James S. Lee, Ph.D., is president of International Theological Seminary. He began his term on January 1, 2014. Prior to assuming the presidency, Dr. Lee was resident professor of Old Testament at ITS. He was previously dean of academic affairs at Presbyterian Theological Seminary in America. President Lee’s commitment to global ministry grew early on when he traveled to churches in Guatemala, Mexico, Colombia, and Russia as a high school student. His steadfast prayer for a life vocation in global missions is answered in this most unexpected call to lead an institution preparing Christian leaders for a multitude of nations. He considers his role as president, his scholarly inquiry, and teaching ministry as extensions of a deep and abiding desire to be a part of God’s redemptive work in the world.

President Lee earned his Ph.D. in Old Testament from Union Presbyterian Seminary, where his research focused on the exilic identity and theological formation of hope for restoration in the Book of Daniel. He received his M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary and a B.A. in Philosophy from University of Texas at Austin. He spent two years as a graduate student of theology at University of Münster in Germany. He was a North American Doctoral Fellow.

Ordained to the ministry of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA), President Lee served congregations in New Jersey, Richmond, and Dallas. Currently, he is a regular preacher at Community Presbyterian Church of El Monte. He enjoys teaching the Bible in cross-cultural contexts, most recently having taught in India, Rwanda, Indonesia and Nigeria.