Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

==Administration and organizational structure==
In 1938, Southern was among the first group of seminaries and divinity schools accredited by the [[Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ats.edu/MemberSchools/Pages/SchoolDetail.aspx?ID=197 |title=ATS Member Information Page |publisher=Ats.edu |access-date=April 7, 2011}}</ref> Thirty years later, in 1968, Southern was one of the first seminaries to be accredited by its regional accrediting body, [[Southern Association of Colleges and Schools]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sacscoc.org/dtails.asp?instid%3D65520 |title=Commission on Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Institutional Details|access-date=June 2, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051018075432/http://www.sacscoc.org/dtails.asp?instid=65520 |archive-date=October 18, 2005 }}</ref>

Throughout its history, Southern has been an innovator in theological education, establishing one of the first Ph.D. programs in religion (1892), the first department of Christian missions (1902), the first curriculum in religious education (1925), and the first accredited, seminary-based social work program (1984).

In 1953, President McCall and the trustees reorganized the institution along the lines of a small university. The curriculum was distributed among three graduate-professional schools—Theology, headed by Dean Penrose St. Amant; Religious Education, led by Dean Gaines S. Dobbins; and Church Music, under Dean Forrest Heeren.

In 1984, Anne Davis became founding dean of the Carver School of Church Social Work, which launched the first seminary-based Master of Social Work program to be accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (1987). The school was disbanded in 1997 by a subsequent seminary administration.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.acenet.edu/Content/NavigationMenu/ProgramsServices/OWHE/cora_ann_davis.htm |title=ACE &#124; Cora Ann Davis |publisher=Acenet.edu |access-date=April 7, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100306172821/http://www.acenet.edu/Content/NavigationMenu/ProgramsServices/OWHE/cora_ann_davis.htm |archive-date=March 6, 2010 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> It decided that secular social work was inappropriate for a seminary, and replaced the program with a school for training evangelists, missionaries and church-growth specialists.

In 1968, Southern helped establish [[Kentuckiana Metroversity]], a local consortium of two seminaries, two state universities, a community college and two private colleges. They offer a joint library catalog, cross-registration of any student in any member institution, and faculty and cultural exchanges. In 1970, Southern helped create the Theological Education Association of Mid-America (TEAM-A), one of the United States' first seminary "clusters," a consortium of five schools related to the [[Presbyterianism|Presbyterian]], [[Wesleyan Church|Wesleyan Methodist]], [[Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)|Disciples of Christ]], [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] and Baptist traditions. They provide inter-institutional team teaching, cross-registration among students, and a joint library catalog.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eteama.org/ |title=Team – A |publisher=Eteama.org |access-date=April 7, 2011}}</ref>

The seminary is governed by a board of trustees<ref>{{cite web|title=Annual of the 2009 Southern Baptist Convention|url=http://www.sbcec.net/bor/2009/2009SBCAnnual.pdf |page=383}}</ref> nominated and elected by the SBC. It receives almost one-third of its $31&nbsp;million annual budget from the SBC Cooperative Program, the unified financial support system that distributes gifts from the congregations to the agencies and institutions of the denomination. In fiscal year 2007–08, Southern received $9.5&nbsp;million through the Cooperative Program. Its endowments and invested reserves totaled $78&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite web|title=Annual of the 2009 Southern Baptist Convention|url=http://www.sbcec.net/bor/2009/2009SBCAnnual.pdf |pages=329–331}}</ref>
[[File:The Chapel, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky (85749).jpg|thumb|The Chapel]]
[[File:Billy Graham bw photo, April 11, 1966.jpg|thumb|The Billy Graham School was launched in 1994, with Graham himself present at Southern's campus <ref>{{Cite web|title=R. Albert Mohler Jr. {{!}} 25 Years of Service – The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary|url=https://www.sbts.edu/mohler25/|access-date=2020-06-23|website=SBTS|language=en-US}}</ref>]]
Southern is currently organized into three schools:
* The School of Theology
* The Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism, and Ministry
* [[Boyce College]]<ref name="sbts.edu">{{cite web|url=http://www.sbts.edu/about/|title=About|work=The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary}}</ref>