The Rev. Dr. John Kinney

John Kinney has devoted himself to the pursuit of excellence in theological training and ministerial preparation and has distinguished himself as a systematic theologian, academician and administrator in a career that spans more than 40 years. This includes 27 years of service to Virginia Union University as Dean of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology and Senior Vice President of the university.  

He received undergraduate and graduate degrees from Marshall University (Huntington, West Virginia) and Virginia Union University (Richmond, Virginia) respectively. He was awarded the PhD from Columbia University/Union Theological Seminary (New York). He has also shared in instruction at Chicago Theology Seminary Chicago, Illinois; Randolph Macon College, Ashland, Virginia; Union Theological Seminary (Richmond, Virginia); and the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia. 

John Kinney has lectured extensively across this nation and in Africa. He has been a featured lecturer at numerous universities and colleges, including Yale University, Duke University, Michigan State University, Howard University, Southern Methodist University, Virginia Commonwealth University, and the University of Richmond. He has also presented at numerous theological schools, including Iliff School of Theology, Bangor Theological Seminary, Shaw Divinity School, Hood Theological Seminary, The Baptist Theological Seminary, McCormick Theological Seminary, Union Theological Seminary, and many others. His theological teachings are included in several publications and crystallized in an article entitled The Theology of Fallenness: The Roots of Racism.

John Kinney has served as Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Beaverdam, Virginia, for more than 40 years.  He has also been a member of the American Society of Church History, the American Academy of Religion and the Society for the Study of Black Religion. He has served in multiple leadership roles for the Association of Theological Schools, chairing the committee on Race and Ethnicity from 1998 to 2000, serving as a member on the Commission on Accrediting from 2000 to 2006 and then as Commission Chair (2004–2006), Vice President (2006-2008), President (2008-2010) and Personnel Committee Chair (2010–2012).