Baptist Seminary Celebrates Diversity

[Jerome]

Diversity Celebrated At SEBTS

Pastors, church and seminary leaders representing various ethnicities gathered Aug. 20 at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) in Wake Forest to discuss racial diversity within the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), and to celebrate the launch of the seminary’s “Kingdom Diversity” initiative.

[Seminary president Daniel] Akin said he dreams that SEBTS – and the SBC – will be made up of leaders representing many different cultures and ethnicities. “My prayer is Southeastern will train up an army of African American brothers and sisters that will fill not only key pulpits but also key positions in our colleges and key positions in our seminaries,” he said. “That’s my goal.”

 

[Mexdeaf]

Amen!:thumbs:

 

[Greektim]

Diversity Celebrated At SEBTS

That's my school!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jerome]

Any idea what the 'key pulpits'[?] are, that he's wanting to see these men and women fill?

 

[Judith]

We have been warned that the time would come when men would not honor sound doctrine so this should be no suprise. Sad yes, surprise, no.

 

[quantumfaith]

We have been warned that the time would come when men would not honor sound doctrine so this should be no suprise. Sad yes, surprise, no.

And just what EXACTLY are you surprised about? How does being respective of others imply "unsound" doctrine?

 

[Judith]

And just what EXACTLY are you surprised about? How does being respective of others imply "unsound" doctrine?

I never said I was surprised. As to the unsound doctrine;

"sisters that will fill not only key pulpits but also key positions in our colleges and key positions in our seminaries"

1Ti 2:12
But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

 

[clark thompson]

It should not be about race but abut the calling they recieve. I would rather hear any preaching who is called and who preaches truth over a preacher who is just of my race.

 

[Salty]

I contend this is only poltical correctness

 

[preachinjesus]

Dr Akin has been leading Southeastern to great things and it, and Southern, have far out distanced the other SBC seminaries in almost all the relevant markers.

I'm thankful for Dr Akin and his commitment to building a global church in a global context. He is one of the few major leaders who truly gets it, but that number is growing.

 

[Dr. Bob]

Global church of all ethnicities? Amen. Women preachers? Nope. What sort of doctrine does SEBTS teach on this matter? Very odd.

[Going to allow this to stay in the "General" section as it goes way beyond typical threads on seminary education]

:type:

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

I never said I was surprised. As to the unsound doctrine;

"sisters that will fill not only key pulpits but also key positions in our colleges and key positions in our seminaries"

1Ti 2:12
But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

Amen sister....speak the truth. Glad you caught that slight of hand feathered in agenda point.

 

[blackbird]

No disrespect to the good Doctor Akin but

The idea of racial diversity in the seminary classroom as well as all throughout the Southern Baptist Convention is more than just a "dream"--it is a reality-----a la Fred Luter---and a household of other African American leadership

In other words----Dr. Akin's dream is not original nor is it a dream anymore

 

[Tom Butler]

Diversity may be a worthy goal, but just remember, achieving it requires one to discriminate on the basis of race.

In other words, the color of one's skin is more important than the content of one's character.

 

[JohnnyReb]

I think God should be filling positions in the church. He calls people of all colors and origins. Who are we to decide what color fills what position. Let the best man for the job fill it. The content of his character and relationship with Christ should be deciding factors. I will support any man whether he be black or purple if he is preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And if somehow I ended up the only white man in a large group of black brothers in Christ then so be it ! The same should go for blacks....if they are outnumbered by whites in the church then so be it. We should be thankfull to be in fellowship with other brothers and sisters in Christ no matter what the mathematical ratio of skin color is. The only color we should be worried about is LIGHT and FIRE

 

[Jerome]

Flickr album of the seminary's 2013 diversity day activities:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/southeastern/9565727994/in/set-72157635177085260

 

[go2church]

Ahhhh, you're woman, run and hide, I don't want cooties

 

[Thomas Helwys]

I never said I was surprised. As to the unsound doctrine;

"sisters that will fill not only key pulpits but also key positions in our colleges and key positions in our seminaries"

1Ti 2:12
But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

Do you wear a head covering in church? Do you wear your hair long like the conservative Pentecostals? If not, when will you start fully obeying scripture, or rather Paul?

 

[Zaac]

No disrespect to the good Doctor Akin but

The idea of racial diversity in the seminary classroom as well as all throughout the Southern Baptist Convention is more than just a "dream"--it is a reality-----a la Fred Luter---and a household of other African American leadership

In other words----Dr. Akin's dream is not original nor is it a dream anymore

Might Dr. Akin be referencing the lack of black pastors at the helm of SBC churches? Are the numbers comparable to the national population statistics?

 

[Zaac]

I think God should be filling positions in the church. He calls people of all colors and origins. Who are we to decide what color fills what position. Let the best man for the job fill it. The content of his character and relationship with Christ should be deciding factors. I will support any man whether he be black or purple if he is preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And if somehow I ended up the only white man in a large group of black brothers in Christ then so be it ! The same should go for blacks....if they are outnumbered by whites in the church then so be it. We should be thankfull to be in fellowship with other brothers and sisters in Christ no matter what the mathematical ratio of skin color is. The only color we should be worried about is LIGHT and FIRE

Well said. Though it tends to not be the case as Sundays remain very segregated. If our churches don't look like our communities, we need to get to work.