SWBTS

I am not there now but it is always good to read what the people for an issue and against an issue think. The truth is usually somewhere in the middle.

I would contact some of the former professors who just left. Current professors will not say much.

But you do know that Dr. Karen Bullock will not return. She is probably the best Baptist and church history professor the schol has had. Dr. Lorin Cranford is no doubt the best NT studies prfofesosor they had and he is at GWU in NC. He left because of all the politics. He was by far one of the sharpest minds of the NT professors.

Dr. Jack MacGorman was there for many years and left recently disgusted. Dr. Leon McBeth just left too. Dr. Harry Hunt the OT professor left just a few years ago and I think is teaching at DBU.

Take a look at the professors who were there just eight years ago and look at who is there now.

Call up some of the former students who are now teaching elsewhere such as OBU.

They have recently hired some professors who graduated from DTS. DTS is a dispensational schol and the SBC historically is not. Patterson is a dispensationalist. Look at the people Patterson is hiring. SWBTS just hired two professors. One of them graduated from Pat Robertson's school.
Start checking out where the professors went to seminary at. That should give you a good idea of their theology.

There have been a lot of changes. Some good and in my opinion it has gone downhill academically. I know the former registrar. There standard is not where it is supposed ot be academically. They are just sweeping it under the rug.

Dr. Lorin Cranford was criticized for having small classes. He was a demanding teacher.In his three hour Greek class we covered as much in two years as a friend of mine at DTS did in there years. But when you left his classes you were well prepared. None of the other teachers were nearly as demanding as he was. There were two philosophies present. One is God has called you we will help you to be well prepared. The other God has called you we will help you get through. There is a huge difference.

 

I would encourage you to send a PM to PreachinJesus, he is a current student at SWBTS and can give you some good info on what is happening there right now.

I am very close to the seminary and not much of a Patterson clone, but have not heard anything at all about him attempting to segregate classes. I do not think that women will feel welcome in the school of theology, but SWBTS needs the $$ they bring, so they will not keep women out.

Historically SWBTS has been a fantastic school, I think that they will be going through some pain for the next few years as professors that are not comfortable under Patterson leave, are not granted tenure or are simply fired. There does look to be a large turnover in faculty in the theology school this year - the School of Educational Ministires and School of Music have not been hit as hard - but it will be interesting to see who is back teaching in the fall.

Good luck in your decision.

 

Just find out from people you trust what they feel is going on there. Your seminary profs havehuge impact on you and you want the best you can find. Not every school is perfect, there is always room for improvement no matter what school you go to. So listen to facts, filter out gossip and ask for discernment from the Holy Spirit. Good luck

 

SWBTS has extension campuses. When I went to SWBTS I started at an extension campus and found that I liked it better than on the main campus. Most of the students are older and more are in ministry. Plus the politics is much less off campus.

 

Hey hey! Well it is true I do go to SWBTS and am very happy here. I think you'll find if you come and visit this place that it truly is an amazing campus to train according to your calling.

With Dr. Patterson having taken over the reigns for the seminary we are looking forward to some times of great progress and advancement. Some of the changes which are taking place are both exciting and impacting for the future of this wonderful campus. (Granted I'm graduating in Dec '04 so I won't see too many of them right off the bat) Your concerns are well noted and thanks for voicing them.

For starters you should know that there will be no [gender] segregating the classes. Everyone will be able to the classes they need for their degree program regardless of gender. It has been assumed by many that Dr. Patterson would do this, but this is not something that is going to happen. The morale on campus is better than it has been since I got here.

That said we need to clarify a few things. Dr. Harry Hunt retired a couple of years ago, I sat in his retirement chapel. He is still teaching here at SWBTS, though I suspect only one class. I don't know if he is teaching at DBU or not. Other professors have left and some will continue to leave, but I do know for a fact that we have a good sized load of new professors awaiting confirmation by the trustees at their next meeting. All of these incoming professors are excited to start teaching in a dynamic environment such as SWTBS.

I think you'll find SWBTS to be a great place to train. Do check into extension centers though, and also see about some other SBC seminaries.

 

A great idea would be to check out Patterson's track record at SEBTS. I can't believe that he would do things that much differntly at Southwestern than he did at Southeastern.

Dr. Patterson brought in a wide variety of Prof's and beliefs to teach at SEBTS. Which I think is a great idea.