Guest Post: An SBC Professor Speaks Out

I am very pleased to welcome the following opinion piece by a respected professor whom I have known for some time in one of our six Southern Baptist seminaries.  Because of his fear of reprisal, I have assured him of complete anonymity as long as he chooses not to reveal his identity. 

I have not told him what to write in any way, shape, form or fashion, nor did I know what he was going to say after he contacted me with the idea to do this until he submitted it.  He has chosen for his thoughts to go public in this venue to most effectively voice his concerns about things of which he has extensive ‘up close’ knowledge in the academic arena of the SBC.  His piece is published without any editing on my part.

Unfortunately, since I am the liaison here and I will be out of town when this is posted, neither he nor I will be able to take comments.  However, if the Lord prompts him to say more or He gives other professors a voice in regard to these, or other important issues, comments are a real possibilility, though each writer would have their own say-so in the matter.

Please note: This sort of guest posting is barely even a work in progress (i.e., it’s a new idea and I don’t really know the best way to handle this).  But, if it develops, I hope it would be a forum for voices not heard otherwise. 

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE TRUSTEES OF SBTS AND SWBTS

From a Current SBC Seminary Professor

Dear Trustees,

Like most seminary professors I know, I am grateful for your service to the churches of the SBC.  The work of a seminary trustee has never been easy, and arguably is the most important stewardship entrusted to any Southern Baptist.  Thank you for serving!

You likely are not aware of some of these issues, and attempts to raise these concerns with you have not been successful.  Other matters have been made public but you have not acted on them.  Thus I am making this appeal to you openly before the people of the Southern Baptist Convention in general.  In the past the SBC was spared disaster when rank and file Southern Baptists became informed of how truly liberal our seminaries had become.  Courageous trustees did not simply rubber stamp the presentations of liberal seminary administrations.  Instead they investigated the concerns of Southern Baptists and took appropriate action when needed.  Thank God!  Though the issues now are different, courageous trustees are still needed for the long term health of our seminaries and ultimately our convention. 

I am writing to you anonymously because I do not want to lose my job as a seminary professor.  Not that I feel worthy of being fired for what I am doing, but because I am concerned my president might do so for exposing these matters.  No doubt some will equate my anonymity with cowardice.  But of one thing I am sure: doing this has required more nerve than my years of silence watching good people—and the SBC–being hurt. 

My prayer is that you will consider whether the message is true rather than the praiseworthiness of the messenger.  When appealing to Southern Baptists regarding such matters, some bloggers have troubled me and my fellow professors by using insensitive presentations and even coarse language.  But my colleagues in various SBC seminaries have not thereby dismissed everything the bloggers have written.  I hope you likewise will not turn a deaf ear to me and other seminary professors who might find the courage to speak up. 

For the record, I have fully supported the SBC conservative resurgence.  I celebrate that liberalism was turned out of the seminaries and conservative, biblically faithful professors were hired.  I wholeheartedly accept and teach the inerrancy of the Bible.  I have no mental reservations about the BFM 2000 and happily teach in accord with it.  Like all the professors I know, I am glad that today’s SBC seminary presidents zealously watch over the doctrinal fidelity of our teaching.  None of my colleagues desires a return to pre-conservative resurgence days when liberal professors ran the schools and presidents covered for them. 

But we now face an alarming development.  Disturbing actions by some of our presidents are being covered by administrators and in some cases by their trustees.  Though faculty morale has suffered at Midwestern and its trustees are becoming increasingly aware, I shall focus on Drs. Patterson and Mohler because their institutions are significantly more influential.  Moreover, beyond the schools entrusted to them, these two presidents often act behind the scenes as if called to be custodians of SBC life in general.  (This is no secret among many professors, and agency heads and their administrators know this well.) 

Church discipline is much discussed these days in the SBC.  Ironically, presidents of our seminaries are not easily disciplined.  It is true that one conservative SBC president was removed for character issues, but Drs. Patterson and Mohler have seemed immune to correction. No one expects that their home churches will look into character issues related to these leaders’ actions at their schools or in the SBC.  And though some faculty question why SWBTS and SBTS administrators do not challenge their presidents, it is unreasonable to expect this of men whose jobs and futures are in the hands of these powerful denominational leaders.  Oversight of our seminary presidents has been vested in you, their trustees.  And responsible, attentive supervision is a matter not only of faithfulness to the churches of the SBC, but of caring for the presidents themselves.  Great power without exacting accountability is dangerous for anyone’s soul.

