One of the nation’s oldest seminaries has changed its name and removed the word “seminary” in the process. Hartford Seminary, established in 1833 by a group of Congregational ministers to train ministerial leadership for churches, now is known as Hartford…
Cathedrals of learning: A lament for the liberal arts
We built grand cathedrals. The arches and vaults reached toward heaven. Cathedrals of theology, art, literature, history, music. Cathedrals for the growing of souls. But the barbarians came with their budget officers, reducing souls to earning power. They took machetes…
The role of seminaries in guiding ex-evangelicals like me through deconstruction
Over the past decade, evangelicals have had to come to terms with the fact that people are leaving the church in droves. According to a recent Gallup poll, just 47% of Americans are members of a church, falling from 70% in…
In a COVID world, seminaries prepare pastors for new digital realities of ministry
While churches have adapted to new digital realities brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, seminaries also have adapted to train ministers how to lead in new ways, both online and in-person. “I think it behooves us in terms of faculty…
European school seeks to bolster Baptist scholarship and mission
While serving as a Baptist pastor in Kentucky, Erica Whitaker is working toward a Ph.D. at a prestigious European university. Her academic pursuit, however, is more than a distance learning endeavor with a public research university in the Netherlands. Her…
DeLoach confirmed as McAfee School of Theology dean
After serving in an interim role for more than 18 months, Gregory DeLoach has been named dean of Mercer University’s McAfee School of Theology. Prior to being named interim dean in 2018, DeLoach served as a development officer for Mercer’s…
Mourning the end of an era at Logsdon, rummaging through my father’s books
As we rummaged through rooms of old books, I couldn’t help but mourn a bit. My dad, giving away his library. It felt like the end of an era. My dad always seems at home when surrounded by books. I…
Plans for a new Logsdon Seminary in San Antonio announced
A group of Hardin-Simmons University alumni, former faculty and friends have announced plans to launch a freestanding Logdson Theological Seminary in San Antonio, Texas, and they are seeking the blessing of university trustees for their effort. Those same trustees voted…
SBC seminary presidents are ‘complicit with evil,’ revered California pastor says
J. Alfred Smith Sr. is not happy with the six Southern Baptist Convention presidents, who recently issued a declaration against Critical Race Theory. “They are more afraid of Critical Race Theory than the ugly racism that has our democracy about…