Al Mohler: A Spirited Q & A with Students in 1993

so we made again our conversation dialogues with the president and students have become a part of the heritage at the seminary if eleven and a half years can make something in heritage but I've met I believe on average about twice a semester with you and the purpose today is not to meet with me but to allow me the privilege of presenting the president-elect molars on campus visiting with the number of individuals we had a faculty staff dinner on T s DS met with the executive staff and others and in that context it seemed to be appropriate and wise to have an opportunity when he could meet with those of you in the student body and while this is not by no means the same as a one-on-one conversation it's about as close as we can get with science student body that we have and so he's here today for purpose of having conversation with you about his own parents as president-elect he'll have more to say about that in just a few minutes so you should feel free to respond to him with questions as you do to me I think the question that would focus on the period of transition and some areas will be areas more specifically related to Trustees some will be perhaps more related to me as president and I will be president through July 31 and so he may defer some things on that basis but feel free to raise those questions and he will feel them in any appropriate way as he may choose dr. mold is a native of Florida born in Lakeland Florida grew up there at a fairly early age having moved to Fort Lauderdale he is an honored graduate of Sanford University came to us for his MD of degree for his PhD degree in theology while here as a graduate student he worked in the Development Office and worked for about four years as assistant to the president it was in that context that I came to best as we traveled to different parts of the country and worked locally and fundraising geared to a number of emphases the primary emphasis was on the Campus Center you're very active in the solicitation of funds one of the endowed chairs and so out of that context I came to know and appreciate him a great deal his wife Mary is with us and I'd like to ask her if you would understand Mary that would not recognize you meet you also I believe you'll find em dr. merliss I'm on who is intellectually well prepared for the position someone who's had experience on the staff of Southern Seminary already an individual who loves institution deeply and frankly who probably knows as much or more about the history of this seminary as any person I know extremely well versed in those areas we delighted to have you as president-elect and on August 1 will be delighted to have you as president that when she completes thank you very much I'm so pleased to be here and this is to be a forum and dialogue so I want to reserve time for that and I really do not have any extended comments to make other than how honored I am to be here as president-elect and to have the opportunity to spend some time with you I want you to know how open I am to talk with you any of you all of you the the forums like this offer one opportunity dr. Honeycutt originated this upon his election as president and it is a worthy forum and it is something I intend to continue and so in the years ahead I want to follow this example and continue this format I think it's appropriate and an institution this size it is difficult to have one-on-one conversations and impossible to do that in a way that we would otherwise want to do and this will give us an opportunity for at least the start of a dialogue and conversation between the president and students I appreciate the fact that you're here the calling that has brought you here and look forward to working with you and among you and again without any further elaboration other than to say I've appreciated the contacts from your president the Student Government Association Ruth Davis and others and just look forward to hearing from you and I will now be very glad to answer any questions you may have somehow I knew there would be one [Music] since I'm going to be here for several years working on this degree and eventually my PhD I'm interested in knowing what will happen to or what will the options be for those professors and faculty members who do not conform to your interpretation of the abstract principles just in terms of some background the abstract of principles is the confessional document of this institution it is in fact a contractual document every elected member of the faculty every elected member of the faculty has affixed her name or his name to that document going all the way back to the founders in 1859 as a part of my election as president in the search process all of the finalists were asked to submit to the search committee and then to the Board of Trustees an interpretation very brief interpretation of the abstract insofar as I did that I sought to recapitulate my heart in the meaning of that in the words of that abstract I believe the abstract of principles is the finest Baptist confession of faith it is the bedrock of this institution when basil Manley senior who was our first chairman of the board of trustees of this institution wrote to James Pettigrew boy says he was anticipating the founding of this school he told Boyce there must be a confession you must say what you believe and what you will teach and it is within the abstract of principles that we find both the commitments and the freedom of this institution all of us who are assigned responsibility and submit ourselves to