Date(s): 1950-1992
Extent: 3.5 cu.ft.
Abstract: This collection contains fourteen boxes of material related to the presidency of Lewis A Drummond at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) in Wake Forest, North Carolina. Covering the years 1988-1992, President Drummond’s papers are divided between correspondence, material related to SEBTS, and material related to the Southern Baptist Convention.
Biographical Note: Lewis A. Drummond (1926-2004) was born in Dixon Illinois. He graduated with a BA from Samford University and then enrolled at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary where he received his BD and ThM degrees. He received his PhD from Kings College, University of London. From 1973 to 1988, Drummond served as the Billy Graham Professor of Evangelism and director of the Billy Graham Center at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Drummond was also an ordained Baptist minister and served as a pastor in Alabama, Texas, and Kentucky. In 1988, Drummond was elected as the fourth president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. His presidency marked a transitional era for Southeastern as student enrollment decline and major turnover occurred within the faculty. However, Southeastern’s commitment to biblical inerrancy and to historic Baptist theological principles was made clear during Drummond’s presidency. During his short time as president, Drummond led an administrative restructuring and finalized several ne defining documents such as the Seminary’s “Faculty Profile” and revised “Statements of Purpose and Mission.” One of Drummond’s lasting achievements was the establishment of the Center for Great Commission Studies in 1991.
Scope and Contents: This collection contains paper material related to Lewis A. Drummond’s time as president of SEBTS from 1988 to 1992. Materials in this collection display the difficulties Drummond faced after the resignation of the previous president, the departure of numerous faculty members, declining student enrollment, and the possibility of the loss of accreditation. The material in this collection showcase Drummond’s efforts to confront these challenges and reestablish the Seminary’s theological and academic reputation. The Drummond administration, if marked by no other thing, was marked by the president’s continued emphasis on evangelism and missions. In addition to the establishment of the Center for Great Commission Studies, Drummond led the Seminary to adopt the motto, “Taking the Word to the World” which would serve to direct all of the Seminary’s plans, programs, and ministries under Drummond’s leadership. Resources include letters, information about the Board of Trustees, faculty memos, information dealing with controversy surrounding the Conservative Resurgence, and material detailing the relationship between other Southern Baptist Seminaries.
Arrangement: This collection is arranged into three series. The first series contains correspondence related to Drummond’s role as president of SEBTS. The second series contains materials related to the operation SEBTS, and the third series includes materials related to the Sothern Baptist Convention. This arrangement allows researchers to examine the different aspects of Drummond’s role as president on personal, institutional, and denominational levels. The folder titles reflect the original folder titles when available, indicated by a tab located in the front of the file.
Language(s): English
Conditions Governing Access: This collection is open for research.
Processing History: Arranged and described by Dustin Toone and Drew Dickerson, Assistant Archivists.
Preferred Citation: Lewis A. Drummond Presidential Records, Archives and Special Collections, Library at Southeastern, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC.
Repository: Archives and Special Collections, Library at Southeastern, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC
Resource Identifier: IRG.01.04
