Misplaced Pages

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Former names	Theological Department of Baylor University (1901–05) Baylor Theological Seminary (1905-08)
Motto	"Preach the Word, Reach the World."
Type	Department of Baylor University (1901–08) Private seminary (1908-present)
Established	1908 (chartered)
Accreditation	ATS, SACSCOC
Religious affiliation	Southern Baptist BGCT (until 1925)
Academic affiliation	Texas Baptist College
President	David S. Dockery
Provost	Madison Grace
Academic staff	119
Postgraduates	2,674
Location	Waco, Texas (until 1910) Fort Worth, Texas
Campus	Suburban
Website	www.swbts.edu

The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is a Baptist theological institute in Fort Worth, Texas. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. It was established in 1908 and in 2005 was one of the largest seminaries in the world. It is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, and the National Association of Schools of Music to award diplomas and bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.

History

SWBTS grew out of the Baylor University theological department, which was established in 1901. By 1905, B. H. Carroll had managed to convert the department of five professors into the Baylor Theological Seminary, but still under Baylor University. In 1907, while Baylor University President Samuel Palmer Brooks was on vacation in Europe, Carroll, then chairman of the Baylor Board of Trustees, made a motion that the department of religion be separated from the university and chartered as a separate entity. The seminary was established in 1908, with Carroll named as its founding president.

The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary received its charter on March 14, 1908, but remained on Baylor's Waco campus until the summer of 1910, when the board accepted an offer made by Fort Worth citizens for a campus site and enough funds to build the first building. The 200-acre (0.81 km) campus was located on what came to be known as "Seminary Hill," one of the highest natural elevations in Tarrant County. The first building was named "Fort Worth Hall" in honor of the seminary's new location. In 1925, the Baptist General Convention of Texas passed control of the seminary to the Southern Baptist Convention.

The Department of Religious Education and the Department of Gospel Music were established within the seminary in 1915. These departments were eventually converted into schools within the seminary in 1921, becoming the School of Gospel Music and the School of Religious Education. As of 2019, the School of Religious Education is now known as the Jack D. Terry School of Educational Ministries, and the School of Gospel Music is now known as the School of Church Music and Worship.

Conservative Resurgence: Russell Dilday's Dismissal and Ken Hemphill’s Election

In March 1994, the seminary experienced a sudden change in leadership with the dismissal of the seminary's sixth president, Russell H. Dilday, during the Southern Baptist Convention conservative resurgence. On March 9, 1994, the board of trustees voted 26 to 7 to dismiss Dilday after 16 years as seminary president. Dilday was called to a board meeting where he was removed without warning and his office was locked while he was still at the meeting, preventing his removal of personal effects. The Associated Press reported that the newly elected trustee chairman stated that the "institution needed new direction for the 21st century." Students gathered in front of the president's home in protest and support for Dilday. The election of Kenneth S. Hemphill as the seminary's seventh president followed, and he served the seminary from 1994 to 2003.

Recent history (21st century)

On June 24, 2003, the board of trustees unanimously elected Paige Patterson as the seminary's eighth president. Patterson previously served as president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary for 10 years, thus becoming the second Southern Baptist leader to serve as president for two seminaries within the convention. Patterson also served as the president of the Southern Baptist Convention from 1998 to 2000 and was a leading figure behind the Conservative Resurgence movement within the convention.

In 2006 the seminary imposed a prohibition on professors or administrators promoting charismatic practices, such as private prayer languages.

In 2007 a gender discrimination suit in federal court was filed by Professor Sheri Klouda over her dismissal. Klouda claimed she was dismissed from the faculty due to her gender, being a woman. In response, the seminary commented that Klouda was not dismissed but that she would not have tenure. The Klouda lawsuit was immediately dismissed because of church-state separation-related concerns. The federal judge who dismissed the case stated that "Leaders of a prominent Southern Baptist seminary who believe women are biblically forbidden from teaching men were within their rights when they told a female professor to leave", including a statement that the seminary was well within its First Amendment rights to dismiss Klouda.

In 2011, a campus was established at the Darrington Unit prison in Brazoria County, Texas. The school has significantly reduced the rate of violence in the prison.

In 2014, the school received criticism from other evangelicals when it admitted its first Muslim student from Palestine. The Muslim student was enrolled in Southwestern's PhD program in archaeology. Seminary president Paige Patterson defended his decision to accept the student's application, despite criticism.

The School of Preaching was established in 2015 with David L. Allen serving as the first dean. The purpose of the school is to teach students the importance of text-driven preaching. The seminary added two new graduate programs, Master of Arts in Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy in World Christian Studies, in 2016. On April 12, 2017, the executive committee reported to the board of trustees that The college at Southwestern would be renamed in honor of the seminary's second president Lee Rutland Scarborough, becoming the L.R. Scarborough College.

