A word on my (double) alma mater’s closure, Multnomah University (Bible College) and Multnomah Biblical Seminary. It was announced almost two years ago that Multnomah University would be “merging” with another Christian University (albeit a genuinely Christian liberal arts university), Jessup University, located in Rocklin, CA (a suburb of Roseville and Sacramento, CA, respectively). It was sold to the alumni, and students, and faculty and staff, as if Multnomah would continue on as an institution; albeit, under the aegis and funding of Jessup University. Or at least this is one way it left itself open to be interpreted (and it was indeed interpreted this way, by many). But for some of us it was all too clear what was happening, and we said so. What some of us were saying has in fact happened, and on the very timeline we said it would (to the mockery of others). Jessup University saw a business opportunity and they took it! The board of Multnomah University, instead of liquidating things themselves, literally gave the campus, and everything, to Jessup University. Jessup, in turn, not only inherited the university’s assets, but MU’s debt. As John Jackson, President of Jessup University has written:
When Jessup University was first approached in November of 2023, we began immediately to fund Multnomah University to ensure that employees would continue to be paid. Jessup continued to fund Multnomah with millions of dollars of support over the next several months until Multnomah University ceased to exist in May of 2024 and the remaining assets and liabilities were contributed to Jessup. Since then, Jessup has continued to fund Multnomah University through the multi-million-dollar deficits of this past year as well. While Jessup University has made substantial financial investments to sustain Multnomah operations over the past 18 months, we also recognize the importance of long-term sustainability. As such, we are unable to continue funding the campus at the same levels indefinitely. Our future efforts will be focused on building viable, mission-aligned programs such as Multnomah Biblical Seminary and Jessup Global that serve both the Portland community and students around the world. Through it all, we are very grateful that more than 80% of the Multnomah students who continued from Fall 2023 have been able to graduate from the Multnomah Campus of Jessup University. Thank you for your commitment to the student body.[1]
What Jackson has left silent is that the former Multnomah University’s campus is worth, approximately: $ 27,298,921 (that’s million). This can be found here based on Multnomah’s IRS filing as of 2023. To inherit the Multnomah University, and all of its assets, along with its outstanding debt—which at time of JU’s acquisition, as I read elsewhere, was in the realm of $ 2M—was to inherit a cash-cow, ultimately. It has only taken two years, from time of acquisition to now, for JU to put most of the campus on the market.
And yet, Jessup University, along with the current board and leadership (Jessica Taylor), at the time, led people to believe that the “legacy” of Multnomah would continue onwards. That is to say, the notion being presented to alumni, and everyone, was that Multnomah University would continue on as a school of Jessup University (like an extension campus). But even that was presented via subterfuge; in the sense that JU and MU officials made it sound like Multnomah as a school would carry on through a “transformational” relationship with Jessup University. Clearly, for anyone with discerning interpretive skills, this was not the case; and it surely wasn’t. Here is how the subterfuge was packaged:
This exciting development comes as a result of a transformative partnership between Multnomah University and Jessup University, approved by the Department of Education.
The collaboration between Multnomah and Jessup represents a commitment to providing a Christ-centered educational experience. After May 1st, 2024, Multnomah University transitioned into the Multnomah Campus of Jessup University, uniting under one visionary institution. This change strengthens our focus on our distinctives: Biblical integration, cultural engagement, and redemptive presence, with excellence for increasing impact and ongoing financial sustainability.
“As we welcome students to our campus this fall, we are committed to providing a dynamic learning environment that fosters faith development and professional readiness,” said Dr. Jessica Taylor, Multnomah University president. “Our small class sizes, biblical integration, and commitment to academic excellence remain cornerstones of our mission, ensuring that every student receives the support and guidance they need to humbly engage in God’s redemptive work in the world.”[2]
Predictably, as already noted, this all dissolved as of the last class held on Multnomah campus, Spring term, 2025.
And yet, the subterfuge continues. Whilst the campus is currently on the market, John Jackson and Jessup University, and other people associated with the old, end-staged Multnomah, continue to promote the idea that Multnomah’s legacy continues on through Multnomah’s former seminary, Multnomah Biblical Seminary. Even as the campus is on the market Jessup has retained the name of the seminary, and made it their own school; this is how they can technically claim that Multnomah’s legacy continues—so they didn’t “lie,” ostensibly. And yet, Multnomah Biblical Seminary has no correspondence, whatsoever, with its historic iteration. Furthermore, and this is fitting since Jessup is selling the physical campus, Multnomah Biblical Seminary is a fully online seminary (with six faculty, one of which was present at the old Multnomah, before it had its shift to woke ideology). Here is how Jackson frames the continuation of the Seminary:
We are pleased to continue the Multnomah legacy through the Multnomah Biblical Seminary; in fact, we sense the Lord is positioning the Seminary to extend its influence in Portland, Sacramento, and beyond through a vital distance education model that incorporates face-to-face, digital, and ministry context experiences. We will see effective education, training, and spiritual formation taking place through our gifted professors and staff members. Further, soon the Multnomah Campus will be able to host international students through Jessup Global as well as have the capacity to host community groups and partnerships.[3]
A former classmate of mine from Multnomah has written an article on this for Christianity Today. She emphasizes that the legacy of Multnomah isn’t in the school or campus itself continuing onward, but through the fruit borne through all of its former graduates and students in the world and church today. This is a fair point; and as far as it goes, it has substance. But prudence suggests that there be some level of accountability in regard to what went wrong with Multnomah. I have already written about that here. And shrewdness also requires that what continues to be done in the name of “Multnomah” and her legacy be monitored; particularly, since something went sorely awry (beyond just “demographic” issues). That’s what this current article is attempting to draw attention to. It is attempting to pay attention to what Jessup University is doing with “Multnomah’s legacy.” And at a personal level this matters to me because both me and my wife, as graduates of Multnomah, are part of that legacy, along with so many others. As such, I think it is warranted to recognize, especially for those alumni who aren’t paying close attention, what in fact has happened and is happening in the name of Multnomah’s legacy through Jessup University’s handling of things.
The transparency has been sorely lacking. In fact, as I already noted, I think there has been an intentional subterfuge on Jessup’s part with the intent of fooling older alumni of Multnomah past into thinking that they should continue supporting “Multnomah Biblical Seminary” and Multnomah’s legacy, financially. You have been warned.
And after all of that: I am fully in support of legitimate undergraduate and graduate theological education; whether in person, online, or in some type of hybrid version. But the institutional aspects of that must be built on the truth. And unfortunately, in this case, with Jessup and Multnomah, I don’t think that has happened or is happening. Multnomah was funded by its students, largely, over the decades. The Multnomah board decided to give the campus and all of its monetary worth away to a NCAA level Christian Liberal Arts school so said school could make a massive profit by selling it. I suppose it is fitting that the boards’ final move was just as derelict in function as it had been in all the years leading up to Multnomah’s final demise.
[1] Multnomah.edu accessed 09-03-2025.
[2] Multnomah Partnership Announcement accessed 09-03-2025.
[3] Multnomah.edu accessed 09-03-2025.