Seminary Updates                                                                                 

                                                                                                                                                                  Vol. XII, No. 10, Nov/Dec 1999

The six Southern Baptist seminary boards of trustees meet each October. The following paragraphs summarize the results of the recent meetings.

Southeastern: Trustees voted to begin construction immediately on a $3 million, 16,000-square-foot world missions training center beside the newly renovated office complex and proceed with student housing improvements totaling more than $6 million. Formerly the seminary's student center and bookstore, the 14,500-square-foot office building recently has undergone a $1.1 million renovation. The two-story brick building now houses 25 faculty offices, four secretarial modules, two conference rooms, and a faculty commons area. The need for faculty office space has been critical for several years as the seminary's faculty has grown to keep pace with the school's flourishing enrollment.

Five new professors joined the faculty this fall, bringing the number of full- and part-time faculty positions to more than 70. Southeastern's 1998-99 annual enrollment totaled 1,826 students, an increase of nearly 160 percent since Paige Patterson became president of the seminary in 1992.

When completed, the missions building will be equipped with compressed interactive satellite video-conferencing capabilities facilitating live interviews with missionaries around the world.

Southern: Trustees of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary approved a revision of the school's tenure policy and adopted two resolutions about local legislation which gives special rights to homosexuals during their Oct. 11-12 meeting.

Trustees formed a committee in 1996 to study the policy and recommend any changes. After reviewing the practices of several other evangelical institutions, the committee drafted the policy, which the Southern Seminary faculty unanimously approved Sept. 29. The document defines tenure as "a covenant relationship established by the Board of Trustees and the Administration of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary with a faculty member who has demonstrated teaching competence, scholarship in his or her field of expertise, and moral and spiritual leadership in Christian ministry." The new policy includes responsibilities of tenured faculty members and calls for post-tenure review of faculty members every seven years.

The resolutions adopted by the trustees addressed a "Fairness Ordinance" now on the books in the city of Louisville and in Jefferson County, which gives special rights to homosexuals in housing, employment and public accommodations. The ordinance does include an exemption for religious organizations, but Southern's administration has expressed reservations to the Jefferson County Fiscal Court and city of Louisville about the effectiveness of that exemption. "As an institution we are steadfastly opposed to this legislation," Mohler said. "The battle lines are literally being drawn. We will not compromise our moral convictions." The resolution cited the trustee board's "opposition to any legislation, adopted or proposed, that would grant special privileges and legal protections to homosexual persons." "Furthermore, we hereby state that our opposition to homosexual behavior is established in the clear teachings of Holy Scripture, the ultimate authority by which we operate as a theological seminary," the resolution said.

In the president's report to the board of trustees, Mohler lamented how churches are accommodating their message to the influences of a postmodern culture. "The issue of the exclusivity of the gospel of Jesus Christ will be the most contested issue for the next generation," Mohler said. "... the next decade will be a time of great apostasy from the gospel on the part of many churches and institutions, and precisely at this issue. ... Southern Seminary has made clear her determination to stand on the inerrancy and infallibility of the Bible," he said. "We must allow no compromise on this principle."

Mohler reported to the trustees that student enrollment for the fall semester was 1,998 students, including 630 first-time students -- a 26.51 percent increase over last year.

Chapel sermons and other addresses at Southern are now available on the seminary's Internet site in RealAudio format. Visitors to the site at www.sbts.edu can listen to the messages with their RealPlayer G2, a free tool available for download on the Internet. The seminary page contains a link for those surfers who wish to install the player on their computers.

New Orleans: Meeting in their annual fall session on the seminary campus Oct. 12-13, trustees set long-range goals of $30-$50 million to be realized over the next eight to 10 years as phase one of the seminary's new master plan gets under way, as well as a base goal of $8 million to be realized over the next three years to complete phase one. Trustee chairman Bill Hanberry of Hattiesburg, MS, reaffirmed the seminary's policy of "not spending money we don't have" and assured the full trustee board construction would proceed only as funds are available.

Current fall enrollment is over 2,000, with all totals from the seminary's 14 extension center campuses and fall academic workshop registrations not yet in. The total already marks the first time in seminary history that fall enrollment has passed 2,000. During the 1998-99 academic year, total non-duplicating headcount was 2,486, with significant increase in on-campus enrollment. The latest statistics show a 22% increase in the full-time equivalency student funding formula, a 57% increase in the doctor of ministry degree program, a 36% increase in the music degree program, a 28% increase in the baccalaureate degree program, and a 7% increase in the master of divinity degree program.

Midwestern: Seven trustees of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary were selected at the close of the regular board meeting Oct. 18-19 to serve on a presidential search committee. Board chairman Carl Weiser was asked to head the committee by virtue of his office, with other members elected out of a group of 22 trustees who agreed to be considered. Recommendations to the search committee may be directed to Carl Weiser at Rt. 4 Box 25, 314 Crestview, Rustburg, VA 24588.

A month after being named interim president of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Michael Whitehead told the board of trustees that "every department and every division now has a stalwart inerrantist teaching that every word of God's Scripture is true and infallible." Referring to former President Mark Coppenger's contribution in building a world-class faculty, Whitehead said the school has "never been stronger, more poised for power in preaching the truth of God's inerrant Word."

Whitehead reported an 11% increase with the total head count rising to 659 this fall compared to 534 in 1997 and 594 in 1998. "In spite of the increased head count, our full-time equivalent [FTE] enrollment is down," Whitehead said, clarifying that 24 credit hours taken per year is the equivalent of one student enrolled full time. With FTEs reportedly down by about 10%, Whitehead explained, "It's the FTEs that pay the bills -- it's how we measure the financial revenue stream for the future." While extension enrollment is up, Whitehead noted that both the headcount and FTEs are down at the main campus in Kansas City.

The board approved a severance package for former President Mark Coppenger, including payments totaling $40,000, following discussion in executive session. With regular payments to be made through January 15, 2000, the board incorporated the cost of moving and other expenses into the total. [BP]