In May, Patterson was criticized for his comments and views on women and sexual harassment. On May 22, 2018, after a 13-hour discussion with the trustee board of Southwestern, Patterson was appointed President Emeritus. On May 30, however, the executive committee of the Southwestern trustees voted to remove all benefits provided to Patterson, including the title of President Emeritus. Patterson was immediately fired from SWBTS. D. Jeffrey Bingham, dean of the School of Theology, was subsequently appointed interim president.

On February 27, 2019, Adam W. Greenway was elected by the board of trustees as the ninth president of the seminary. He was the first alumnus since Russell Dilday to serve as president, having earned his Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Seminary in 2002. Greenway had previously served as dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Ministry at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.

After Greenway’s resignation, David S. Dockery, also an alumnus, was called as interim president on September 27, 2022.

For the year 2021-2022, it had 2,071 students.

Presidents

Administration and faculty

SWBTS is currently administered by a 40-member board of trustees serving staggered terms of office. Board members are elected by the Southern Baptist Convention. Trustees elect faculty members and administrative officers. Financial support is derived from the Southern Baptist Convention's Cooperative Program, endowment earnings, gifts and student fees.

Adam W. Greenway was the ninth president of the seminary. The full-time faculty includes approximately seventy individuals with nearly twice as many part-time and adjunct faculty members.

Academics

Aside from theology, the school offers a wide variety of graduate majors such as apologetics, biblical counseling, Christian education, divinity, Islamic studies, missiology, and music.

Since 1908, Southwestern Seminary has graduated more than 44,000 students. Southwestern's current student body represents 46 states and 45 countries. The seminary's academic journal, Southwestern Journal of Theology has been published since 1958. It is conservative and Baptist in orientation.

In the fall of 2005, the seminary converted its undergraduate program into the L.R. Scarborough College, later renamed Texas Baptist College. In 2007 the seminary began an initiative for engaging and transforming culture, its new Center for Cultural Engagement, named in honor of Richard Land. In line with this initiative, the seminary employed prominent intelligent design advocate William A. Dembski. In 2016, the seminary added a master's degree program in Philosophy. The program was approved by the board of trustees and, in January 2017, by the accreditation body, the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). Southwestern's then President, Paige Patterson, stated Everybody is a philosopher, the question is are you a good one or a bad one? We are committed to having good philosophers and to making good thinkers and philosophers out of our people.

In June 2023 the university was placed on Warning status by its educational accreditor, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, after the accreditor's board found significant non-compliance with its standards for institutional governance, financial resources and financial conflicts of interest.

Southwestern is divided into six schools:

• The School of Theology
• The School of Church Music and Worship
• The Jack D. Terry School of Educational Ministries
• The Roy J. Fish School of Evangelism and Missions
• The Texas Baptist College

School of Theology

Established in 1908, the School of Theology trains seminary student for master's or doctorate degrees in theology. Concentrations include biblical languages, apologetics, theology, church history, preaching, pastoral ministry, etc. Students are able to obtain a master's or doctoral degree designed as an entrypoint into Christian ministry in a variety of contexts. The current interim dean is W. Madison Grace II.

School of Church Music and Worship

Originally a department within the School of Theology, the School of Gospel Music was established in 1921. The school was renamed to the School of Sacred Music in 1926, a name which it bore until 1957 when the school was renamed the School of Church Music. In 2019, the school was renamed the School of Church Music and Worship. The current dean of the school is Joseph R. Crider.

Jack D. Terry School of Educational Ministries

The Terry School of Educational Ministries offers several different master's and doctoral degrees such as the Master of Arts in Christian Education (MACE). The school was originally a department within the School of Theology until the School of Religious Education was established in 1921. The school was renamed to the School of Educational Ministries in 1997. The school was officially renamed in 2009 in honor of Jack D. Terry. Current concentrations provided in this school include biblical counseling, children's ministry, collegiate ministry, and student ministries. The current dean is Chris Shirley.

Roy J. Fish School of Evangelism and Missions

In 2005, the division of evangelism and missions in the School of Theology was reorganized as the Roy J. Fish School of Evangelism and Missions. This division provides students with spiritual mentorship, a solid theological grounding in Scripture, and coursework that equips them to share the Gospel with intelligence, relevance and boldness. The current dean is John D. Massey.

Religious beliefs

The Baptist Faith and Message (2000) is the seminary's confessional statement (see the Southwestern Declaration on Academic and Theological Integrity). The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy and the Danvers Statement on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood provide further interpretive guidance related to the seminary's doctrinal positions on the nature of biblical inspiration and gender roles, respectively.

