OUR BAPTIST-EDUCATED BIBLE PROFESSORS

It is a little realized fact, and an interesting one, that a score or more of our Bible teachers in Church of Christ colleges have graduate degrees from Baptist institutions, especially New Orleans Baptist Seminary and Southwestern Baptist Seminary. While our folk do have two graduate schools of divinity, whether called that or not, neither of them offers a doctorate. And it is well that these men have their proper academic titles. It is noteworthy that they have disproportionately selected Baptist schools for this, even though Baptist-Church of Christ relations have been less than exemplary. Certainly no emphasis is placed upon the fact that when our youth traverse several states to get a “Christian education” that their Bible teacher will likely be Baptist-educated!

A fresh brochure out of Searcy reveals that of the 14 men who make up the Bible faculty of Harding College, five of them hold (or are candidates for) doctorates from Baptist seminaries, four of them from New Orleans and one from Southwestern. One other holds a Th. M. from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, which is the school’s official name, though in the brochure Baptist is dropped, which may be an oversight, or it may be an effort to disturb the rhythm of Baptist, Baptist, Baptist as one’s eye makes its way down the list. In fact J.D. Bales is the only one in the list that has a non-Baptist doctorate.

Abilene Christian College’s Bible department is doused with Baptist doctorates in about the same percentage, though it is well represented with men with titles from the likes of Chicago, Harvard, and Vanderbilt. But as the finger moves down the roster of ACC’s Bible teachers one would suppose that there was a concerted effort to have as many men from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary as possible. I came up with nine at my last count, and, to be fair, one should add that they represent some of the very best men on the faculty.

This is probably more circumstantial than intentional. Finances and convenience have no doubt dictated some of this. Too, our men want a conservative education, which most Baptist institutions provide. Some too, I presume, cannot always make their way into the more reputable institutions. And there is nothing wrong with any of these reasons. I am only trying to explain a fact that must appear very curious to an observer, especially those who know that we have through the years been rather anti-Baptist. Indeed a generation ago none of these colleges would allow a Baptist-doctored teacher get near its faculty. And it is still a fact that we do not generally acknowledge Baptists to be Christians, even though they, like ourselves, are immersed believers. This was not the case, however, in the earlier years of our Movement.

This is a plea for a little more honesty toward the Baptists and others, and of course with each other. No doubt but what these men educated in Baptist schools have been wonderfully blessed, and in many instances they have probably enjoyed fellowship and freedom that excels that of their own faculty. And they likely believe they are studying with Christians in spite of a few obvious differences (and where would there be no differences?). If they in turn would reach out and accept these people as brothers, not because they are Baptists but because they are in Christ, as the Baptists have accepted them, it would be an important step toward unity. If they would make it clear to their students that the church includes all those who believe in Jesus and are baptized, and not just our own crowd, it would help. But we continue for the most part to leave the impression that Baptists are really outsiders and need conversion as much as any pagan. Why should not the Baptist-educated teachers in our schools take a lead in this direction?

And we could be a little more honest in the matter of fellowship. If the Baptists are giving a large number of our college professors their graduate education so that they can better serve in Church of Christ colleges, that would come close to being what fellowship is all about. If the “giving and receiving” between Paul and the Philippians was koinonia, so it is when the Southern Baptist Convention foots the bill to educate teachers for Harding and Abilene. If our professors can spend years studying with Baptists in New Orleans and Ft. Worth, then surely our people could be encouraged to ‘lisit special programs at Baptist churches or attend a Graham crusade. And to share in prayer groups and house meetings with them. We are playing some kind of game in being so exclusive as to have no contact with Baptists when our own colleges are staffed with men educated in their seminaries.

And if the teachers themselves can go to such schools, as well as to secular universities of every description, without being hopelessly tainted, then maybe our youth should be given more freedom in deciding where they will get their education. The example of our Baptist-educated professors would indicate that one can receive “Christian education” at places other than Church of Christ institutions.

Baptists are my brothers, some of them surely, for they too love and obey Jesus. And I can agree with Alexander Campbell that it is a tragedy that in our earlier history we separated from each other. There is of course no such thing as a Baptist Church or “Church of Christ” in God’s sight. There is only one church, never was but one, and never will be but one. We obviously have work to do in restoring to that church the beauty of oneness that He has given it. And I rather think that this fellowship in education at the seminary level will help to move us in that direction. And to make us a little more honest about it all. In the meantime it may be just as well to thank our Baptist brothers for educating our preacher-training teachers for us!—the Editor
 

Our heavenly Father estimates men according to the state of their affections and passions, not according to the state of their understandings or the amount of their knowledge.—A. Campbell, Mill. Harb. , vol. 9, p. 567.