Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary welcomes a new leader with a background in the church and the law. Sharon Tan has accepted the position of vice president and dean of the seminary, part of Fresno Pacific University, and began work July 1, 2022.
“I am honored and grateful to be invited to join the Spirit’s work in Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary at Fresno Pacific University,” she says. “Fresno Pacific is an amazing gift to the Central Valley and I hope to continue the good work in growing it even more in its call to be an Anabaptist witness to God’s redeeming love and grace in the world.”
Tan replaces Tim Geddert, who served as interim dean after Valerie Rempel stepped down as dean and vice president in July 2021. Geddert returns to his position as professor and program director of New Testament.
Before coming to the seminary, Tan was acting dean of the seminary and professor of theological ethics at Eden Theological Seminary, St. Louis. While there she was involved in accreditation, program development and faculty leadership.
She has also served United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities as vice president for academic strategy as well as dean and vice president of academic affairs and McVay Professor of Christian Ethics. She began her career as an attorney at Sutherland, Asbill and Brennan in Atlanta.
Tan earned her doctorate in religion with a concentration in ethics and society from Atlanta’s Emory University as well as a Juris Doctor from the Emory University School of Law, where she served as articles editor for the Emory Law Journal. Her master of theological studies is from the Candler School of Theology at Emory. She also has a bachelor of science in business administration and English Bible from Oral Roberts University, Tulsa.
Among Tan’s publications is the book The Reconciliation of Races and Classes: How Religion Contributes to Politics and Law. Tan is a board member of the Association for Theological Schools, where she has been on the Women in Leadership Committee and was a board member of the Society of Christian Ethics, where she was also a co-convener of the Asian American Working Group.
Fresno Pacific University is California’s Central Valley’s only accredited Christian university, connecting every student’s untapped potential with unlimited opportunity for professional, personal and ethical growth. Nonprofit and independent, FPU offers more than 100 areas of study to about 4,000 traditional undergraduate, adult degree completion, graduate and seminary students at the main campus in Southeast Fresno and throughout the Valley at regional campuses in North Fresno, Visalia, Bakersfield and Merced as well as online.
