Landmarks and Formal Education

Yes, I have read most of Robertson and I think all of Broadus. I have read much of Mohler since he began at SBTS and do read some of his daily commentary.

I think you are correct in saying things have greatly improved at SBTS. As I looked at the faculty page I noticed that some came from SWBTS. Mohler has brought in some excellent faculty from other places. After reading Mohler, Broadus, and Robertson, I still do not believe Mohler would hold a candle to Broadus and especially Robertson in academic qualifications and knowledge. Look at what Robertson taught compared to Mohler.

Mohler’s theology is very much Christian Reformed. Why is he not in the Christian Reformed Church? I see little difference in what I have read that he writes and what the reformed folks believe. Do you? I do know that the Reformed Church is on the increase across America and perhaps that has influenced him.

On the website under his bio is “ Dr. Mohler has presented lectures or addresses at institutions including Wheaton College, Samford University, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, the University of Richmond, Mercer University, Cedarville University, Beeson Divinity School, Reformed Theological Seminary, Geneva College, Covenant Theological Seminary, The Cumberland School of Law, The Regent University School of Law, Vanderbilt University and the historic Chautauqua Institution, among many others.”

Is it possible that he has gotten his theology from some of the schools he has spoken at?

 

Rhetorician,

I greatly enjoy studying regional Baptist history here in western Kentucky.

One preacher friend of mine who attended Mid-America in the early 1980's told me that Beaman was considered the greatest Greek scholar Southern Baptists produced besides A.T. Robertson. Do you know if this is true? I do know that Beaman attended high school in Murray, Kentucky and wrote his own harmony of the gospels during the cafeteria time. After he graduated from H. Boyce Taylor's Bible Institute, Taylor brought him on as a teacher there. When Taylor died in 1932, Beaman moved the school to Paducah, KY where he was pastoring the West End Baptist Church. During this time he wrote his own Systematic Theology which Mid-America has a partial photocopy. There the school existed with a handful of students until the 1937 Ohio River flood destroyed the school library and records and badly damaged the church. Beaman moved to Louisville to begin attending seminary. Another preacher friend who knew Beamon told me that when he graduated from Southern a few years later, the Greek professors there admitted Beaman knew more than them. As you probably know Beaman ended up teaching at New Orleans Seminary and later at Mid-America. I would have loved to sat down with him and picked his brain.

As for C.D. Cole he pastored the Morton's Gap Baptist Church in Hopkins County in the first half of the twentieth century. He was also a friend and co-worker of Boyce Taylor and Roy Beaman. While Cole was pastoring in Florida, he wrote a few doctrinal articles for the Florida Baptist newspaper. There articles were so popular, they were later published in book form under the title "Definitions of Doctrine". Cole later wrote two additional "Definitions" books. Cole did not have a school in western Kentucky. But he did teach for several years in T.T. Shields' (The Spurgeon of Canada) seminary in Canada. As a matter of fact Shields came to rural western Kentucky to preach at least one revival and perhaps more. The Bryan Station Baptist Church in Lexington reprints many of Cole's books. www.bryanstation.com

 

I'm not talking about confidence or even arrogance. I'm talking about this attitude that the formally educated are on a higher intellectual plain than the rest of us sinners; the attitude exhibited in such statements as,

It's the same mentality displayed in the assinine adage,

All such unmititaged tripe rests on the ridiculous notion that those who are not formally educated are ignorant and a burden on society.

Mark Osgatharp

 

All such unmititaged tripe rests on the ridiculous notion that those who are not formally educated are ignorant and a burden on society.</font>[/QUOTE]Read the sentence again. Whoever mentioned formal education? Consider what an education really is. Some go to school and do not get an education because they are too lazy. Others are well educated because they never stop studying.

 

A. The phrase you mentioned is used to promote formal education and denigrate those who decline to fund it.

B. The subject of this thread is "Landmarks and Formal Education."

Mark Osgatharp

 

I have little to add relative to the OP, but thought someone might be interested in this link on Roy O. Beaman, who appears to have been a Southern Baptist Landmarker and educator.

