Seminary is an important formation experience for those called to vocational ministry, and in many traditions a seminary degree (often a M.Div.) is a requirement for ordination.
For many years, I was proud to tell the story of my experience at Logsdon Seminary at Hardin-Simmons University, and was glad to let others know I was a graduate (M.Diiv., 2001).
Sadly, with the University’s decisions to move in a very different direction theologically, I’m now at a place where I’m forced to say goodbye to Hardin-Simmons University. Saying goodbye has happened in stages primarily because I was in disbelief that the agenda would be advanced as quickly or as comprehensively as it has been to date.
I don’t have a copy of the official playbook, but know much of what’s been made public about its first two big steps.
Step 1: Eliminate the Seminary
When I first heard that HSU was moving ahead with a plan to close Logsdon, I doubted its validity. I could not believe that a Baptist institution of higher education that placed such a high value on educating ministers would simply cease work so foundational to its mission and purpose.
The more I read, the more certain I was that the closure was going to happen. My next struggle was around the reasoning for the sudden need to discontinue theological education. And, even more alarmingly, was the lack of committed attempts at fundraising to ensure long-term financial viability if finances had become problematic. Notably, the stated reason that the decision was purely financial was quickly debunked by a number of credible sources.
During the initial month this news was circulating, I wrote three posts about it
- My Seminary is Closing (February 8, 2020) – my reaction to news that at the February 7, 2020 meeting, the Board of Trustees approved “The Way Forward,” which would restructure the University’s academic programs and eliminate Logsdon
- My Seminary is Closing – The Bigger Picture (February 15, 2020) – my consideration of new data that emerged in the week following the news, especially news highlighting that the decision was likely for theological rather than financial reasons
- Dear HSU Trustees (February 26, 2020) – a letter that was originally sent to the Trustees and published for additional visibility, exploring Logsdon’s positive impact on me as a person and as a pastor
The onset of a global pandemic just a month after the announcement and the associated challenges of operating a University during that time overshadowed these changes for awhile. Now and again, I did read news of another step on the journey to closure from official University propaganda as well as from faculty, staff, and students as they departed for other opportunities.
Step 2: Implement a New Statement of Faith
My deep disappointment in the closure of Logsdon coupled with my awareness of how incomplete at best and untrue at worst the official HSU reasoning was, led me to disengage. As time passed, I paid less and less attention.
On June 2, 2022 the news of HSU’s adoption of a new Statement of Faith compelled me to get involved once again. Within hours, I had written a post. Within days, I had explored the significant of the news, and raised the important questions that HSU leadership has not yet answered.
- Mourning the Loss of Logsdon, Direction of HSU (June 2, 2022) – my reaction to the news that at the May 19, 2022 meeting, the Board of Trustees approved a new “Statement of Faith,” and that this was not shared with the HSU community until May 31 – also an exploration of the content of the document
- Ten Reasons for Concern About HSU’s Statement of Faith (June 3, 2022) – a deeper dive into why the document is problematic relying heavily on the insight of Rev. Dr. Robert Sellers – a member of the Logsdon faculty for nearly 20 years
- Ten Unanswered Questions About HSU’s Statement of Faith (June 4, 2022) – a collection of important questions that remain unanswered by HSU – questions that would have been answered during the document’s drafting if the appropriate parties had been involved in that process and if the administration had been transparent about its progress
So What?
I find myself with only one choice: saying goodbye to Hardin-Simmons University.
In 2020, HSU informed me I needed to say goodbye to my seminary when they announced the closure of Logsdon.
In 2022, HSU clearly communicated that its future will look nothing like the HSU I knew and loved during my time as a student. HSU’s bold decision to adopt the new Statement of Faith and inform faculty, staff, students and others of this document forced me to say goodbye to the University as a whole as the only meaningful way I could recognize that the University I once knew no longer exists.