News

WACO, Texas (December 11, 2023) - Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary is pleased to announce that the University has been awarded a grant of $1.25 million from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help establish a project led by the Seminary in collaboration with the Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities in the School of Education and the Center for Church and Community Impact (C3I) in the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work. The interdisciplinary project focuses on helping congregations embrace young people with disabilities and mental health challenges.

Dr. Matthew D. Kim is a professor of Practical Theology and the holder of the Hubert H. and Gladys S. Raborn Chair of Pastoral Leadership at Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary. We recently sat down with Dr. Kim to learn more about his academic journey and work leading up to his time at Truett. During our conversation, Dr. Kim spoke about his passions for pastoral ministry, homiletics, and the interculturally competent church. 

What are the connections between food, creation and faith? Jenny Howell serves as director of Baylor’s Theology, Ecology and Food Justice Program, which offers a holistic approach to educate students, ministers, leaders and more on the Church’s role in addressing hunger. In this Baylor Connections, she takes listeners inside Waco’s World Hunger Relief Farm, where her work takes place and models approaches to address hunger globally, analyzes complex issues impacting hunger and considers the role of hope as the Holidays approach.

Amid the changing landscape of ministry and congregational life, the Program for the Future Church (PFFC) at Baylor University’s Truett Seminary exists to bring together theologians, churches, and community leaders to create time and space for listening and imagining to create resources to support the future of the Church. Over the last year, the PFFC has prioritized collaboration and contextual engagement to transition initiatives launched during the first phase of its work into public-facing convenings, courses, and collaborative opportunities.

Dr. Jennifer (Jenny) Matheny, associate professor of Christian Scriptures at George W. Truett Theological Seminary, joined the institution's faculty before the Fall semester of 2023. We recently sat down with her to learn more about her life and work before Truett, as well as her hopes for the program moving forward. 

Around George W. Truett’s Waco campus, four crosses remain a diverse collective, reminding our community of a shared faith: the Steeple Cross, the Clock Tower Cross, the Empty Cross, and the Rolf Cross. These four crosses, while different, collectively symbolize and bear witness to the cross of Christ and, more important still, to the Christ of the cross.

WACO, Texas (October 23, 2023) - Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary is pleased to announce that Jared E. Alcántara, PhD, professor of preaching and the holder of the Paul W. Powell Endowed Chair in Preaching at Truett, has been appointed as the director of the Kyle Lake Center for Effective Preaching, and Baylor University has been awarded a grant of $1.25 million from the Lilly Endowment Inc. to support Truett Seminary’s initiative focused upon minoritized preaching for the good and growth of the Church.

Sam Davidson, a Truett Seminary alumnus and current adjunct faculty member, recently shared about doctoral work and ongoing academic pursuits. Davidson, who earned his BA at Baylor and MDiv at Truett Seminary, is presently finishing his doctoral thesis, “Deep Ecclesiology: An Ecological Recalibration of the Doctrine of the Church,” which has received recognition from the National Association of Baptist Professors of Religion. In a recent conversation with Davidson, we asked him a few questions about his work. 

Regina Burpo is a current MTS student at Truett in San Antonio. When asked about her experience at the extension campus, she replied, "Truett has allowed me to connect with Christians in a different way than before. It's a deeper bond, and I'm just happy that I have people that are walking along the same path."

As you approach due dates, exams, and presentations, many students are looking for spaces to study around campus. Here are a few spots to consider the next time you need to prepare for a test or write a paper. 

Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary is delighted to announce the appointment of Kimlyn J. Bender, PhD, as the Foy Valentine Chair in Christian Theology and Ethics effective immediately. In keeping with university policy and practice, the recommendation for Dr. Bender to be named Valentine Chair was made by Truett Seminary Dean, Todd D. Still, PhD, subsequent to his consultating with numerous others both within and beyond the Seminary and was affirmed by Baylor University Provost Nancy Brickhouse.

