The Scroll - Sept. 12, 2013

Page 1

Volume 69, Number 2

Bi-Weekly Publication by Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary • Fort Worth, Texas

Thursday, September 12, 2013

a look inside »

the scroll

Check out @SWBTSlife

More Info on pg 6 »

Seminary prison program changes inmate culture By Keith Collier | SWBTS

Moore discusses temptation, sexual immorality, pornography with seminary students By Keith Collier | SWBTS

Darrington students listen to Southwestern Seminary president Paige Patterson preach the Fall 2013 convocation chapel message, Aug. 26. (SWBTS Photo/Matt Miller) At 7 p.m. every Tuesday, a buzz can be heard throughout the living quarters at the Darrington prison unit as more than 200 inmates discuss the Bible and pray for one another. Darrington is a maximum-security unit within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) system. Started by students in Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s Darrington extension program, these Bible studies contain both Southwestern students as well as inmates from the

general population. They represent the growing culture change within the Texas penal system anticipated by seminary administrators, program organizers, TDCJ leadership and lawmakers. These leaders gathered with inmate students at a chapel service, Aug. 26, to celebrate the start of a new semester and to welcome the third class of students into a program that is already changing lives. “This is a true partnership and one that we value tremendously,” TDCJ executive director Brad Livingston said

at the chapel service. ”Now we’re moving into the third year. We already have a lot of success behind us, and I know we have future success in front of us as well.” In 2011, Southwestern Seminary launched undergraduate classes in Darrington, offering a Bachelor of Science in Biblical Studies to 40 inmates. An additional class of students has been added each year since, and the current number of enrolled students stands at 114, with the first class expected to graduate in May 2015. Prison pg 2 »

Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, held no punches in his honest and direct statements about the “weaponized epidemic of porn” during his chapel sermon at Southwestern, Sept. 5. Preaching from 1 Cor. 6:15–7:5, Moore likened the present-day cultural saturation of pornography with the first-century pagan practice of temple prostitution, saying, “The temple prostitution of Corinth has been digitalized and weaponized and brings with it the kind of illusion and anonymity that the temple prostitutes could never promise.” Moore said people often view their bodies like machines detached from spiritual consequences. He warned those called to ministry to recognize the satanic powers at work in the world, seeking to destroy families, ministries and Gospel witness. “The strategies of Satan have become so crafty that they are able to promise a cover of darkness, including Moore pg 2 »

Page commends global cooperation at Southwestern

College at Southwestern graduate crowned Mrs. America

By Benjamin Hawkins | SWBTS

By Sharayah Colter | SWBTS

During a global summit at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Aug. 9, SBC executive committee president Frank Page urged educational leaders from Spanishspeaking nations to cooperate with one another and with Southern Baptists in their mission to train the pastors and missionaries of the future. “I believe God is calling us to do the mission that we do together,” Page said. “That is why I am so glad that you are here. I have a vision for reaching the world, but it will only happen when we understand each other and work together. … Let us remember that we have a mission, and that mission is best done when we work together.” Nearly 60 church leaders and seminary educators from the Hispanic

world gathered on Southwestern’s campus, Aug. 6-10, for a summit developed by the seminary’s Global Theological Innovation (GTI) program. Participants came from such diverse nations as Argentina, Mexico, Spain, Honduras, Uruguay, Guatemala, Columbia, Venezuela and Cuba. During this international summit, these leaders conferred about the development of partnerships that they hope will enrich theological education among Baptists around the world. According to Daniel Sanchez, professor of missions, Southwestern Seminary has worked alongside Baptist educators in Hispanic nations for more than 20 years. But this summit, Sanchez said, set a

milestone in global cooperation among Baptist schools. “What is historic about this meeting,” Sanchez said, “is that this is the first time this many seminaries from Latin America and Spain have come together to become better acquainted with one another, share information, discuss ways of cooperating,and initiate the process of forming a Baptist seminary consortium.” Sanchez added that this GTI network “can have a great impact in evangelism, discipleship and church planting, resulting in the growth of the Kingdom throughout the world.” While this summit involved only a Hispanic consortium, the seminary is committed to partnering with Page pg 3 »

Having been crowned Miss Arlington and later Mrs. Texas, Austen Williams had already become well-acquainted with large stages and bright lights by the time she walked across the platform at Southwestern Seminary to receive her bachelor’s degree in May 2013. Now, just a few short months later, she has taken the stage again, this time being crowned Mrs. America. Williams, who studied humanities during her time at Southwestern, competed amongst other married delegates from across the United States in Tucson, Ariz. and was crowned Mrs. America Aug. 28. “I’m so humbled, honored, proud, joyful and excited!” Williams said. “I am grateful for Mrs. America pg 3 »


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.