Dr. Mark Husbands, Denver Seminary’s eighth president, is an accomplished theologian, scholar, and leader in Christian higher education. An abiding commitment to the Centrality of Christ, the truth and efficacy of God’s Word, academic excellence, moral theology, and World Christianity has been central to his leadership and work as a theologian. Motivated to help students connect their faith and learning to the deepest needs and challenges of the world, Dr. Husbands has enriched the lives of many students throughout his many years of teaching and academic leadership.
Dr. Husbands earned a BA in Religious Studies with a minor in Music Performance from York University, followed by a master’s in theology from Wycliffe College at University of Toronto (Toronto School of Theology), where he studied the language philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein and Martin Heidegger. He completed his PhD in Christian Theology at the University of St. Michael’s College at the University of Toronto under the mentorship of renowned theologian John Webster, focusing on Karl Barth’s ethics of prayer.
Dr. Husbands most recently served as President and Vice-Chancellor of Trinity Western University (TWU), where he helped TWU to advance the development of Christian higher education around the globe. During his tenure, he also eliminated the university’s bank debt, raised $55 million in philanthropy, increased enrollment, and developed a strategic vision, emphasizing Christ-centered, student-focused education.
Dr. Husbands has held numerous academic and leadership roles, including professor of Theology and director of extension and summer school at Tyndale Seminary, assistant professor of Theology at Wheaton College, and the Leonard and Marjorie Maas chair of Reformed Theology at Hope College Hope College. At Hope College, he developed the Emmaus Scholars Program, a program that engages students, academically, socially, and spiritually, with the goal of cultivating a lifelong commitment to integral mission, racial reconciliation, and community development. He also served as vice president for academic affairs at Northwestern College, overseeing significant academic and institutional advancements.
Dr. Husbands is a prolific author and editor, having published multiple edited volumes, and numerous scholarly articles, essays, and chapters on topics including Karl Barth’s theology, political and moral theology, and world Christianity. His areas of specialization are Christian Doctrine, Historical Theology, Moral Theology (ethics), Theology of Karl Barth, Reformation and Contemporary Theology, Christology, Doctrine of Reconciliation, Doctrine of the Church, Theological Anthropology.
Dr. Husbands is married to Rebekah, and they have three adult children, Olivia, Elliott, and Ethan.
Learn more about Dr. Husbands here.
- Primary
- Christian Doctrine
- Historical Theology
- Moral Theology (ethics)
- Theology of Karl Barth
- Reformation and Contemporary Theology
- Christology
- Doctrine of Reconciliation
- Doctrine of the Church
- Theological Anthropology
- Secondary
- Political Theology
- Global Christianity
- Feminist Theology
- Theological Method
- Philosophical Theology
- Hermeneutics
- Strategic Leadership
- Keynote Address, “New Emerging Perspectives: Socio-Psychology of Leadership in an Age of Entitlement,” 8th Annual Leadership Conference, Stella Maris College, Chennai, India, January 22, 2024.
- Opening Address, Trinity Western University—Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), 2023 International Conference on Leadership and Governance for Sustainable Change and Wealth Creation, Nigeria, October 19, 2023.
- “Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Trinity Western University,” BC-India Business Network’s 2023 Education and Skills Summit, July 21, 2023.
- Inaugural Address, International HR Summit: “HR Innovation and Future of Work,” Kristu Jayanti School of Management (MBA), in collaboration with the National Institute of Personnel Management, Kristu Jayanti College, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, November 17, 2022.
- Keynote Address, International Conference on Scientific and Technological Advancements for Reliable and Sustainable Future, Bishop Heber College, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India, November 16, 2022.
- “Leading Innovation: Economy, Education, and Environmental Stewardship,” 7th Annual Leadership Conference, Stella Maris College, Chennai, India, November 11, 2022.
- “The Agile, Innovative, and Student-Focused Christian University” Keynote Address: International Leadership Conference, Stella Maris College, India, November 18, 2021.