 

Hi, Tom. Just curious about your use of this story. I noticed elsewhere you describe yourself as a moderate Landmarker. Am I not also correct in believing O. C. Markham was a Landmarker? Just wondering; then isn't this a Landmarker either condemning other Landmarkers opposed to education or condemning opposition to education in general? The reason I'm asking is the opening post and topic seems to address Landmark opposition to education. Your post may prove both Landmark opposition and Landmark support of education. Just trying to clarify. Thanks.

Here's a story told ad nauseum around here (by Landmark supporters of education against non-supporters). It is of the young preacher who condemned the seminaries for delaying the 2nd coming of Christ by teaching preachers to think, for, said he, "Jesus is coming in such an hour as ye think not." I always thought it was made up for effect, but who knows.

My conclusion is that among Baptists there is a wide variation of beliefs concerning the utility of education, especially for the ministry, and that Landmarkers as a group are no more opposed to education than anyone else. As dh1948 pointed out, the largest associational body of Landmarkers are very supportive of their seminaries. This is also true of the 2nd largest body, the BMAA. Unlike the ABA, I think most (probably all) of their schools are accredited. I think the ABA College in Oklahoma was seeking accreditation, but I never heard what happened with that.

Anyway, all that to say Landmarkers as a whole are not anti-education, IMO.

 

Hello Bro. rlvaughn,

To tell the truth, I don't know for sure that Dr. Markham was a Landmarker, but I have asked Dr. R. Charles Blair,who taught at Mid-Continent when Dr. Markham was president. As soon as he replies t to my e-mail, I'll fill in the blanks. My impression of Dr. Markham's intent was he was making fun of anti-education folks in general.

Tom Butler

 

"Landmark" has become somewhat of a "gray" term--kind of like "Baptist". There seem to be several connotations.

My first encounter with a Landmark seminary was an extension school at our meeting house on Tuesday nights. We studied evangelism, Church History, Bible languages. The teachers were also pastors. We had no accreditation--did not want any. One year of full time seminary was about the same--teachers were pastors, unpaid.
There was a distinct aversion to accreditation--we did not want any state control whatsoever--kind of like home school.

Nothing wrong with growing in grace and knowledge of the Lord--but the address is still: Brother--not Your Eminence, or Most Reverend Doctor.

How many of the Apostles were Men of Letters?

Well, times have changed. Indeed they have. The Truth has not changed.

Even so, come Lord Jesus.

Selah,

Bro. James

 

rlvaughn asked:

Dr. R. Charles Blair, my source for all things Baptist in far Western Kentucky says yes, Dr.Markham was a Landmarker. In fact, all of the faculty at Mid-Continent Baptist Bible College in Mayfield, Kentucky were of that view. Dr. Blair also adds, "in that time frame [late 1940s-early 1950s]it was almost impossible to be a pastor in the Purchase with any other view."
A side note: that little Bible college is today a 4-year liberal arts university with more than 1000 students. It is still training preachers, but no longer solidly Landmark in its orientation.

Tom Butler

 

In my previous post I quoted Dr. R Charles Blair as saing "it was almost impossible to be a pastor in the Purchase with any other view [Landmarkism]."

Those those who may not know what "the Purchase" is, an explanation:

It is shorthand for Jackson Purchase, that part of Western Kentucky and West Tennessee between the Tennessee and Mississippi Rivers purchased by Andrew Jackson from the Chickasaw Indians in 1818. Today only the Kentucky portion is popularly referred to as "The Purchase Area." From Wickipedia "...although technically part of Kentucky since 1792, it did not come under definitive control of the U. S. until Jackson's purchase."

Tom Butler

 

Those who have studied enough to ridicule others haven't studied enough.

My friends J. R. Graves and Tom Butler have said most of what needs to be said on this post, but everyone might enjoy this frequently used quote from O. C. Markham: "There's enough ignorance around here to ignorance the whole country."

Happy New Year (what's left of it!) RCB - Ro. 8:28

 

Just one quick addition to the above, responding to a "pm" inquiry - the quote was not intended as ridicule, but recognition of reality. It was Bro. Markham's way of encouraging ministerial education among some who questioned or even opposed it. As I look back from the perspective of the correspondent, I can see the two paragraphs seem contradictory. If I were inclined to ridicule, plenty of examples come to mind, none of which will be quoted. Best - Don't forget to celebrate Groundhog Day! - Charles - Ro. 8:28 (That's found in Jude Chapter 5, I believe.)