the abstract agree to teach in accordance with and not contrary to that document now when you say my interpretation of the abstract when it comes down to knowing what the abstract means I believe it must be understood in its original meaning insofar as that can be determined the abstract is a very straightforward document it was written very carefully based upon the second London confession in the Philadelphia confession and later recensions that came in to Southern Baptist life directly it was written so that it would be straightforward and without great ambiguity and so in terms of my interpretation of the abstract I want to interpret it just as it was intended by its authors the committee who who pulled it together and when it comes right down to it the president's responsibility is to interpret the document and to do so as forthrightly as possible as honestly and fairly as possible and take whatever actions and recommendations are appropriate given that document its history and its function as a contractual document of this institution I'm not sure that answered your question but just in terms of policy and process that's what I intend to follow yes sir my name is David Kim Whaley and I'm a first semester MBA student and you are coming here East is applauded and because they're conservative but it's also mixed feelings that you are young and the most of the professors order and by extrapolation wiser how do you intend to handle that discrepancy I intend to age I do understand and appreciate your question I am Who I am I didn't decide when I would be born but I trust God's providence in deciding when I'd be born and also his calling and bringing me here now age is not a factor to me and maybe to others it's something that it's just a part of who I am I think you know just looking at at the age issue there are any number of issues in terms of the possibility of length of service and other issues that factored into the kind of process that brought me here but again I just have to trust God in terms of bringing me to life and bringing me here and without any policies for my age as the clock ticks it changes dr. Mohler my name's Monty Carter I'm a student from Lexington Kentucky in light of the way the Board of Trustees handled your hiring from Atlanta Georgia many students have expressed concern over the trustees interest in their viewpoints and opinions concerning our seminary given that this is the Board of Trustees that hired you what will be your administration's views towards student input and opinion beyond forums such as this I'm not sure how I will answer all that question be glad to have a second follow-up question if I don't answer all the us the trustees have their own sphere of operation their own responsibilities as hold the stewardship of this institution and trust they made the decision to hold the special called meeting in Atlanta and they did so in the integrity of their own operations that was their decision to make it has been the precedent that southern presidents have been elected and called meetings frankly in order for the trustees to do what they need to do in terms of the kind of interaction question consideration I can't imagine it could be done otherwise in terms of the location again it has not been unprecedented that Southern's presidents have been elected in places other than Louisville and I can tell you from the perspective of the candidate who was elected the geography meant nothing in terms of a lack of connection with this institution nor with this sacred piece of real estate that was the reason why every effort was made to come here immediately thereafter with the logistics in Atlanta being much easier for the assemblage of the trustees it reflects in no way I can say from my own perspective and from my understanding of what they intended any distance from the institution it's certainly from my perspective means absolutely no distance from those who are here on this campus that's the reason why I'm here now that's the reason why this forum is one indication of my desire to be open and responsive to you and you may have other suggestions for how that can be extended and insofar as I have the time and opportunity I want to do that I want you to know that I'm accessible and open and just given the constraints of time and opportunity and calendar and schedule I'll do everything possible to be open and available dr. Mowat my name is Dave wolven agle I'm originally from Iowa I'm now from Florida I'm curious to and in broad brushstrokes what your vision is for the seminary well it will be in very broad brushstrokes because I want to be very careful this is April this is not August and Southern Seminary has one president at a time is very well served by dr. Roy Honeycutt and he is president and so in terms of specifics I will leave that to him but in terms of the broad brushstrokes of a vision for the future I want a Southern Seminary that is the faithful continuation of the grandeur and the heritage of its past a Southern Seminary that maintains its stated commitments theologically educationally academically denominationally I want a Southern Seminary that is not just a part of the Southern Baptist Convention but leads the Southern Baptist Convention on a Southern Baptist Theological Seminary that trains God called ministers in effective and faithful ways for ministry in churches and I want us to keep those missions before us there are so many other issues I would want to talk about that I will just say for a latter time I want a Southern Seminary for instance that will lead