- “Why Cities Matter and How to Protect People Post Pandemic” Keynote Address: International Leadership Conference, Stella Maris College, India, November 25, 2020.
- “Fully and Faithfully Present in the World: A Vision for Cultural and Intellectual Engagement” Address for the Trinity Western University Board of Trustees, July 10, 2020.
- “What does Northwestern College offer the World? — e Value of Higher Education” A faculty address, November 2, 2017.
- “Innovative Academic Program Development” President’s National Advisory Committee, October 20, 2017.
- “Christianity Rediscovered: Is Christianity a `White Man’s Religion’?” Ned Talk, Northwestern College, October 19, 2017.
- “Strength to Love: Midnight and the Call to Justice” An invited address on Martin Luther King Jr., delivered at the National Civil Rights Museum, Memphis, September 30, 2017.
- “What Makes for a Great College Experience?” Address to the Board of Trustees, September 28, 2017.
- “Advancing Faith, Intellect, and Beloved Community” A State of the College Address to Faculty, September 7, 2017.
- “Salt and Light: The Church for the World – Matthew 5: 1-2, 13-16” Opening Convocation Address, August 22, 2017.
- “The Academic Endeavour: How to Succeed at College” an Orientation Address to Incoming Freshmen, August 21, 2017.
- “A Theological Rationale for Commissioned Pastors at the Broader Assemblies,” R.C.A. General Synod Presentation, June 9, 2017.
- “The Challenge and Value Proposition of Christian Higher Education,” President’s National Advisory Committee, April 7, 2017.
- “College Governance, Faculty Committees, and Charting an Academic Career,” Address to Tenure Track Faculty, March 23, 2017.
- “Northwestern College’s Distinct Mission in Higher Education: Presentation to the Board of Trustees” March 8, 2017.
- “Contemporary Challenges and the Need for a New Administrative Structure,” Faculty Address, December 8, 2016.
- “Scientific Teaching and Learning: e Neuroscience of Active Learning,” Faculty Address, December 1, 2016.
- “Identity in Christ” Opening Convocation Address, August 24, 2016.
- “Calling the State to ‘Political Worship’: the Political Witness of Karl Barth and David Gitari,” Calvin College, Faith and International Development Conference, February 12, 2016.
- “Nurturing ‘Holy Grit’: the Emmaus Scholars Program – an Innovative Experiential Model of Faith Formation,” Taylor University, 2014 Higher Education Symposium, October 16, 2014.
- “`Do Not Go Gentle Into that Good Night’ — 2012 Last Lecture,” Hope College, Last Lecture Series — National Mortar Board Society, February 21, 2012.
- “A Reconsideration of ‘Fact/Value Dichotomy,’ and the Moral Space of Common Objects of Love,” American Economics Association — Association of Christian Economists, Chicago, January 6, 2012.
- International Symposium on the eological Interpretation of Scripture, “Wealth, Lordless Powers, and the Rule of Christ,” North Park Seminary, September 28, 2011.
- “Friendship, Knowledge and Love: What Emerging Adults Should Learn from Gandalf, Milosz, and Augustine,” Hope College, Veritas Forum: “True Communities, True Selves” January 13, 2011.
- International Symposium on the eological Interpretation of Scripture, Response to Hans Boersma, “Saving Bodies Anagogical Transposition in St. Gregory of Nyssa’s Commentary on the Song of Songs,” North Park Seminary, September 24, 2010.
- “Justification and Justice: Barth on Political Worship and the State” The Karl Barth Society of North America, e Society of Biblical Literature, New Orleans, November 20, 2009.
- “Water, Justice and Christ: When Water is Thicker than Blood,” Hope College, Critical Issues Symposium: At Water’s Edge: Complacency, Thirst, Action, October 7, 2009.
- “Singing Truth to Power: the Theo-politics of Bono and Bonhoeffer,” Durhum, N.C., U2: The Hype and the Feedback: A Conference exploring the music, work, and influence of U2, October 3, 2009.
- “Resurrection, Ontology and Gender: Why Reconciliation is Disruptive,” St. Louis, CBE International Conference: “Are Women from Mars and Men from Venus?” July 25, 2009.