For now, I will focus on just a few actions of these presidents that disturb not only many Southern Baptists, but also their faculties.  Though some of these actions have not been widely known, to some degree the faculties of both presidents have suffered a loss of confidence regarding their character and consistency. 

Southern Baptists are grateful that SWBTS trustees stopped Dr. Patterson from the $90 million embarrassment with The Investment Fund for Foundations.  But has Dr. Patterson’s apparent self-serving handling of finances at two of our seminaries been a subject of serious trustee scrutiny?  This matter is no longer news, though many of us wonder if all the details will ever be known because no trustee investigation has been apparent.  (Some particulars continue to be divulged such as the refrigerated fur closet built for Mrs. Patterson at the SEBTS manse.)  SWBTS faculty desire to respect their president, but they ask the same questions as do many concerned Southern Baptists.  You, the trustees of SWBTS alone can engender confidence that Dr. Patterson is as accountable to you as are his faculty to him. 

Regarding Dr. Patterson’s stewardship of SWBTS faculty, morale at SWBTS would rise dramatically if trustees would require of Dr. Patterson a clear biblical explanation when forcing the departure of excellent professors.  Many of us still do not understand the scriptural basis for Dr. Patterson’s handling of Dr. Klouda.   How did her teaching Hebrew violate the Bible’s teaching?  And why is it acceptable to have a female teaching beginning Arabic to men at SWBTS this semester?  Why Arabic but not Aramaic?  Since no careful biblical exegesis was presented as justification for Dr. Klouda’s exodus, the same is unlikely now in the matter of a female Arabic teacher.  But it comes as no surprise that SWBTS faculty members would be nervous about their futures when trustees do not demand reasoned and consistent application of the Bible in their president’s leadership. 

Faculty morale has suffered at SBTS, too.  Dr. Mohler’s busy speaking schedule, television appearances, daily radio program, and frequent blogging (often several times daily), have made him one of the most visible evangelical leaders today.  He has also been busy behind the scenes to position himself as a viable candidate for the next SBC presidency.  Yet, in spite of his busy life elsewhere, it is widely known around SBTS that Dr. Mohler has discouraged his administrative cabinet’s esprit de corps.  His fits of anger, selfishness and disrespect toward his administrators have hastened or prompted the departures of more than a half dozen.  Sadly, when one SBTS trustee inquired of the board chairman about these things, the chairman refused to consider the matter.  Instead he contacted Dr. Mohler, and soon the inquiring trustee received a phone call from Dr. Mohler’s most loyal lieutenant effectively stopping any further queries.  Though administrators have long covered for Mohler, many SBTS faculty know about these things.  They are discouraged by the continuing departures of administrators they love. 

More can and perhaps will be said about other troubling facets of the presidencies at these two seminaries, but enough has been said for now.  Suffice it to say that no one on Dr. Patterson’s faculty is embarrassed by his frequent emphasis on the great commission.  But doing the work of an evangelist also requires consistent biblical character lest the messenger of the Good News be discredited.  Dr. Mohler’s frequent emphasis on truth resonates well with his faculty, but knowledge of his critical character flaws undermines his credibility. 

Of course, some professors will agree with what I’ve written, some will strongly disagree, and others will want to ignore it.  Loyalists at these institutions will likely blog or write white papers in defense of their presidents.  I for one, respect any fellow professor who seeks to reason his views from the scriptures.  Unfortunately for the SBC, professors who differ from the party line cannot publicly communicate their views without fear of recrimination.  After the International Mission Board released its controversial new guidelines for appointees, Dr. Mohler not only defended the new policies but also told his faculty not to speak against them.  Southern Baptists would be wise to know that when their seminary presidents publicly address denominational issues not related to the BFM2000 or conservative theology, this by no means represents the views of many SBC seminary professors.  (I will not be surprised, however, if a few loyalists push for votes of confidence for these presidents, but such measures are worthless unless done with complete anonymity.) 

All the SBC professors I know want to be about the business of teaching and preparing students for faithful Gospel ministry.  I do not know a single one who resents being fully accountable to his administration for his teaching and lifestyle. 

These same professors also truly want to support and follow the lead of their presidents, but morale at these two institutions has suffered.  Your responsible supervision is the answer, and Drs. Patterson and Mohler themselves would benefit from the personal accountability they badly need. 

Thank you for considering this urgent request.  Know that many pray for you often. 

One Concerned Professor

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