WACO, Texas (September 6, 2023) – Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary announced today that Jack Bodenhamer, DMin, has been selected to serve as assistant dean of external affairs. In his new position, Bodenhamer will guide and supervise Truett Seminary’s Church Network, W. Winfred Moore Center for Ministry Effectiveness, Office of Ministry Connections, Online Certificate Program, and Program for the Future Church. He will also intentionally collaborate with, among others, the Seminary’s Kyle Lake Center of Effective Preaching and Faith and Sports Institute.

Each semester, Truett Seminary opens her chapel services with a Convocation message from the Dean. This year, Dean Still shared a message entitled "Jesus, Paul, and Christian Unity." 

One of the many benefits of being a student at George W. Truett Theological Seminary is the ability to participate in Baylor University’s campus life. Here is a list of 10 activities Truett students can access on or near campus for little to no cost this upcoming fall semester. 

At the beginning of the summer, the TEFJ program hosted a trip to Italy, which included students, faculty, and staff from Truett, the Baylor School of Social Work, the World Hunger Relief, Inc. (WHRI), and the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty (the Baylor Collaborative).

WACO, Texas (July 11, 2023) – Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary announced today that Toby Osburn, EdD, has been appointed to serve as assistant dean of student services. Drawing upon over 30 years of experience in higher education, Osburn will guide and supervise Truett Seminary’s efforts in recruitment, admissions, scholarships, retention, student activities and conduct, and placement.

Baylor's Truett Theological Seminary is mourning the passing of Dr. Russell H. Dilday, who, among his many professional achievements, served as a distinguished professor of homiletics and as acting dean at Truett Seminary.

Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary is pleased to share that Michael W. Stroope, PhD, professor of Christian Missions, director of the MA in Contextual Witness and Innovation (MACWI), and holder of the M.C. Shook Chair of Missions, and Dustin D. Benac, ThD, director and co-founder of the Program for the Future Church (PFFC), have received a subgrant from Princeton Theological Seminary’s “Teaching Spiritual Entrepreneurship” initiative to fund the Baylor Ecclesial Entrepreneurship Program (BEEP).

As an avid sports fan, historian, and pivotal member of the Faith & Sports Institute at Baylor’s Truett Seminary, Paul Putz, PhD, never dreamed that a message he shared at a Truett Chapel service would create a connection between Baylor and the family of the inventor of basketball. 

WACO, Texas (May 19, 2023) – During its regular May meeting, the Baylor University Board of Regents elected new leadership and approved the 2023-2024 operating budget, three renovation projects, and two new degree programs. During this meeting, two-time Truett graduate Steve Wells and current Truett MDiv student JD McDonald were elected respectively to the Baylor University Board of Regents!

The Outstanding Faculty Awards recognize the best all-around professors – including non-tenure track, tenured and tenure-track faculty – based on teaching capabilities, research achievement, effective committee service, time spent with students and civic and church involvement.

WACO, Texas (May 4, 2023) – Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary announced today that Angel Santiago-Vendrell, ThD, will join the seminary as associate professor of World Christianity and Witness this coming fall. Santiago-Vendrell will teach a variety of courses, including the History of the Expansion of Christianity, World Christianity, and Evangelism.

WACO, Texas (April 24, 2023) – Baylor University’s  George W. Truett Theological Seminary is pleased to announce that first-year Truett student Josepha Mbouma and Baylor and Truett alumna Kingsley East Gibbs have been awarded Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics (FASPE).

Eric Moffett is a graduating student of the Doctor of Ministry (DMin) program at Baylor's Truett Seminary. He has had the joy of serving as a pastor for the last seventeen years in Arkansas and recently (in January of 2023) answered a call to serve at Coryell Community Church in Gatesville, Texas, where he serves as lead pastor and his wife, Sherrill serves as the connections pastor. Moffett and his wife have been married since 2006 and have a "bright, beautiful, and compassionate daughter" named Madelynn. In a recent conversation with Moffett, we asked him a few questions about his time at Truett and in the DMin program. 

Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary announced today that Jennifer “Jenny” Matheny, PhD, will join the school’s faculty as associate professor of Christian Scriptures this coming fall. A gifted scholar and teacher, Matheny will teach courses at Truett in Old Testament Studies and Hebrew.