the denomination in bringing persons from different ethnic backgrounds into the leadership of the denomination and its churches and those are issues I think that can be accomplished through the stewardship of this institution I want us to do what we say we do I want us to fulfill the mission we've been charged by this denomination and to do so with a level of excellence and effectiveness that only Southern Seminary perhaps is capable of achieving dr. Mohler my name is Debbie Hall and I'm happy to hear that you are open are you open to the ordination of women I guess you mean open in what sense do you believe in it I believe it happens that's I understand what you mean I as I said on Friday night I have struggled with this issue for some time and I find it impossible for me to square the ordination of women to the pastoral ministry that is to do the role of pastor with what I see in the New Testament and what I must do in submitting to those passages scripture and I would extend that to certain positions of teaching authority within the church again as reflected I believe in critical passages in the New Testament on Friday night after my election i late 'add recapitulated there in that context what I told the trustees throughout the process this institution deserves to know where the president stands on the issue president has a responsibility to articulate that position that's number one and I will continue to do that and I'll be glad to do so on the basis of exegesis and the rest in the appropriate forum secondly you deserve to know where this denomination is and is likely to be on this issue it is not honest and this has been reflected in other statements made here in this institution it is not honest for this institution to suggest that a large number of churches in the Southern Baptist Convention are calling women as pastors and that's just a matter of this institution being honest with its students thirdly we do not have a statement on the ordination of women or the service of women in the church in the abstract of principles which is the contractual document there for faculty members do not commit a theological offense by measure with the abstract of principles which is that contractual document by articulating a position either for or against the ordination of women or the service of women in pastoral roles fourthly we do not call ministers we train them so students here will come on the basis of their own calling they will of either gender have full access to all degree programs of the seminary and so it is not functioning an issue that is to be used by the institution in order to make some kind of statement it will be done in accordance with the institution's stated principles and again I owe you my honesty on that position I'll continue to articulate that position on campus and off I owe you my honest assessment of where this denomination is on the issue and what should expect in terms of the kinds of ministers that churches are calling and where that is to continue and quite frankly I think that is a long-term issue in the Southern Baptist Convention and based on the same kind of of conviction that I articulate in terms of my own position but thirdly and fourthly it is not an actionable issue for elected faculty members who otherwise teach in accordance with and not contrary to the abstracted principles and fourthly again I'll state this repeatedly we do not call ministers we do not elect ministers we train ministers and we will leave it at that so you believe women can be trained as ministers yes thank you I believe in women in ministry it's a question of what kind of ministry and again that is a local church decision they decide it is also a denominational decision to some extent in terms of the patterns of conviction but it is not our decision here and frankly I know very few persons who don't believe in women in ministry I've never met a pastor who didn't believe that women function ministerially that isn't a servant role but now I'm serious about that when you use the phrase women in ministry must be very careful what you're talking about that's different from women in the pastor oh I see women in ministry can a woman be a senior pastor then I thought I've answered to that already in terms of I don't decide who's going to become a senior pastor theologically exegetically I cannot square women serving as senior ministers or pastors with the New Testament documents but again I don't call ministers thank you now when I say women in ministry I mean literally what I mean involved in ministry but not necessarily in all pastoral are all ministerial offices yes sir my name is Greg Pope and I'm from Atlanta Georgia I thought I understood you to say in your vision for the seminary it would be that the seminary would lead the convention you just said that says most Southern Baptist churches don't want women his path and we should teach that that sounds like the convention leadership is leading us and determining what we want [Applause] [Music] and I'll also add that your view of a New Testament is a selected view of Scripture there is there is an instance at Pentecost fulfilled from from Joel that sons and daughters will prophesy and I'm sure that you're familiar meaning preaching that it from Galatians that in Christ there is no male or female and I would like to hear how you deal with those New Testament passages well in the appropriate forum I'll be glad to deal with that I find them imminently possible to deal with profitably from my position I want to go back to what you said earlier in terms