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Asbury University is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Jonathan Rutledge as Associate Professor of Philosophy. Dr. Rutledge works at the intersection of analytic philosophy and systematic theology, with a research focus on questions related to ethics, epistemology, and philosophy of religion.
Rutledge joins Asbury from Harvard University, where he has served for the past three years as a John and Daria Barry Postdoctoral Fellow with the Human Flourishing Program. He holds PhDs in Philosophy (University of Oklahoma) and Theology (University of St. Andrews).
“The School of Christian Studies is thrilled at the appointment of Dr. Rutledge to the residential philosophy professorship at Asbury,” said Dean of the School of Christian Studies Dr. Brian Shelton ’89. “He is driven by a desire to address philosophical questions that bear on our faith, from the problem of evil to the wonder of Jesus’ sacrifice. He cares deeply for the learner, ready to join young people in achieving a sense of Christ-centered flourishing.”
Rutledge’s work engages a wide range of topics, from the problem of evil and the rationality of belief in God to justice in doctrines of atonement and, more recently, an egalitarian account of women’s ordination. He is the author or editor of several books, including Forgiveness and Atonement: Christ’s Restorative Sacrifice (2022), Paradox and Contradiction in Theology (2023), and the forthcoming T&T Clark Reader in Analytic Theology (co-edited with Oliver Crisp and Joshua Cockayne).
In addition to his academic scholarship, Rutledge has collaborated with colleagues at Harvard to develop a workbook designed to support individuals struggling to experience divine forgiveness. This project reflects his deep commitment to serving the Church by helping people engage life’s most serious theological and existential questions—both intellectually and emotionally.
The School of Christian Studies at Asbury University will begin accepting students for the Fall 2025 semester in a new, primarily online Master of Arts in Ministry Innovation program.
The M.A. in Ministry Innovation is an innovative and global program for professionals in ministry and recent graduates looking to take their ministry to the next level and tie their passions into their ministry goals. The curriculum is designed with experienced pastors, recent college graduates, worship leaders, artists, and current Asbury students in mind. Current Asbury students in the school of Christian Studies can take up to three master’s courses throughout their undergraduate education and can receive the graduate level degree in as little as one additional year. The program will equip students to pursue creative and culturally relevant ministry opportunities.
Asbury’s School of Christian studies launched in June 2024 and offers majors in Bible Theology, Christian Ministries, Intercultural Studies, Online Leadership and Ministry, Online Ministry Management, Pastoral Ministries, Philosophy, Youth Ministry, and Worship Arts. The liberal arts-focused Master of Arts in Ministry Innovation is the first master’s program the University will offer in Ministry and includes a hybrid experience plus a mentorship experience in which professional coaches guide each student on their path to ministry innovation.