Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is an American, private, non-profit institution of higher education, associated with the Southern Baptist Convention, and located in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of the largest seminaries in the world^[1] and is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada^[2] and also by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award diploma, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.^[3] The school uses the Baptist Faith and Message (2000) as its confessional statement (see also the Southwestern Declaration on Academic and Theological Integrity^[4]).

History

B.H. Carroll

The seminary was established in 1908, with B. H. Carroll as its founding president.^[5] It grew out of the Baylor University theological department, which was established in 1901. By 1905, 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, B.H. 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.

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary received its charter on 14 March 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.^[5] The 200-acre (0.81 km²) campus was located on what came to be known as "Seminary Hill," the highest natural elevation 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 to the Southern Baptist Convention.

In 1994, the seminary experienced a sudden change in leadership with the dismissal of Russell H. Dilday as president, during the Southern Baptist Convention conservative resurgence. On March 9, 1994, 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.^[6] The appointment of Ken Hemphill followed.^[7] President Dilday was the only president of SWBTS ever to be removed.^[7]

In 2006 the seminary imposed a prohibition on professors or administrators promoting charismatic practices, such as private prayer languages.^[8]

In 2007 a sexual discrimination suit was filed by Professor Sheri Klouda over her dismissal.^[9][10] The Klouda lawsuit was dismissed because of church-state concerns.^[11][12]

Administration and faculty

B. H. Carroll Memorial Building, the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary's main administrative building.

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.

Dr. L. Paige Patterson, selected in 2003, is the current president of the seminary. Current (2014) deans include Michael Wilkinson (College at Southwestern), Waylan Owens (School of Church and Family Ministries), David Allen (School of Theology), Keith Eitel (Roy Fish School of Evangelism and Missions), Leo Day (School of Church Music) and J. Denny Autrey (Havard School for Theological Studies in Houston, Texas).

The full-time faculty includes eighty-eight individuals and there are also forty-seven part-time faculty members.

Academics

Southwestern is divided into six schools: The College, The School of Theology, The School of Church and Family Ministries (formerly the School of Educational Ministries), The School of Church Music, The Roy Fish School of Evangelism and Missions, and the J. Dalton Havard School for Theological Studies in Houston, each with its own faculty and degree programs. The school offers 18 tracks of study in areas such as corporate chaplaincy, Islamic Studies, marriage and family counseling, urban evangelism and social work.^[13]

Since 1908, Southwestern Seminary has graduated more than 40,000 students. In 2007–2008, students came from 46 states, 2 US protectorates, 47 foreign countries and represented 46 denominations, although more than 94% are Southern Baptists.

The seminary's academic journal, Southwestern Journal of Theology has been published since 1958.^[14] It is conservative and Baptist in orientation.

In the fall of 2005, the Seminary converted its undergraduate program (baccalaureate school) into The College at Southwestern which awards a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities. In 2007, a Bachelor of Arts in Music (B.A.M.) was added.^[15]

In 2007 the seminary began an initiative for engaging and transforming culture, its new Center for Cultural Engagement, named in honor of Richard Land.^[16] In line with this initiative, the seminary employed prominent intelligent design advocate William A. Dembski.^[17]

Campuses

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has its main campus in Fort Worth, but also offers programs and selected degrees at remote campuses.^[18]

• Masters of Arts in Theology at their Bonn, Germany, campus
• Masters of Divinity, Masters of Arts in Christian Education, Masters of Arts in Lay Ministry, Masters of Arts in Theology at their Houston, Texas, campus

Courses toward a degree are made available at their campuses in Little Rock, Arkansas, Plano, Texas, San Antonio, Texas, and Shawnee, Oklahoma.^[18]

Presidents

Notable people

Faculty

Alumni

References

External links

• Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
• Reviews of SWBTS