Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Fort Worth, Texas Commencement Fall 2020 Friday, December 4, 2020 10 o’clock in the morning MacGorman Chapel Fort Worth, Texas The Southwestern Heritage Benajah Harvey Carroll led Texas Baptists to establish The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Waco, officially chartered on March 14, 1908, after having begun initially as part of Baylor University in 1905. At that time, Carroll was the most influential leader in the Southern Baptist Convention. His vision for the new seminary was so compelling that seminary trustees elected him as first president. The former longtime pastor of Waco’s First Baptist Church, Carroll knew that Southern Baptists desperately needed a denominational seminary situated in the Southwest. Carroll had strongly supported The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, but the expansive population growth of the American Southwest placed urgent demands for Gospel labor that a seminary a thousand miles distant could not provide. Throughout the Southwest, God was saving sinners through Gospel witness. A great host of pastors was needed to build up churches to be sound in doctrine, love, and zeal. These pastors needed training, and most would not leave the Southwest. A new Baptist seminary was needed. Carroll persuaded Baylor to give up its own new theological seminary to make possible the establishment of Southwestern Seminary. Carroll had largely created Baylor’s seminary, serving as its dean, raising its funds, and building its excellent faculty and curriculum. Carroll recognized, however, that a theological school bound to a university could not accomplish the task as successfully as a freestanding seminary under direct denominational control. Such seminaries, he believed, were absolutely essential for effectively accomplishing Christ’s Great Commission. Carroll knew also that a seminary was needed in the Southwest as a bulwark against error. Without a faithful denominational seminary, the churches were vulnerable especially to growing errors regarding the inspiration, truth, and power of the Scriptures. He believed that the liberal theology in northern seminaries was a “floodtide of error” that was descending upon southern churches with “fearful force” and “awful consequence.” A Baptist seminary, firmly established upon the unchanging orthodoxy of the Bible, might stand in the gap as a “mighty barrier” and produce effective ministers of the Gospel who would go forth to wage war against evil with the spiritual weapons of the Gospel of free grace. The spread of error would devastate Christ’s vineyard. Southwestern Seminary would stand against all such false teaching. From the start, Carroll’s vision therefore included a commitment to orthodoxy. All faculty pledged their agreement with the New Hampshire Confession and, after 1925, with the Baptist Faith and Message. Southwestern Seminary’s faculty must heartily affirm the entire truth of the Bible and are held accountable to it through confessional commitment to Baptist convictions. Southwestern Seminary was necessary also to preserve the Bible’s teaching concerning the church and its divine commission. Carroll believed that Christ established his church and commissioned it with grave responsibilities of sound teaching, evangelistic zeal, spiritual worship, opposition to error, and stewardship of regenerate membership and the ordinances. Only a seminary established upon the scriptural pattern of truth could answer the church’s need for a ministry equipped to fulfill Christ’s commission. Carroll, therefore, led Texas Baptists to establish the seminary under the control of the churches through trustees elected by the Baptist General Convention of Texas. The seminary soon welcomed trustees from other state conventions, and in 1925 control of Southwestern Seminary officially passed to the Southern Baptist Convention. Southwestern Seminary moved from Waco to Fort Worth in 1910. The city government, the Baptists of the city, and many generous non-Baptists gave sacrificially to purchase a large tract of land and establish its campus at a place that would become known as “Seminary Hill.” Named in honor of its new hometown’s generous support, Fort Worth Hall was built in 1910 and housed the seminary’s classrooms, library, offices, chapel, and dormitory. It remains the oldest building in continual operation on any of the six Southern Baptist seminary campuses. Carroll’s vision included a commitment to making theological education accessible to all those whom God called to serve the church, including those who were unable to attend college. Carroll developed, therefore, a curriculum that included studying the Bible in English as well as studying it in Greek and Hebrew. From the