Extension Campuses

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has its main campus in Fort Worth, but also offers programs and selected degrees at remote campuses.

• Master of Arts in theology (Bonn, Germany)

Controversies

In 2019, after the scandals of sexual abuse accusations involving the deacon Paul Pressler and sexual abuse cover-ups involving Paige Patterson, the school removed the stained-glass windows from the MacGorman Chapel opened in 2011 depicting them as actors of a "conservative resurgence".

Notable people

Faculty

Alumni

SWBTS includes many notable and well known alumni including several different Southern Baptist Convention Presidents, a U.S. Senator, a U.S. Governor, U.S. presidential candidates, members of the White House Cabinet of the United States, seminary presidents, pastors, educators, theologians, civil rights activists, songwriters, authors, etc.

References

1. SWBTS had a non-duplicating headcount of 3,567 students in all schools and all locations as of the 2005–2006 academic year. "About Us" SWBTS Official Website Archived February 7, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
2. Year of last comprehensive evaluation visit: 2001; "Fall 2011 Data – Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary";"Fall 2008 Data – Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary";"Fall 2006 Data – Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary" The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
3. "Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Official Catalog p. 11" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 26, 2007.
4. ^ "Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Historical Marker". Texas State Historical Commission.
5. ^ "History & Heritage". Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Archived from the original on 25 August 2017.
6. ^ Steinfels, Peter (March 11, 1994). "Baptists Dismiss Seminary Head in Surprise Move". New York Times.
7. Fletcher, Jesse (November 24, 1999). "Russell Dilday". Baptist Standard. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014.
8. Hawkins, Merrill M., Jr. (2007) "Columns: Glimpses of a Seminary Under Assault" Baptist History and Heritage 42(1): pp. 117–18
9. Tomlin, Gregory (June 2003). "Paige Patterson elected as president of Southwestern". Baptist Press. Archived from the original on March 23, 2017.
10. "Briefs: Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and private prayer languages". Christianity Today. Vol. 50, no. 12. December 2006. p. 17. Archived from the original on January 12, 2011.
11. "Former prof. files suit against SWBTS". Baptist Press. March 12, 2007. Archived from the original on February 4, 2017.
12. "Professor: Seminary ousted her over gender". NBC News. Associated Press. January 26, 2007. Archived from the original on September 4, 2016.
13. "Lawsuit filed against Southwestern Baptist". Christian Century. Vol. 124, no. 7. April 3, 2007. p. 17.
14. Thomas, Oliver "Buzz" (April 8, 2007). "Having faith in women". USA Today. Archived from the original on February 7, 2017.
15. "Sheri Klouda and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary". March 24, 2008. U.S. District Judge John McBryde dismissed Klouda's case, ruling that SWBT is, for First Amendment purposes, a church, and that Klouda is a minister., with quotations from Judge McBryde and links to court documents.
16. Marus, Robert (March 24, 2008). "Judge dismisses Klouda lawsuit against Patterson, Southwestern". Baptist Press. Associated Baptist Press. Archived from the original on June 27, 2017.
17. "Judge Okays School Ban On Female Teachers". CBS News. Associated Press. March 21, 2008. Archived from the original on February 3, 2017.
18. Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Seeking God, and redemption, in a Texas prison seminary, latimes.com, USA, May 6, 2016
19. "Southwestern Seminary enrolls Muslim doctoral student, sparks controversy". Baptist News Global. May 20, 2014.
20. "Baptist Seminary Defends Acceptance of Palestinian Muslim Student, Says 'He Is a Man of Peace'". Christian post. May 21, 2014.
21. Sibley, Alex (April 12, 2017). "College at Southwestern renamed 'Scarborough College'". Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Archived from the original on May 23, 2017.
22. "Page Patterson out at Southwestern Seminary". Baptist news. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
23. "Southern Baptist Leader Removed Over Remarks On Rape, Abuse of Women". NPR. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
24. "Statement Regarding Dr. Paige Patterson". Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. May 23, 2018. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
25. Roach, David. "Patterson appointed pres. emeritus by SWBTS trustees". BP news. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
26. Sibley, Alex (February 27, 2019). "Greenway elected ninth president of Southwestern Seminary". Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
27. Smietana, Bob (September 26, 2022). "Southern Baptist departures continue as major seminary president resigns". The Washington Post.
28. Univstats, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Student Population, univstats.com, USA, retrieved February 20, 2023
29. Hailey, Cory J. (February 25, 1999). "Robert E. Naylor, dead at 90, led Southwestern from 1958-78". Baptist Press. Archived from the original on June 27, 2017.
