Celebrating Southwestern’s Distinctive Heritage

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the Spring 2023 edition of Southwestern News.

How grateful we are for the privilege to serve Southwestern Seminary for the days to come. For many years, we both have enjoyed a special relationship with our alma mater. The Lord has now given us the privilege and responsibility to serve the Southwestern community in new ways. As we do so, we celebrate the best of Southwestern’s distinctive heritage.

Many important Christian truths are best understood in “both/and” rather than “either/or” categories. Certainly, there are times when “either/or” is not only the best choice but also the only choice, such as questions about one’s eternal destiny. But asking if Jesus Christ is fully God or fully human, is the Kingdom of God present or still to come, is God one or three, or other similarly important questions could lead to heterodoxy or heresy if one is not careful. Certainly, we want to confess that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully human; the kingdom is both now and not yet; and God is one and three.

We are often asked, “What makes Southwestern a distinctive seminary?” This question is raised by interested friends, prospective students, alums, donors, and others. One answer to this question is that Southwestern offers thoughtful and convictional guidance to these first order and ultimate theological questions, helping students understand the teaching of the Bible and the best insights from Christian thinkers through the years. Moreover, the best aspects of Southwestern’s heritage point to an educational institution that is both Baptist and evangelical in both its tradition and its conviction.

Southwestern’s faculty are first and foremost outstanding classroom teachers, but they are also thoughtful scholars, researchers, authors, and gifted practitioners. These faculty are men and women with lofty academic credentials and experience in local churches and other ministry settings. Southwestern staff members are competent and caring. Southwestern students come from Texas and every other region of the country; they come from the United States and about 60 other countries from around the globe.

Degree programs are offered primarily in English, which has been the case since our founding in 1908. Now, however, degree programs are also offered in German, Korean, Mandarin, and Spanish, with plans for Portuguese opportunities in the year ahead. Southwestern is committed to preparing students to take the Gospel to the nations and to bring students from the nations to Seminary Hill.

Southwestern wholeheartedly believes in theological education with a strong emphasis on biblical interpretation, historical understanding, theological formation, and practical ministry preparation. Southwestern for 115 years has capably equipped pastors for local churches and missionaries for global service. Motivated by the ideals of B. H. Carroll, the seminary’s founding president, Southwestern has emphasized the need to understand the English Bible and the importance of understanding the biblical languages. Believing that providing clarity and insight to the informational aspect of the seminary’s curriculum is a high calling, Southwestern continues also to highlight the priorities of spiritual, ministry, and Christian worldview formation, as well as personal sanctification and transformation.

Southwestern capably has worked to pass on the best of the Christian tradition while also pioneering initiatives in theological education such as the first full-time chair in evangelism, the first School of Christian Education, and the first School of Church Music. Preaching, pastoral ministry, evangelism, teaching, counseling, missionary service, age-focused ministry, and worship leadership are key aspects of Southwestern’s full-orbed approach to theological education.

More than 3,000 students annually pursue master’s degrees as well as professional and research doctoral degrees at the seminary’s four graduate schools, while also benefitting from the various undergraduate programs through the seminary’s fifth school, Texas Baptist College. These various programs are offered in-person on the beautiful Southwestern campus in Fort Worth, Texas, and online. This online or distance education is delivered both synchronously and asynchronously, all with a focus on students.

The seminary’s identity statement prioritizes commitments to both the Great Commandment (Matt 22:37-39) and the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20). We want to love God supremely with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength while loving others as Christ has loved us, which provides the framework to share the love of Christ with those across town, with those across the country, and with those around the globe.

The “both/and” distinctives shape one’s understanding of Southwestern Seminary/ Texas Baptist College, making it indeed a truly special place to prepare to live one’s calling. This vital preparation takes place in a grace-filled, Christ-centered, scripturally-grounded, confessionally-guided, student-focused, and globally-engaged context. Southwestern was a wonderful place for both of us to pursue our preparation for decades of ministry. We believe it continues to be a great place for current and future generations to do the same.

We want to express our genuine gratitude to those who pray, give, support, offer encouragement, and give of their time for the sake of the seminary. We are thankful for our faculty and staff colleagues, as well as the students that the Lord has brought to Southwestern at this time. This entire effort is a team effort, and we are delighted to serve alongside you for the good of Southwestern Seminary and the glory of God. We want to invite you to join with us in this effort as we trust the Lord for the days ahead.

Soli Deo Gloria,

DAVID S. DOCKERY
President

O.S. HAWKINS
Chancellor

David S. Dockery serves as the tenth president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and distinguished professor of theology. O.S. Hawkins serves as chancellor of Southwestern Seminary and senior professor of pastoral ministry and evangelism.