Meet the Faculty

A minister in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Bradley Longfield served as a pastor in Indiana and taught at Duke Divinity School before coming to UDTS. He served as Dean of the Seminary from 1998 - 2016. He published, The Presbyterian Controversy: Fundamentalists, Modernists, and Moderates, investigates the fundamentalist/ modernist conflict in the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. in the 1920s and 1930s. Dr. Longfield has also co-edited The Secularization of the Academy, a collection of essays addressing the history of religion and higher education. His current research and publications focus on the history of church conflict and twentieth-century denominational history.

Director of the MAMD Program

Dr. James' research and teaching focus on missional engagement with contemporary contexts, and his pedagogy features an emphasis on experimentation and praxis. Christopher is the author of the award-winning Church Planting Post-Christian Soil: Theology and Practice as well as numerous articles. Dr. James is a regular presenter at academic and ministry conferences and has been featured in print, radio, and television, with stories featuring his research in SeattleMet Magazine, and NBC and NPR affiliates. When he's not in the classroom you're likely to find him park-hopping with his wife, Lindsay, and their two spunky kids or hosting a community conversation at the local nano-brewery.

Stanley Professor of Wesley Studies
Director of the UM Studies Program

Dr. Colyer is an ordained United Methodist Pastor and Elder in the Wisconsin Conference of the United Methodist Church. He has served churches in Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and Iowa. A summa cum laude student in college and seminary, he received his Ph.D. from Boston College/Andover Newton in 1992. Dr. Colyer has received numerous awards for his excellence as a teacher. 

Dr. Lindsey Ward is responsible for the oversight of field education, assessment, advising, and other administrative duties in the Seminary. Having started her career in undergraduate student life roles, she spent eight years in the trenches of young adult formation working with student organizations, advisors, and student leaders, then chased that passion for student growth and development into the classroom, where she now coordinates curriculum and instruction for a series of courses that help undergraduates explore their purpose, worldview, and vocation through a distinctly Reformed Christian lens. In her free time, Lindsey seeks adventure. You can find her at the top of a mountain (37 14,000' peaks and counting!), on a bike, on a run, on a yoga mat, in a tent, or out exploring with her husband and three growing boys.

Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty

Dr. Ward joined the University of Dubuque in 2010 and serves as the Chief Academic Officer of the University. He earned a BA in Business and Economics from Calvin College, an MBA from the University of Denver, and a PhD in Business from the University of Illinois - Chicago. His research centers on work values and beliefs. He and his wife, Annalee, have two adult children and five grandchildren.

Chair of the Theology Program

Matthew R. Schlimm is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church. He has served churches in Michigan, Minnesota, and North Carolina. He completed his PhD in Hebrew Bible/Old Testament at Duke University. His research interests focus on biblical theology and biblical ethics. He is the author of three books: (1) From Fratricide to Forgiveness: The Language and Ethics of Anger in Genesis, (2) This Strange and Sacred Scripture: Wrestling with the Old Testament and Its Oddities, and (3) 70 Hebrew Words Every Christian Should Know. Schlimm has also served as one of the editors for the CEB Study Bible and published in a variety of journals.

Nick Elder's teaching and research revolves around how Scripture has been experienced in different media throughout history. Before coming to UDTS, Dr. Elder served as a Visiting Assistant Professor at Marquette University. He is the author of several articles in journals such as Catholic Biblical Quarterly, the Journal for the Study of Judaism, and the Journal of Biblical Literature. He authored The Media Matrix of Early Jewish and Christian Narrative and Gospel Media: Reading, Writing, and Disseminating Jesus Traditions. Outside the classroom, Dr. Elder spends most of his time wrangling four children, riding a bicycle, and eating mint chocolate chip ice cream.

Director of the MAM Program

Drawn by a love of monastic history and contemplative prayer, Susan received her MDiv at St John's University, a Benedictine abbey, and a PhD in Practical Theology and Spirituality from Boston University. While at BU, Susan coordinated the spiritual formation project in the Center for Practical Theology and worked as a campus chaplain, pastoring students and leading retreats. She has presented conference papers on lectio divina and practical theological research (Association of Practical Theology), and lectio divina and internet technology (International Academy of Practical Theology). Prior to coming to UDTS, Susan was on staff at Bethany Presbyterian Church, as manager of communications and systems, and was an adjunct instructor of Christian Formation at Seattle Pacific University, where she delighted in introducing freshman to spiritual disciplines and sharing the love of Jesus Christ.

Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program

Timothy Matthew Slemmons, professor of homiletics and worship, has served two Presbyterian congregations, as pastor (Tarentum, PA) and interim pastor (Titusville, NJ). His research interests include lectionary expansion (Year D: A Quadrennial Supplement to the RCL); the Reformed tradition of expository, lectio continua preaching, particularly Johannes Oecolampadius; revival preaching in the first and second Great Awakenings; catechetical preaching; the Biblical Reflections of Johann Georg Hamann; and the vein of dialectical homiletics running from Kierkegaard to Forsyth, Barth, and Bonhoeffer (Groans of the Spirit: Homiletical Dialectics in an Age of Confusion). His current approach to homiletical pedagogy seeks to leverage the wisdom of devotional, edifying literature for practical and effective approaches to preaching.

Pastor to Students

Director of Seminary Admission