September 23, 2007
Should Evangelical Black Prospective Seminary Students Only Attend Schools With Black Faculty--Yes, many would say
[L to R--Kevin Smith (History), Bruce Fields (Biblical Theology), Elliot Greene (New Testament)]
A about a week ago or so I wrote something over at the "Reformed Blacks Of America" site on the need for blacks with PhDs in biblical studies and theology.
I know it's strange, but there are still several evangelical Christian schools with no black or Latino full-time, main campus faculty members. There are many reasons for this, but among them is the fact that they're just aren't that many black evangelicals getting PhDs (because many blacks get herded into "urban" ministry "where they belong," I guess).
If you're black and are looking for solid evangelical (representing the evangelical spectrum) seminaries with black faculty in departments other than practical theology (not that there's anything wrong with that, but historically that (PT) has been considered the "safe place" to put minorities much like corporations who want to prove that they have black executives will put them as the VP of human resources but now COO or CEO) there are options for you.
At any rate, if you're a black evangelical I would strongly recommend the following so that you can navigate evangelicalism in theology and biblical studies with a professor on campus if (or when) needed:
(1) Trinity Evangelical Divinity School--Bruce Fields is there. Dr. Fields is one of the pioneers who has suffered the longest as "the black prof" on campus. He talks a little bit about how frustrating it's beenhere. I was recently at Trinity and the students I met absolutely raved about him. Great guy!
(2) Westminster Theological Seminary--Texas Campus--Elliot Greene
. This man exhales the Greek language. The most amazing Greek specialist I've ever met. Amazing.
(3) Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary--Craig Mitchell. Craig's a personal friend. He's an engineer-turned-theologian. Absolutely amazing philosophical/theological/ethical mind. Wow!
(4) Fuller Theological Seminary--Ralph Watkins. Of course, Fuller's so ahead of the game that they even have an African-American Studies program in addition to black faculty.
(5) Covenant Theological Seminary--there's some black guy but nothing too impressive. Steve McCoy sums up a common encounter with this guy: "The second speaker was Anthony Bradley. I didn't like it. Seemed like a good guy with something to say, but he didn't get it out."
(6) The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary--Kevin Smith. I haven't met this brother yet but he's teaching church history. You fellas at Southern Seminary are blessed. I'm sure Professor Smith brings some good and different perspectives to the story telling. As a Hampton University grad, Smith's deeply grounded in the black church and the black community; and appears to still be able to do so which is very easy to do in the SBC--regardless of what southeastern city you're in. I'm looking forward to meeting him some day. Also here is T. Vaughn Walker (Black Church Studies).
My home (Atlanta) community/folks would strongly discourage any black student from attending a school that didn't have any black faculty as late as 2007. I wouldn't go that far. However, some would say if there are no blacks or Latinos on the full-time, main campus faculty of Christian educational institution you would justified to ask some really piercing questions. Someone might put it this, "why go to a school with all whites and deal with all that comes with that when you don't have too?"
If any of you are black students at other schools and want to transfer to a school with black faculty so that you can work through issues of contextualization for ministry within black communities drop me a line and we can get things rolling.
If you're a black evangelical you have, in the list above, a good list of at least one huge reason to help you decide which institutions with whom you would have success and a black prof to vent and process being the only black guy in class.
If I were looking at seminaries I'd probably confine it to the list above which would free me to make decisions based on theological perspective as well. Also, many of those profs are connected to local black churches that could help you find a place to do ministry while you're in school as well.
I suspect that America's future black evangelical theologians, teaching full-time on main campuses, will likely come from the schools above exclusively because of the progress they have shown in the hiring thus far. It's just a matter of time.
It is kind'a odd that you can put all of the black evangelical theologians in America in one passenger van.
If only evangelicals did what the mainline schools did in the 1960s: namely, roll out the red carpet for black students. Black professors at mainline seminaries is a process now on it's 2nd round.
Fellas, if I missed other non-Practical theology black theologians at an evangelical seminary, let me know!!
Posted by anthony at September 23, 2007 11:24 PM | TrackBackPassenger van? From looking at your list it seems like they could all get into a large sedan!
Posted by: Paul at September 23, 2007 11:20 PMHaha, yeah. Actually, if you include the guys teaching Practical Theology (mostly preaching) you would need a van.
It's still a sad reality but many schools, I find, are under no external social pressure to change.
Your average white or Asian student at conservative evangelical school doesn't even think it's weird to not have any blacks in a class or on the faculty but you have seen classes without blacks at mainline seminaries since the 1960s.
