Dr. John Byron named new Dean of Ashland Theological Seminary

05/13/2020 ASHLAND – Dr. John Byron has been named the new Dean of the Ashland Theological Seminary, beginning June 1.

Byron most recently has served the seminary as Interim Executive Dean and Vice President, Academic Dean. He succeeds Dr. Juan Martinez, who has relocated with his wife to California.

“We are very pleased to have Dr. Byron continue as part of our AU family and become the leader of our Seminary,” said AU President Dr. Carlos Campo. “He is an accomplished academic and faithful man of God, with an extraordinary background and the vision needed to lead ATS.”

Byron has been with ATS since 2003 and has served as a Professor of New Testament in that time, teaching introductory and advanced courses in New Testament and Greek. He also served as the seminary’s interim Academic Dean between 2015 and 2017.

Byron completed undergraduate studies at Elim Bible Institute in Lima, New York, received a Master of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies from Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and a doctorate in Theology from the University of Durham, England. In addition, he did post-graduate work at Jerusalem University College in Jerusalem, Israel.

The author of six books and more than 30 published articles and essays, Byron served as a translator for the Common English Bible, is a columnist for Biblical Archaeology Review and excavated with his students at Tel-Gezer in Israel.  

Byron and his wife, Lori, reside in Ashland and enjoy spending their free time cycling, cooking and traveling together.

Ashland University is a mid-sized, private university conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Ashland University (www.ashland.edu) values the individual student and offers a unique educational experience that combines the challenge of strong, applied academic programs with a faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students.###