WACO, Texas (March 27, 2023) – Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary announced today that Larry Parsley, PhD, has been appointed to serve as Clinical Professor of Christian Ministry and Director of Mentoring.  
 

DALLAS and WACO, Texas – Leaders from the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT) and Baylor University have jointly reviewed the relationship agreement between the two organizations and deemed no changes are necessary. The special agreement, initially agreed upon on November 4, 2011, calls for a joint review by the BGCT and Baylor every 10 years. The most recent review was delayed two years as both organizations managed through the COVID-19 pandemic.

WACO, Texas (February 17, 2023) - Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary announced today that Bishop Scott J. Jones, PhD, has joined Truett Seminary’s Wesley House of Studies as an Affiliate Professor and Pastor-Theologian in Residence.

Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary's Dean Todd D. Still, PhD, announced today that Elizabeth E. Shively, PhD, has accepted an appointment to serve as Professor of Christian Scriptures commencing this July. Shively, a well-known and highly regarded biblical scholar who specializes in the Gospel of Mark, will teach courses in New Testament and Greek at the seminary.

Spring 2023 Convocation Address: “Four Crosses, One Christ”
Baylor University, George W. Truett Theological Seminary
Todd D. Still, Ph.D., DeLancey Dean and Hinson Professor

The Program for the Future Church (PFFC) at Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary is delighted to announce the first-round of subgrant award recipients. In response to the shifting landscape of theological education and ministerial leadership, the PFFC is a research center and resource hub aimed at equipping local church and community leaders, seminary students, and future generations. To further its engagement in contextually-centered and collaborative research that focuses on four pillars (leadership, youth and emerging adults, pedagogy, and lived experience) the PFFC has awarded subgrants to support three projects designed to engage and empower the future Church.

Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary Dean Todd D. Still, Ph.D., announced today the appointment of Jason Vickers, Ph.D., as professor of Christian Theology and as the inaugural holder of the Wesley Endowed Chair of Christian Theology.

Christianity Today highlights how a robust theology of food and justice can help Christians address global hunger.

Dean Todd D. Still of Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary has announced the appointment of George Gaston, PhD, as Acting Director of Truett in Houston. Gaston will begin to serve immediately in this strategic role. As the leader of Truett’s additional instructional site in Houston, Gaston is charged with the oversight of the campus, which includes recruiting, supporting, and resourcing students, networking and building relationships with local ministers and other community leaders, and serving as a bridge between Houston and the Seminary’s flagship Waco campus.

In his forthcoming book, Adaptive Church: Collaboration and Community in a Changing World, Dr. Dustin Benac, Director of the Program for the Future Church and Visiting Assistant Professor of Practical Theology at Baylor’s Truett Seminary, explores what it takes for communities of faith to respond to uncertainty and shifting organizational environments. As the book’s release date (August 16) approaches, Dr. Benac answers a few questions about his latest project.

After becoming the first academic unit at Baylor University to reach and exceed its Give Light campaign goal, Truett Seminary is now celebrating a record fundraising year with gifts totaling $20.4 million in 2021-2022.

Meet JD McDonald from East Tennessee. JD is a current Truett Seminary student pursuing a Master of Divinity degree, Resident Chaplain for the North Village Residential Community, and a first-year Baylor University Student Regent.

Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary Dean Todd D. Still has announced the appointment of Jamal-Dominique Hopkins, PhD, as Associate Professor of Christian Scriptures. In addition to Scriptures classes, Dr. Hopkins will teach courses within Truett’s Black Church Studies Program. He will join the Seminary faculty on August 1, 2022.

Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary Dean Todd D. Still, PhD, has announced the appointment of Matthew D. Kim, PhD, as Professor of Practical Theology and the Hubert H. and Gladys S. Raborn Chair of Pastoral Leadership. He will join the Truett Seminary faculty on August 1, 2022, following the retirement of Dr. R. Robert Creech, effective May 31, 2022.

