Progress at Southeastern

by T. C. Pinckney                                                                                  Vol. VII, No. 7, September 1994

[Based upon data from Southeastern.]

There is no shortage of doom-sayers who predict the imminent demise of the Southern Baptist Convention or one of its agencies. The previous Banner reported outstanding 1993 Foreign Mission Board results. This article summarizes current progress at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SE) in Wake Forest, NC. SE is of special import to Virginians because 40% of all our Southern Baptist pastors are its graduates. Here is the report.

In the Summer of 1993 Southeastern paid off the last of its debt. Also, recently the school announced the $1,000,000 endowment of the "Bailey Smith Chair of Evangelism," the first fully endowed chair in the history of the school.

In December 1993 SE was reaffirmed as fully accredited for ten years by the Southern Association of Christian Schools and probation was removed with no annotations. In June 1994 ATS removed its probation and also returned SE to fully accredited status. Nine new faculty were elected in 1993, all of whom affirm their full confidence in the complete truthfulness of Scripture. The school anticipates election of another two to four similar faculty in 1994. SE has selected its first ever African-American and handicapped person, Dr. Logan Carson, to join the faculty.

Surprisingly, although moderates vociferously claim to be the champions of "quality education," one has to wonder. For example, whereas Southeastern operated as a definitely "moderate" seminary from September 1951 until Dr. Randall Lolley's resignation became effective in April 1988, in all that time Hebrew and Greek were never required subjects for divinity students. This year the curriculum has been revised to raise the core to 78 hours including Hebrew and Greek for all master of divinity students in the pastoral track. In addition, Missions and Evangelism have been added to the core curriculum for the first time. (From 1951 to 1971 Missions was required, but the requirement was dropped in 1971.)

The seminary has conducted mission trips to Romania, El Salvador, Russia, Brazil, and Kenya in the past year. And it continues to lead out in the Summer Praxis (exercise or practical experience) of Church Planting in cooperation with the Home Mission Board. As reported in the last Banner, this term SE will conduct classes at three extension centers in Augusta, GA; Charlotte, NC; and Norfolk. Each will offer master of divinity requirements over a five year schedule. Interested prospective students may call the Norfolk Center at 804-461-3226. SE anticipates beginning a master's degree in counselling and an upper B.A. program in the fall of 1995. Those interested may call SE at 800284-6317.

In the 1993-94 academic year SE achieved the highest fall and spring enrollments of the last four years, and the school staff anticipates fall 1994 enrollment in the range of 900 to 1,000 students. (In 1980-82 enrollment peaked at 1246.)

As Southeastern Seminary turns to teaching and implementing the full authority of God's Word, could it be that God is beginning to pour out a blessing such as the school has never seen before? It puts one in mind of I Samuel 2:30 "...them that honor me I will honor..."