Office of Executive Vice President & Provost

Office of Executive Vice President & Provost
Welcome to the Office of the Executive Vice President & Provost
At Southwestern Seminary, the executive vice president and provost, as the chief academic officer, is the second ranking administrative officer and is responsible to the president and board of trustees for the academic administration of the seminary. The board of trustees elected Craig Blaising executive vice president and provost and Professor of Theology in October 2001, and he began serving on January 1, 2002.
Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost
Craig Blaising, Executive Vice President & provost, Professor of theology
Serving since 2002
Blaising came to Fort Worth from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where he had served since 1995 and was the Joseph Emerson Brown Professor of Christian Theology and associate vice president for doctoral studies. Before that, Blaising served at Dallas Theological Seminary for 15 years, eventually as professor of systematic theology. In 1978, Blaising was the first faculty member to occupy the Evangelical Bible Chair at the University of Texas at Arlington.
Blaising earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, a Master of Theology and a Doctor of Theology at Dallas Theological Seminary, and a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. He is a recognized authority in patristic studies and eschatology. His numerous scholarly works include co-authoring Progressive Dispensationalism, co-editing Dispensationalism, Israel and The Church: The Search For Definition, and contributing to the Counterpoints volume, Three Views on the Millennium and Beyond. He also wrote the commentary on Malachi for the Bible Knowledge Commentary. His forthcoming works include the co-edited volume, Psalms 1-50, in the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, and a contribution to the Counterpoints volume, Three Views on the Rapture and the Tribulation.
Blaising is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society. He was elected as the organization’s national president in 2005 and served as president of the Southwest Region in 1986-87. He is a member of the American Academy of Religion, the International Association of Patristic Studies, the North American Patristic Society, and the Society of Biblical Literature.
Edward H. Pauley, Vice Provost for Academic Programs
Serving since 2007
Born and raised in Boston, Mass., Pauley has a background in academic administration spanning 40 years. He has served at the University of Rhode Island, Biola University, Eastern College (now Eastern University), International Christian Graduate University in San Bernardino, Calif., Dallas Baptist University, and the University of North Texas. He has a Doctor of Philosophy and a Master of Arts from Boston University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Gordon College in Wenham, Mass., all in philosophy. He is the author of numerous books and articles including Footsteps to Follow and the Men’s and Women's Devotional Prayer Journal, all published by Word.
Gregory Smith, Associate Vice President for Academic Administration
Serving since 2005
Smith came to Southwestern Seminary after serving as an assistant to the associate vice president for doctoral studies at Southern Seminary and children’s pastor at the First Baptist Church of Sellersburg, Ind. He has a Doctor of Philosophy degree and an Advanced Master of Divinity degree from Southern Seminary, a Master of Arts degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Ill., and a Bachelor of Science degree from Purdue University in Lafayette, Ind. He is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society, Institute for Biblical Research and Society of Biblical Literature.
Jennifer Charette, Administrative Assistant to the Provost
Serving since 2005
Administrators reporting to provost
C. Berry Driver, Dean of Libraries
Serving since 1996
- Doctor of Philosophy, Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, 1990.
- Master of Science in Library Science, University of Kentucky, 1990.
- Master of Divinity, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1979.
- Bachelor of Arts, University of Alabama, 1974.
Robert Mathis, Associate Vice President for Institutional Assessment
Serving since 1998
The Institutional Assessment Office coordinates and supports assessment and evaluation activities for purposes of institutional planning and reporting to convention, accreditation and government entities.
- Doctor of Philosophy, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1994.
- Master of Arts in Religious Education, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1978.
- Doctor of Education, University of Southern Mississippi, 1984.
- Master of Education, University of Texas in El Paso, 1976.
- Bachelor of Arts, Wayland Baptist University, 1969.
Mark Leeds, Registrar
Serving since 2004
- Doctor of Philosophy, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2005.
- Master of Divinity, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2000.
- Bachelor of Science, Texas A&M, 1996.