On March 16th , 2022, Baylor in Washington was pleased to host a panel discussion about the theological and scientific motivations for environmental stewardship.

Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary Dean Todd D. Still has announced the appointment of Daniel Lee Hill, PhD, as Assistant Professor of Christian Theology. He will join the Truett Seminary faculty on August 1, 2022, following the retirement of Dr. Roger Olson, effective December 31, 2021.

For Black History Month, we asked our Truett Seminary faculty to share about the Black professors, preachers, authors, etc. who have made an impact in their work as teachers, researchers, and ministers.

February 17-19, 2022, Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary will host “Do We Want to Be Healed?” Racism in the White Church, the first in a three-year sequence of programs addressing racism in the white church and seeking God’s justice. This initial event will offer resources and inspiration for those interested in or in the beginning stages of redressing racism in the white church, with a particular focus on racism against the Black community.

Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary is pleased to share that Dr. Jared E. Alcántara, Associate Professor of Preaching and Holder of the Paul W. Powell Endowed Chair in Preaching, has received a $40,000 grant through the Louisville Institute's Sabbatical Grant for Researchers (SGR) program.

Dean Todd D. Still offered the Spring 2022 Convocation Address for Baylor University's George W. Truett Theological Seminary on January 18, 2022.

Baptist News Global interviews Theology, Ecology, and Food Justice Program Director Jenny Howell, PhD, on the launch of the new program at Baylor University's Truett Seminary.

Even amid an ongoing pandemic, 2021 proved to be a year full of noteworthy and impactful developments for Baylor University's George W. Truett Theological Seminary.

FSI Assistant Director Paul Putz co-authored this reflection on the life and legacy of Baylor All-American Bill Glass, who pioneered new forms of sports ministry.

This article for The Cord magazine looks at a few of the ways athletes, coaches, ministers, and scholars have engaged with the Faith & Sports Institute and found a unique hub of resources and opportunities at the intersection of faith and sports.

On November 5, 2021, the Baylor University Board of Regents announced the approval of three new degree programs at George W. Truett Theological Seminary: the Master of Arts in Theology and Sports Studies, the Master of Arts in Contextual Witness and Innovation, and the Master of Arts in Theology, Ecology, and Food Justice.

On Friday, November 5, 2022, the Baylor University Board of Regents approved and announced a significant decrease in tuition for master's-level degree programs at George W. Truett Theological Seminary and extended this reduced rate to all seminary doctoral programs. Thus, the "sticker price" of a Truett education for the 2022-2023 academic year has decreased from a projected $1,071 per credit hour to $690 per credit hour.

While her desire to become better equipped for her calling led Solange Balikunde from Rwanda to Texas to attend Truett Seminary, her commitment to her country and to her ministry work there has never wavered. Now, when Rwandan pastors are facing the devastating affects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Solange has been inspired to take action to support and sustain them.

In the second afternoon session of the Forum on Global Hunger, experts in the fields of migration, agriculture, and food insecurity discuss policy implications regarding hunger and poverty.

The Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty (BCHP) will welcome David Beasley, executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), to its Forum on Global Hunger Sept. 10 at Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary. The WFP received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020 for their work combatting hunger and preventing the use of famine as a weapon of war in the most dangerous regions of the world.

Dean Todd D. Still offered the Fall 2021 Convocation Address for George W. Truett Theological Seminary on August 24, 2021.

FSI Postdoctoral Fellow Brian Gamel discussed the Olympics and the Bible's athletic metaphors on Christianity Today's "Quick to Listen" podcast.

July 21, 2021 marks the 40th anniversary of Assistant to the Associate Dean Nancy Floyd's time at Baylor University. To celebrate this significant milestone, we are sharing 26 notes of gratitude for Nancy, marking the 26 of her 40 years in service at Truett Seminary.

Baylor University’s Truett Seminary is thrilled to announce the formation of a new initiative, “The Program for the Future Church,” under the direction of Angela Gorrell, PhD, Assistant Professor of Practical Theology, and Dustin Benac, ThD, Visiting Assistant Professor of Practical Theology and Louisville Institute Postdoctoral Fellow.