- “Verdi’s Requiem: A Theological and Musical Conversation,” Hope College, Holland Symphony, Holland Chorale and Hope Music Department (College Chorus and Chapel Choir), March 29, 2009.
- “Evangelical Protestantism and Roman Catholicism: A Dialogue with Edward T. Oakes,” Wheaton College, February 2, 2009.
- “The Trinity is Not our Social Program: Volf, Nyssa and Barth,” delivered at the
- 17th Annual Wheaton Theology Conference, Rediscovering the Trinity: Classic Doctrine and Contemporary Ministry, April 11, 2008.
- “Is Christianity ‘true religion’”? Karl Barth and Global Christianity, ‘Searching the Sacred Lecture Series’ at Hope College, January 30, 2007.
- Invited Respondent, Mark Noll, “Resources and Perspectives for an Evangelical Foreign Policy,” and Moderator for the Council on Faith & International Affairs: Institute for Global Engagement at Wheaton College, April 19, 2006.
- Invited Respondent, Bernd Wannenwetsch, Lecturer in Theological Ethics at Oxford as part of the International symposium on Political Worship: Ethics for Christian Citizens, sponsored by the Stead Center for Ethics and Values, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, March 30, 2006.
- “HIV/AIDS and Mission Intégral: Towards a Compassionate Ecclesial Witness” invited lecture, Student Global Aids Campaign, February 16, 2006.
- “Barth on Mozart: An Allusive and Boundless Witness” — A 250th Birthday Celebration of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Wheaton College Conservatory of Music Faculty Recital Series, January 27, 2006.
- Let the Bishop Speak! — The Political Theology and Witness of Archbishop David Gitari”, Global Christianity: Challenging Modernity and the West: 2005
- Pruitt Memorial Symposium. November 10-12, 2005. Baylor University. “Reconciliation as the Dogmatic Location of Humanity: `…your life is hidden with Christ in God’ (Col. 3:3)” 14th Annual Wheaton Theology Conference,
- “Women, Ministry and the Gospel” April 7-8, 2005.
- “‘Politics as the Art of Dying’— Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Martin Luther King Jr.” Wheaton College, Council on Faith and International Affairs, Monday, January, 24, 2005.
- “`Politics as the Art of Dying’— Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Martin Luther King Jr.,” San Antonio, American Academy of Religion, Christian Theological Research Fellowship, November 20, 2004.
- Invited Response (with George Marsden and Roger Lundin) to Mark Noll’s America’s God: From Jonathan Edwards to Abraham Lincoln, Wheaton College, November 13, 2003.
- “Spirit and the ‘Use’ of Scripture: Hermeneutics and Divine Action,” Redeemer University College, The Open Book & Scholarship Conference, August 17, 2000.
- “The Nature of Spiritual Formation and the Role of the College & Seminary in its Advancement” An address given to the combined faculties of Tyndale College & Seminary, October 14, 1999.
- “The Nature of a Christian Response to the Environment: Creation and Stewardship,” Tyndale Seminary, Toronto, Dec. 6, 1999.
- “Reflecting upon Athens and Jerusalem: On the Relationship between Philosophy and Theology,” Wycliffe College, University of Toronto, October 2, 1997.
- “The Moral Life and the Story of Jesus: Charles Taylor, Hans Frei and Narrative Theology,” University of Toronto, Wycliffe Theology Colloquium, February 24, 1997.
- “Seeing All Things in Relation to God,” Religious Studies and Theology, 42/1, (November 2023), 4-17.
- “Nurturing Holy Grit: Hope College’s Emmaus Scholars Program” A Faith for the Generations: How Collegiate Experience Impacts Faith, Timothy Herrmann, Kirsten D. Tenhaken, Hannah M. Adderly, and Morgan K. Morris eds., Abilene Christian University Press: Abilene, 2015.