beginning, Southwestern Seminary has offered a wide program of training to equip not only pastors, 2 evangelists, and missionaries, but also both men and women who are called to serve in a wide variety of ministries and roles. The seminary began a program of studies for women in 1910 and soon built a women’s dormitory later named Barnard Hall. In 1915, two departments were created in addition to the School of Theology—the Department of Religious Education, led by J.M. Price, and the Department of Gospel Music, led by I.E. Reynolds. In 1921, both departments became full-fledged schools. The School of Gospel Music became the School of Sacred Music in 1926, and in 1957 it was renamed the School of Church Music. In 2019, it became the School of Church Music and Worship. The School of Religious Education became the School of Educational Ministries in 1997. Renamed in 2009 in honor of former dean Jack D. Terry Jr., it is now the Jack D. Terry School of Educational Ministries. In 2005, seminary trustees established the seminary’s fourth graduate school, the Roy J. Fish School of Evangelism and Missions, as well as the seminary’s undergraduate school, the L.R. Scarborough College. From its inception, Southwestern Seminary has sought to combine the highest standards of research and scholarship with vigorous training in the practical areas of ministry including missions, evangelism, discipleship, preaching, and worship. Southwestern Seminary alumni from 1908 to the present day have gained wide reputation for effectiveness and faithfulness as preachers, missionaries, church staff ministers, and denominational servants. God has blessed B.H. Carroll’s vision and sacrifices in extraordinary ways, and has raised up a remarkable lineage of able successors, starting with Lee Rutland Scarborough, a zealous evangelist, renowned preacher, and trusted denominational leader. Carroll’s mantle now rests upon Adam W. Greenway, the seminary’s ninth president, elected by the seminary’s trustees on February 27, 2019, and who now leads the seminary to expand and extend its remarkable record of service upon its founding vision, trusting completely in the truth of God’s Word and the power of the Gospel. 3 THE ORDER OF SERVICE PRESIDENT ADAM W. GREENwaY, PRESIDING Prelude Veni, Emmanuel Sueda Luttrell Arr. Robert Powell Organist *The Opening Hymn O Come, All Ye Faithful Joseph R. Crider Dean, School of Church Music and Worship Oh, come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, Oh, come ye, oh, come ye, to Bethlehem. Come and behold Him, born the King of angels; Refrain: Oh, come, let us adore Him, oh, come, let us adore Him, Oh, come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation; O sing, all ye bright hosts of heav’n above! Glory to God, all glory in the highest; (Refrain) Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning; Jesus, to Thee be all glory giv’n; Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing; (Refrain) *Invocation Chris S. Osborne Professor of Preaching and Pastoral Ministry Welcome and Recognition of Special Guests Adam W. Greenway President of the Seminary *Congregational Hymn Hark! The Herald Angels Sing Joseph R. Crider Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King; Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!” Joyful, all ye nations rise, Join the triumph of the skies; With th’angelic host proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!” Refrain: Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!” *Congregation standing 4 Christ, by highest Heav’n adored; Christ the everlasting Lord; Late in time, behold Him come, Offspring of a virgin’s womb. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail th’incarnate Deity, Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel. (Refrain) Hail, the heav’n-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all He brings, Ris’n with healing in His wings. Mild He lays His glory by, Born that man no more may die; Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth. (Refrain) *The Scripture Reading 1 John 4:7–21 Lilly H. Park Associate Professor of Biblical Counseling Musical Offering Away in a Manger Ben Caston, Tenor Arr. Robert Powell R. Allen Lott, Piano The President’s Address Adam W. Greenway *Congregational Hymn O Church, Arise Joseph R. Crider O church arise and put your armor on Hear the call of Christ our captain For now the weak can say that they are strong In the strength that God has given With shield of faith and belt of truth We’ll stand against the devil’s lies An army bold whose battle cry is “Love” Reaching out to those in darkness Our call to war, to love the captive soul But to rage against the captor And with the sword that makes the wounded whole We will fight with faith and valor When faced with trials on