Posted by: Anthony at September 23, 2007 11:37 PMWestminster Seminary California welcomes black students with open arms. We had a full-scholarship for several years called the Anniversary Scholarship. For qualified students this scholarship not only paid tuition but also living expenses. It was directed at Black and Latino students. I don't know the status of the scholarship now (it was a one-time gift from a donor). For more information please contact Mark MacVey at Westminster Seminary California:
760 480 8474 or http://www.wscal.edu
R. Scott Clark
Associate Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology
WSC
Brother Bradley,
There are 2 other black professors at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. My pastor T. Vaughn Walker heads African-American studies, and Ken Fentress teaches Old Testament.
Wayne
Posted by: Wayne at September 24, 2007 12:06 PMBrother Wayne, THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will update the post! I didn't see them listed on the website as full-time, on-campus faculty. I'll go back and check.
This is amazing. SBTS should really advertise this!
Posted by: Anthony at September 24, 2007 12:12 PMWell, I think that black dude at Covenant Seminary is worth listening to.
I pray that CTS receives huge numbers of incoming black and latino students who become PCA pastors so that our denomination can no longer sweep racism in our lives, churches, and communities under the rug.
Posted by: nick at September 24, 2007 01:56 PMWayne, I can't find Fentress?? Any ideas?
Posted by: Anthony at September 24, 2007 02:00 PMBrother Bradley,
It appears that Ken Fentress is now the Senior Pastor of Montrose Baptist Church in Rockville, MD as of June 2007.
Wayne
Posted by: Wayne at September 24, 2007 03:49 PMThanks for adding me to your list. I direct the D.Min program in Black Church Leadership and the Ph.D. program in Black Church Studies. This is my 21st year on the faculty of Southern Seminary. I look forward to further dialogue with you.
Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary has Dr. Leroy Gainey also as a full-time professor since 1987.
Dr. T. Vaughn Walker
Dr. Walker, I'm honored to have you comment. You, Dr. Fields, and Dr. Pannell have sacrificed much to blaze the trail for us younger cats.
Thanks for the letting me know about Golden Gate!
This list is longer than I thought. I think we need to find a way to all get together. I need to brainstorm about this. . .
Posted by: Anthony at September 24, 2007 06:56 PMPaul W. Felix teaches in the department of New Testament at the Master's Seminary in California and is president of Los Angeles Bible Training School. John MacArthur is the president of the seminary.
Posted by: Rafael Mcneal at September 25, 2007 09:18 PMDr. R. Logan Carson is the distinguished Professor of Christian theology at Southeastern baptist theological seminary. He is blind and God is using him mightly there.
Posted by: Rafael Mcneal at September 25, 2007 09:40 PMWith all do respect, none of these prefesers compairs to DR. T. D. Jakes.
Posted by: Phil M at September 26, 2007 02:00 AMThe comment on putting black executives in HR intrigues me, as HR is one of the least liked areas in the companies I've worked for. Could people be inadvertently enhancing anti-black racism by putting a black face on the least appreciated department in many/most companies?
(to draw a picture, I know of at least one company where HR's offices are behind locked doors, and I used to commute with an HR person who noted that she used her maiden name professionaly so that disgruntled employees couldn't track her down easily)
Not being a theology student, I don't know what, if anything, this would have to do with filling that Econoline halfways with black Practical Theology professors, but it's an interesting thought anyways.
Posted by: Bike Bubba at September 27, 2007 04:36 PMI am somewhat troubled by this post because it seems to say that 'only blacks can understand blacks.' My advice to any young man -- black, white, Asian, etc. -- considering ministry is to find the institution that best suits one's career path and go there. God will provide the rest: finances, a church home, a mentor, a place to complete an internship, etc. Whether there are faculty of the same skin color and ethinicity is truly a secondary consideration.
Sometimes a white man can mentor a black man. Right now in our presbytery we are watching a white, suburban pastor outside Cleveland mentor a black Baptist pastor from Akron. He has brought him to presbytery several times and, I believe, taken him to General Assembly. The man does not have a seminary degree and is considering what it would take to minister in the PCA.
A similar thing happened with my home church in suburban Atlanta. An opportunity arose to start a black congregation that would reach out to the professionals in S. Fulton County. For several years our "white" church gave of its money and facilities to get this "black" church off the ground (Redemption Fellowship in Fayetteville).
While we readily agree that God is bigger than skin color and ethnicity I think that we often forget that point. If he can use a donkey to speak for Himself he can use 'white folk' to help 'blacks' to find their place of service in His kingdom.
Dave Sarafolean
Christ Covenant Church PCA
Midland, Michigan