- “Theological Perspective on John 15:18-25,” “Theological Perspective on John 15:26a-16:4a” and “Theological Perspective on John 16:4b-15” in Feasting on the Gospels, Westminster John Knox Press, 2015.
- “A Reconsideration of “Fact” and “Value” and the Moral Space within which Theologians and Economists may share Common Objects of Love.” Faith & Economics, 60, Fall, 2012.
- “Calvin on the Revelation of God in Creation and Scripture: Modern Reception and Contemporary Possibilities” in Calvin’s Theology and Its Reception: Disputes, Developments, and New Possibilities, John Hesselink and Todd Billings, eds., (Westminster/John Knox Press), 2012.
- “Wealth, Lordless Powers, and the Rule of Christ” Ex Auditu: An International Journal for the Theological Interpretation of Scripture, 27, 2011.
- “Is All Worship the Religion of Cain?” Review Essay, Perspectives, 24/7, (August/September 2009), 20-23.
- “The Trinity is Not our Social Program: Volf, Nyssa and Barth,” in Trinitarian Theology for the Church: Scripture, Community, Worship, Daniel J. Treier and David Lauber, eds. InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, 2008.
- Ancient Faith for the Church’s Future. Mark Husbands and Jeffrey P. Greenman, eds. InterVarsity Press: Downers Grove, 2008.
- “Theological Essays on Genesis Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16” in Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Lectionary Commentary, Year B, Volume 2, Lent through Eastertide, Westminster/John Knox Press, 2008.
- The Beauty of God: Theology and the Arts. Mark Husbands, Roger Lundin, and Dan Treier, eds., InterVarsity Press: Downers Grove, 2007.
- “Reconciliation as the Dogmatic Location of Humanity,” in Women, Ministry and the Gospel: Exploring New Paradigms, Mark Husbands and Timothy Larsen, eds., InterVarsity Press: Downers Grove, 2007.
- Women, Ministry and the Gospel: Exploring New Paradigms. Mark Husbands and Tim Larsen, eds. InterVarsity Press: Downers Grove, 2007.
- The Community of the Word: Toward an Evangelical Ecclesiology. Mark Husbands and Daniel J. Treier, eds., InterVarsity Press: Downers Grove, 2005.
- Justification: What’s at Stake in the Recent Debates. Mark Husbands and Daniel J. Treier, eds., InterVarsity Press: Downers Grove, 2004.
- Essays Catholic and Critical, Philip G. Ziegler and Mark Husbands, eds., Heythrop Studies in Contemporary Philosophy, Religion and Theology. Aldershot, Hampshire: Ashgate Publishing, 2003.
- “P.T. Forsyth,” Biographical Dictionary of Evangelicals, Timothy Larsen, ed., Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 2003.
- “T.F. Torrance,” Biographical Dictionary of Evangelicals, Timothy Larsen, ed., Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 2003.
- “Donald G. Bloesch,” Biographical Dictionary of Evangelicals, Timothy Larsen, ed., Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 2003.
- Translation (German to English) of Dietrich Meyer’s article on “Zinzendorf,” in the Biographical Dictionary of Evangelicals, Timothy Larsen, ed., Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 2003
- “‘Reading with the Spirit’: Interpreting Scripture in the light of Word and Spirit,” Teach Me Your Paths: Studies in Old Testament Literature and Theology. Jeff Greenman and John Kessler, eds., Toronto: Clements Press. 2000.
- Review article: B. William Hamilton, A Quest for the Post-Historical Jesus. New York: Continuum, 1994, Toronto Journal of Theology, 13/1, 1997.
- Theology and the End of Modernity: Essays in Conversation with Reginald Stackhouse. Mark Husbands, ed., Toronto: Wycliffe College. 1996.
- Review article: Mark I. Wallace, The Second Naiveté: Barth, Ricoeur and the New Yale Theology. Macon, GA: Mercer University Press. 1990, Toronto Journal of Theology, 9/2, 1994.
- Review Article: William C. Placher, Unapologetic Theology: A Christian Voice in a Pluralistic Conversation. Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster Press. 1989, Prolegomena, 2/2, 1991.