Undergraduate College at SWBTS

I think the College is a great idea by Dr. P and the trustees of SWBTS. Under Dr. P's leadership, such a college was started at SEBTS and it is now one of the best undergraduate experiences available to youngsters along the Eastern Seaboard. Being in an area and pastoring a church in which some of my college kids attend Carson-Newman, I can tell you that a rigorous, biblically-sound undergraduate experience is desperately needed for our Baptist young people. For instance, this Fall semester's keynote Chapel speaker at C-N was Dr. Charles Kimball, Dean of the School of Religion at Wake Forest University. Among other things, Dr. Kimball is one of the foremost advocates of developing "interfaith alliances" that will help us to arrive at some eye-opening truths that will demonstrate how much the same all the world's religions really are. When I asked Dr. Kimball after his lecture if Christians, Muslims, etc. all worship the same god, he wouldn't even answer me with a yes or no! Is quality undergrad education needed for our young people...I think so. Kudos to Dr. P and the good folks at SWBTS.

 

There are many fine Batist colleges in the state of TX - from them most conservative (Criswell) to the more moderate - Baylor. I hate to see seminaries open up undergraduate schools as they undermine the efforts of these schools - who have provided a pipeline of students to SWBTS.

I think that SWBTS opening up an undergraduate school is all about numbers and egos.

on a sidenote I heard the other day that the school that provides the most students to SWBTS is Texas A&M (WHOOP!)

 

One disadvantage I see with this is that it might have a tendancy to produce "cookie cutter" theologians. One of the greatest joys when I attended SWBTS was the diversity of backgrounds of the students. We were able to learn a lot from each other. Jimmy, quite shocked that A&M provides the most students, but, I guess that I shouldn't be shocked about anything concerning A&M(just preparing some of you for another shock next month.
WallyGator

 

Jimmy, I would agree with you if there were a plethora of godly Baptist schools still left, but look around...they're disappearing everyday. Right here in the state of Tennessee there are three colleges affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention, and only one of them has a legitimate inerrantist in the Religion Deptartment (Union University in Jackson). Baylor, Wake Forest, Duke, Shorter, Samford, Stetson, Carson-Newman, Belmont, and countless others have abandoned Christian higher education in favor of the ever-popular liberal arts approach. Though there are some schools who are still walking in the old paths (Criswell, Union, Cedarville, others), there is still a great need for more godly schools. The colleges being created by the seminaries are filling that void and should be applauded, not ridiculed and labeled as "egotistical."

 

Todd,

My personal opinion is that a pastor needs a good liberal arts education, or accounting or science, or business etc, before he begins his seminary training. Once again this is personal bias, but I like my pastor to be well rounded in his educational experience, I think it adds to his entire worldview perspective.

If a student is looking to stay in TN and attend a good consevative college, he or she has plenty of options including Tenn Temple and Bryan College. Union University has a great reputation, and now that Crutchley is at C-N you have another strong conservative theologian there.

I have heard that all the SBC seminaries are looking to add bible colleges, and that the main reason is to increase enrollment. I continue to think that it is a mistake for seminaries to take students from thier feeder schools when the seminaries should be focusing on their graduate programs.

 

Depends on the age of the student returning, but otherwise, I think it is a great idea.

 

Jimmy, again you base your opinion of the seminary-related colleges on what you've "heard" about them. Sure, colleges would increase enrollment, but have you considered that more students would have the opportunity to receive a top-shelf, biblically-sound education by the opening of said schools? I understand your desire for pastors to have a well-rounded education (by the way, I share your desire). But if you will notice when reading the BP Press Release attached at the beginning of this post, that is the very reason that Patterson states that he wants start a school. I know for a fact that students at SEBTS's College at Wake Forest receive a well-rounded education that includes studies in Math, Science, History, Geography, Philosophy, etc. These seminary-related colleges are not the "feeder schools" that you and your informants make them out to be.

 

Todd

I come back to you with a question - who do you think will be teaching the courses? SWBTS is going to have to hire math, engilsh, biology, history proffs - build labs etc. It just does not make sense to me to have seminaries getting into the "college" business. Again, there are plenty of great colleges out there - why compete with them for the pool of undergraduates and not concentrating being excellent at what you do.

 

Jimmy, I think I understand your point, but my point is that there are not enough of these "great colleges" of which you speak. Personally, I don't want to send my child to Belmont or Carson-Newman or Baylor where they are going to be fed Wellhausen's Source Theory in OT and egalitarian, openness theology in the NT. If we want our children to receive a better education (including liberal arts), then we need to offer more schools to our students. The schools being created at the seminaries are doing just that.

 

As one who is both conservative and a graduate of Baylor and SWBTS (post-Dilday lest some think I'm not a "real" conservative), I personally don't like the idea of Southwestern starting an undergraduate college.

I don't agree with Jimmy that it is all about egos. And if it is about numbers, I look for them to be sorely disappointed. Perhaps a bit larger number of students will enter than were enrolled in the DIPTH adn GRDIPTH programs, but likely not that many more.

Ironically, the school that stands to lose the most if this undergrad school is successful is Criswell. (And please don't think that hasn't occurred to PP.) Other school most likely impacted will be ETBU and DBU. And I don't seem them ranking too highly on the lists of bastions of liberalism.

But neither am I sympathetic to any BGCT arguments about it being a duplication of resources. They, being the experts at redirecting funds to duplicate resources and all.

I'm just not sure its necessary at this point in time.