September, 11, 2000
Texas Baptist Communications

DALLAS - A Texas Baptist committee finalized a proposal Monday that will make it possible for churches to give more money to support theological education at three Texas schools.

The plan approved by the Seminary Study Committee of the Baptist General Convention of Texas calls for millions of dollars to be redirected to BGCT schools and away from Southern Baptist Convention seminaries. The proposal also calls for funding of SBC schools to be tied to the number of students from BGCT churches attending each seminary.

"I am excited that we are going to be able to fund fully the Texas Baptist seminaries who will honor historic Baptist principles as they prepare young men and women," said Charles Wade, BGCT executive director. "These men and women will be ambassadors of Christ not only in Texas but around the world. Our vision is nothing less than the Great Commission from Texas to the world."

Texas schools to benefit

The three Texas schools that stand to benefit from the proposal are George W. Truett Seminary of Baylor University in Waco, Logsdon School of Theology of Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, and Hispanic Baptist Theological School in San Antonio.

Bob Campbell, chairman of the committee, declined to release details of the proposal until it can be presented to the BGCT Administrative Committee Wednesday, Sept. 13.

"There's been much speculation about it in the press," Campbell said. "It would be better for the speculators to wait until they see the report."

The basic framework of the plan, however, became public knowledge after an initial Administrative Committee meeting Friday, Sept. 8. The news brought an outpouring of criticism from SBC leaders.

"We have not defunded all the six Southern Baptist seminaries," Campbell said in response to one criticism. "That is not a true statement." BGCT will redirect all the funds, a "sizable portion" of which will still go to the Southern Baptist seminaries.

Campbell said the six SBC seminaries "have broken faith with a large portion of Southern Baptists. They have changed theologically, which is very evident in the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message statement" that was adopted this summer.

The Houston pastor said current SBC leaders have "narrowed their trustee boards to reflect only one viewpoint" and therefore do not reflect the diversity of Texas Baptists.

Campbell said the same is true of the schools' faculties. "They're hiring only one kind of faculty, only those faculty who agree with their narrow theological interpretation of Scripture and are politically correct within the conservative resurgence."

William Crews, chairman of the SBC's Council of Seminary Presidents, said in a written statement on behalf of the CSP, "This is not an alteration of the Cooperative Program; it is a repudiation of the Cooperative Program."

Campbell countered: "We're not repudiating the Cooperative Program. Just as the SBC has made changes in the Cooperative Program, we also feel the need to make changes."

Mike Chancellor, vice chairman of the committee, said part of cooperation involves participation in decision making. "The Cooperative Program is about sending dollars, but it's also about stewardship in the spending of the dollars," he said.

Wade said: "Those who now accuse Texas Baptists of being careless with the Cooperative Program should remember that Texas Baptists have always supported the Cooperative Program more extensively and generously than any other state convention. It is likely that our Texas Baptist churches will continue to support many facets of the Cooperative Program. However, the Southern Baptist Convention leaders have for 20 years elected leaders who, by and large, have given only minimal support to the Cooperative Program."

Cooperation is

built on trust

Cooperation is always built on trust, Wade said. "Across the years, Southern Baptist leadership has refused to include the broad-based leadership in Texas Baptist churches in its decision making.

"The proposals of the Seminary Study Committee come only after years of SBC unwillingness to hear the concerns of many Texas Baptists regarding the actions of seminary trustees and administrations."

Under the proposal, funding of SBC seminaries would be tied to the number of students from BGCT churches attending each school.

Crews, president of Golden Gate Theological Seminary in Mill Valley, Calif., said, "Evidently, the BGCT leadership is completely uninterested in and uncommitted to the support of theological education for anyone other than Texans - and BGCT Texans at that."

Campbell said Texas Baptists for years have had a "cooperative spirit, funding more than just Texans." But he said the quality of education at the six SBC schools is not at the same level it has been in years past.

"It is extremely difficult to continue to fund the seminaries with the radical changes they have made," Campbell said. "However, we do not want to abandon our sons and daughters who have gone to these schools in good faith. Although our loyalty to these institutions has changed, our love and concern for the students has not changed."

Al Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said in a prepared statement, "Driven by anger at the SBC, the leaders of the BGCT now show their true agenda."

Campbell said the committee was not driven by anger but by "legitimate concern" regarding theological, philosophical and financial changes at the seminaries.

October 2000