Where are they now? 2020 graduates of Truett Seminary are engaged in gospel ministry across the nation, and around the world—both within and alongside the church. These six recent alumni share with us a glimpse into what they enjoy about their work and how Truett helped to equip them for it.

Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary is pleased to announce the appointment of Keith D. Bruce, DMin, as Acting Director of Truett in San Antonio.

"A deadly pandemic. Civic unrest. Economic uncertainty. The years between the 2016 and 2020 Presidential Elections exposed the vulnerability of our institutions—and ourselves—like never before. In the wake of uncertainty, the authors in this volume offer wisdom to make sense of the changes brought by these past four years. Reflecting how faith and philanthropy converge, they imagine alternative economies for faith communities, academia, and nonprofits, while also marking the unshakable encounter with grief and crisis. Authors linger in the space between what was and what will be to ask: what do we leave behind, what do we bring with us, and what possibilities exist where crisis and care converge? Their words and wisdom kindle philanthropic imagination in this moment of transition and change."

With the 2020-2021 fiscal year drawing to a close at the end of May, Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary is celebrating a number of noteworthy fundraising milestones.

At Truett Seminary, students are equipped for service in and alongside Christ’s Church. As they dive into classes on Tertullian, Hebrew, and contextual witness, they also must learn how to translate and communicate their seminary lessons colloquially to further the Kingdom.

The Faith & Sports Institute collaborated with Christianity Today's Creative Studio team to explore the intersection of faith, sports, and mental health and to consider how Christians can develop a culture of care for the whole athlete.

Join the Truett Church Network as they meet with Dr. Jenny Howell to discuss Truett Seminary's Theology, Ecology, and Food Justice Program and how it relates to the task of training ministers to serve the church.

Derrick Jones will be one of the first graduates of Truett in Houston, receiving his Master of Arts in Christian Ministry degree in May 2021.

Alyssa Carter will be one of the first graduates of Truett in Houston, receiving her Master of Arts in Christian Ministry degree in August 2021.

Mahcoe Mikel will be one of the first graduates of Truett in Houston, receiving his Master of Arts in Christian Ministry degree in May 2021.

Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary is pleased to announce the hiring of Arbra L. Bailey (M.Div. ’12) as Director of the Seminary’s Houston campus.

In Fall 2021, Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary will begin to offer courses leading to the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree at both the Seminary’s Houston and San Antonio (pending approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges) locations.

Writing for the Christian Scholars Review, FSI postdoctoral scholar Brian Gamel looks at Jesus’s words about “greatness” in the gospel of Mark and considers what they mean for Christian athletes and coaches today.

Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary has announced the forthcoming appointment of Angela H. Reed, Ph.D., as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs following the transition of W. Dennis Tucker, Jr., Ph.D. from the role on August 1, 2021.

Denisha Akpan joined the Truett Seminary staff on January 4 as Coordinator of Recruitment. She is a 2019 graduate of Truett and worked with the Seminary’s Student Recruitment Team. In this brief Q&A, Denisha shares a little about herself and what she is looking forward to about working at Truett.

In this letter to Friends of Truett, Dean Todd D. Still offers an update on the Seminary's Give Light campaign progress and invites supporters to consider how they might come alongside Truett in reaching the fundraising goal.

Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary is delighted to announce the appointments of Rev. Dr. Ralph Douglas West, Sr., and Rev. Dr. Charlie E. Dates as Affiliate Faculty Members of the Seminary.

Dean Todd D. Still offered the Spring 2021 Convocation Address for George W. Truett Theological Seminary on January 19, 2021.

Established in 1991 with classes starting in 1994, George W. Truett Theological Seminary is one of the 12 schools and colleges of Baylor University. As an orthodox, evangelical seminary within the historic Baptist tradition, Truett equips God-called women and men for gospel ministry in concert with the Church through both rigorous academic instruction and intentional spiritual formation. But what does it mean for Truett to be a seminary embedded into a larger university, and not just any university, but Baylor University?