30. "Faculty | Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary". swbts.edu.
31. "Master's Degrees | Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary". swbts.edu. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
32. "Academics | Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary". swbts.edu. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
33. "Home | Baptist Theology". www.baptisttheology.org.
34. "Degrees | Scarborough College". Retrieved January 28, 2019.
35. See Collins, Keith (October 22, 2007). "WRAP UP: Seminary trustees fall 2007 meeting". Archived from the original on November 5, 2007.
36. ^ Tomlin, Gregory; Thompson, Brent (April 2006). "SWBTS trustees elect new deans, faculty, and vice president; expands program in San Antonio". Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Archived from the original on September 1, 2006.
37. ^ Sibley, Alex (January 23, 2017). "Accreditors approve new M.A. in Philosophy". Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Archived from the original on February 3, 2017.
38. "Disclosure Statement Regarding the Status of THE SOUTHWESTERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY" (PDF). Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
39. "School of Theology | Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary". swbts.edu. Retrieved August 25, 2017.
40. ^ "History & Heritage | Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary". swbts.edu. Retrieved August 25, 2017.
41. "Leo Day: Dean of the School of Church Music and Professor of Voice". Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Archived from the original on February 4, 2017.
42. "School of Church Music | Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary". swbts.edu. Retrieved August 25, 2017.
43. "Jack D. Terry School of Church & Family Ministries | Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary". swbts.edu. Retrieved August 25, 2017.
44. Collier, Keith (October 18, 2007). "Evangelism prof Roy Fish honored at SWBTS". Baptist Press. Archived from the original on June 27, 2017.
45. ^ "Roy Fish School of Evangelism & Missions". Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Archived from the original on July 6, 2016.
46. Thompson, Brent (April 7, 2005). "Former Muslim, El Salvadoran, among 17 new SWBTS faculty". Baptist Press. Archived from the original on June 27, 2017.
47. ""Southwestern Declaration on Academic and Theological Integrity" Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary". Archived from the original on September 1, 2006.
48. "Affirmed Statements". SBTS. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
49. "Fall 2011 Data - Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary". Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada. Archived from the original on March 24, 2009.
50. Bob Allen, Seminary removes stained glass windows celebrating conservative takeover of SBC, baptistnews.com, USA, April 12, 2019
51. Summerlin, Travis L. (June 15, 2010). "GAMBRELL, JAMES BRUTON". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved January 8, 2016.
52. "Campaign-2012: Candidates: Oklahoma: James Lankford: House". The Washington Times. 2012. Archived from the original on August 13, 2014.
53. "Louie Giglio Books and Ministry". Christ Notes. 2007. Archived from the original on February 23, 2008.
54. James Cole and Robert L. Lee, Saint J. D. (Waco, Texas: Word Publishers, 1969), pp. 159–1963
55. "MAP Stories: Meetings that change lives". Texas Baptists. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
56. Balmer, Randall Herbert (2002) Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville, Kentucky, p. 333, ISBN 0-664-22409-1
57. "Rear Admiral Phillip "Endel" Lee, Jr". United States Navy. January 24, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
58. "LoweryFeatured Speaker for Oklahoma Baptist University Chapel Service, February 14, 2000". okbu.edu. Archived from the original on December 20, 2013. Retrieved June 16, 2012.
59. "Dr. Lynn is slated by Lions", Minden Press-Herald, Minden, Louisiana, September 24, 1975, p. 1
60. "Stacy Whitlow, 'Wherever He Leads I'll Go,' B.B. McKinney reunion sings anew, August 14, 2000". bpnews.net. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
61. "Representatives - TN General Assembly". www.capitol.tn.gov.
62. Murray, Shailagh. "Filibuster Fray Lifts Profile of Minister: Scarborough Has Network and Allies", The Washington Post, May 8, 2005. Accessed December 19, 2007.
63. "Hyles-Anderson 2016-17 Catalog" (PDF). 2016.
64. "Denver Post, August 2, 1986" (PDF). Denver Post. August 2, 1986.
65. "Board unanimously appoints Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Dondi E. Costin, Ph.D., as president, Pastor Jonathan Falwell as chancellor » Liberty News". Liberty News. March 31, 2023. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
66. "CHAPLAIN DONDI E. COSTIN". www.af.mil. Retrieved March 31, 2023.

External links

• Official website

32°40′55″N 97°20′53″W / 32.682°N 97.348°W / 32.682; -97.348

• Seminaries and theological colleges in Texas
• Seminaries and theological colleges affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention
• Universities and colleges in Fort Worth, Texas
• Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
• Universities and colleges established in 1901
• Evangelicalism in Texas
• 1901 establishments in Texas