kinlaw (1922-2017) Dennis Franklin Kinlaw was born June 26, 1922, in Lumberton, North Carolina. He attended Asbury College, graduating in 1943, and Asbury Theological Seminary, graduating in 1946. He pursued further studies at Princeton Theological Seminary and University of Edinburgh, Scotland. He received an M.A. and Ph.D. from Brandeis University.
On December 31, 1943, Kinlaw married a college classmate, Elsie Blake (Class of 1943). He was ordained in the North Carolina Conference of The Methodist Church in 1951, later transferring to the Kentucky Conference. In 1959, he served as a visiting professor at Seoul Theological College in South Korea. In 1963, he returned to Asbury Theological Seminary, this time as a professor of Old Testament history, theology, and languages.
In 1968, Kinlaw accepted an invitation to serve as president of his alma mater, Asbury College. He served two terms as the college president, 1968-1981 and 1986-1991. During his first tenure as Asbury’s president, the college experienced a sweeping move of the Holy Spirit in February 1970. The 144 hours of unbroken revival had a significant impact on the campus and spread through Asbury students to the local community, around the country, and across the world.
The Kinlaw Library on Asbury’s campus is named in honor of Dennis and Elsie Kinlaw. Mrs. Kinlaw passed away on July 10, 2003.
In 1983 Kinlaw founded the Francis Asbury Society, an organization based in Wilmore, Kentucky, whose purpose is to promote the message of Scriptural holiness through evangelism, discipleship, missions outreach, and publications. Kinlaw also served as chairman of the board of the mission organization OMS International. He was an accomplished pastor, professor, administrator, evangelist, teacher, and author.
Kinlaw passed away on April 10, 2017.
Listen to an audio clip of Dr. Dennis Kinlaw:
Books by Dennis Kinlaw Available at Kinlaw Library and/or Asbury University Archives:
Bio written by Matt Kinnell
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