One of the most prestigious seminaries in the US is facing criticism over a decision to honour conservative evangelical theologian Tim Keller with an award.

Keller, founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, is to receive the $10,000 2017 Kuyper Prize for Excellence in Reformed Theology and Public Witness on April 6. He will deliver a lecture on church planting.

However, Keller's espousal of the controversial 'complementarian' theology that teaches women should submit to their husbands has led to a backlash against the seminary. Carol Howard Merritt writes for the Christian Century: 'I know that people are angry that Tim Keller doesn't believe in women in the pastorate. But, my friends, this goes much, much deeper than women not being able to be ordained as Pastors, Elders, and Deacons. Complementarianism means married women have no choice over their lives at all.'

She says she is 'shaking with grief' as she writes and will be 'mourning' when Keller receives his award: 'I will lament for my sisters who have been maligned and abused. So much of my ministry has been dedicated to aiding the victims of these poisonous beliefs. In these difficult days, when our president says that women's genitalia is up for grabs by any man with power and influence, I hoped that my denomination would stand up for women, loud and clear. Instead we are honoring and celebrating a man who has championed toxic theology for decades.'

Another writer, Traci Smith, says in her blog: 'An institution designed to train men and women for ministry shouldn't be awarding fancy prizes to someone who believes half the student body (or is it more than half?) has no business leading churches.'

Princeton's president Craig Barnes responded to Smith's blog, saying the seminary stands in 'prophetic opposition' to the Presbyterian Church in America over its policy on ordaining women. However, he distanced himself from row, saying Keller's invitation was the responsibility of the Kuyper Center located at Princeton: 'The seminary has many student organizations and several theological centers that bring speakers to campus.' He did not 'practise censorship' over their choices, he said, adding: 'It is also a core conviction of our seminary to be a serious academic institution that will sometimes bring controversial speakers to campus because we refuse to exclude voices within the Church.'

He concluded with the hope that the seminary would 'receive Rev Keller in a spirit of grace and academic freedom, realising we can listen to someone with whom many, including me, strongly disagree about this critical issue of justice'.