of Southern Seminary leading the denomination I mean that Southern Seminary needs to take a leadership posture in this denomination as the kind of greatness this institution was born to it's the kind of role that has continued it is the kind of role it must continue into the future and project into the future I don't trust institutions that set themselves up to be prophetic that is something that is recognized from without we owe to this denomination our fidelity to what we say we teach on the basis of which we receive both their trust their students and their financial support we also owe to this denomination the fact that we will serve it and its churches primarily that we will train ministers for its churches as our central goal and that means we will be responsive to them I don't know my name is Kathy Anderson and I'm a third year m.div student I want to make it personal not you as a person what you believe but you as the president of an institution that I've come here to trust I came here under God's leadership and the advice of mentors who told me that Southern was an institution that I could trust to affirm women in ministry I'm a woman in the ministry and if I believe God's calling me to the pastor it can I count on you as the president of this institution to support me same as you would a man who God has called to the pastoring well I guess that's the legitimate question but I'm not sure what you mean by support you as president and when I came here it was at the understanding that southern not only tolerated women in ministry but affirms and trains and teaches and supports women while we're here and after we leave here if you are the president of this eminent seminary and you've committed yourself to continuing those traditions that have been established will you continue that one again I don't want to be evasive but I'm not sure I can answer that question in the sense you're asking it if I want to support our students who are here insofar as they are here as in the answer to God's calling for training and ministry in the churches in terms of supporting an individual call to the pastoral ministry that is something you should not look to a seminary president for support again I don't call ministers either but you know I've stated my position exegetically on this and I you I owe you my honesty and my candor I would certainly support you as a person and again I'm not sure what students would look to in a seminary president for support and maybe they help me understand why and if you know me come to know me as a person and come to know Monti my brother as a person and a church calls and says we're looking for a pastor and doesn't matter to us if it's a male or female would you be willing to recommend a female I have been here before in the I have been asked this question even regarding my own daughter four years old what would I do if she came to me and told me she was called to the pastoral ministry katie has been to big church one time and it is hard for me to imagine I would owe her what I would owe you and that is my honesty on the position looking at Scripture and having struggled with this issue where I must be I would want to support her as one whom I love I would want to support her as one for whom I would wish the very best but I would want to support her also in line with my own convictions and I'm not sure exactly how the calculus of all that works out to be honest but I would owe her my fidelity my love my support and my honesty now in terms of note here at a Theological Seminary frankly you have issues of placement that arise I assume that may be something you're asking about here and that is something that we must handle with great care and to tell you the truth I am not sure exactly how it is appropriate for a Theological Seminary to respond to that that that's something that needs to be taken into firm consideration again we serve the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention we serve them in spirit and substance and in truth how to do that most effectively will be our commitment I appreciate your honesty I just want to encourage you to understand that God has called me and this institution has promised to support me and I hope that you will continue that I appreciate your candor and your directness and I would say the main way that we support students is by training them well and offering them the highest quality of education that we can offer and enabling students into opening students into all the degree programs of this seminary and that's basically where this institution stands just I'm not sure who's next question the first is more of a concern I'm a second-year m.div student who heard God's call to Pastor even from Macon Georgia and when I hear you saying that you don't affirm women in positions of leadership I'm concerned not only for women but also it gets to be a personhood issue and I think that that my brothers and sisters of different ethnic groups need to be concerned because it is an inclusivity issue and even though I hear you saying that you want to put different ethnic groups in positions of leadership if you don't believe in the personhood of women how do you expect to lead them and how do you expect to lead people of different ethnic groups and that is a concern you've already answered that what your beliefs are my second question is I really would like to know about your involvement in dodeca and which is a secret fraternity on campus and if you are intending to continue to allow that secret fraternity on what is supposed to be a Christian campus [Applause] [Music] let me make those answers discrete to the first I would not admit in any sense that I would not affirm the full personhood of women how can you say that and say that God doesn't value women and and give them the abilities to serve just as he does anybody else well because I am concerned because you're attacking my personhood too in that and they're women here you've given up everything to come and concert God and we don't need anything else from a denomination that has wounded and hurt us but especially from an institution which is which has not affirmed us in a lot of ways but by God we're called to I hear you I appreciate very much your candor your honesty the directness with which you've spoken from the depth of your heart again I think as president what I owe is the honesty of my own convictions on this issue and the openness to engage any student any Southern Baptist anyone anywhere on that issue and to respect those who argue from different positions and I want you to know I do respect those who argue from different positions I do not think that the issue of ordination and calling to the pastoral ministry is the same thing as a personhood issue I certainly hear you arguing that from a different perspective again if I read the New Testament clearly and carefully as I have as I have tried from from the depth of my heart I believe it does affirm the full personhood of women and the Galatians passage that was mentioned in terms of salvation spiritual callings gifts in terms of of the giftedness of women it is just as as appropriate and strong as those of men the issue of offices within the church though I believe is a different issue and I don't believe there's a contradiction or a conflict within the New Testament and again I want to engage in the the most appropriate responsible way those of other positions and again this institution will stand by its stated commitments and again when I speak on this issue I intend to recapitulate all four points that I feel are essential for me to make and I want to be heard on all four points that television media may stop the cameras after 0.1 but I'm going to keep talking now the second question you asked was about dodeca which is a a social group that was started here to the best of my knowledge in the 19-teens among graduate students of 12 couples and has continued I don't know an unbroken line that has continued at least through the 80s in some form I was a member was asked to be a member was basically a dinner society had no conflict with it at that time frankly I would not be a part of a secret society I have never told anything but a direct answer to anyone who asked me of any involvement there's nothing sinister there there is nothing nothing I can't can I put this I mean I I think some seed is the Trilateral Commission of the of the Southern Seminary it's not that way but the fact that some seed is a secret society leaves it open to that frankly I I am not comfortable with secrecy as chairman of the 1992 Southern Baptist Convention Committee on resolutions I was inundated with material on masonry which was then a tiny little issue on the horizon since then I have file drawers committed to it and theological II I had to look at that issue and how it was appropriate for the denomination to respond we issued a resolution on this and I do not believe there's any role for secret societies in the Christian communion I think that that is is basically a violation of the kind of openness that Christians oh one another and I feel responsible to say that I do not know if the organ if you know a group continues to meet like that I think the fellowship aspect is very positive and I think there should be any number of student groups meeting for fellowship and activity this is a critical time where frankly the kind of social interactions and fellowships that a group that commits to spend time with each other that is very profitable but it should not be a divisive issue on a Christian campus and it should not operate in in secrecy that's the best best way I know to answer it thank you yes I'm David all right I'm a second year student here in Div I could have chosen that Mike but I wanted to come down here and get kind of close to you because you're probably going to have to be looking at me for another year I'm very opinionated young man no.1 into aim was David go ahead I'm gonna write it down really I'll give you my box number two if you need it I wanted to make a brief statement and then ask you a question our Lord teaches us that we must attempt reconciliation with one another before we can experience wholesome worship that's why I must speak with you today as a man of commitment and courage I need to to come before you and seek this as an emotional man I'm hurt and angry when I consider the direction that your presidency can potentially take this institution as a thinking man I disagree with many of your positions on Scripture as an ethical man I am devoted to oppose you in whatever way God may lead me as a student of Southern Seminary I accept you as an emissary of the convention but cannot yet accept you as an ambassador of God nevertheless as your Christian brother I must say that I love you and ask that you forgive me if what I've said has hurt you my desire is that our spirits and the spirits of everyone on this campus can come together in reconciliation will you take the time and will you have the tolerance that is required to heal the battered hope and the diminishing spirits of first myself and secondly all those who are like me well in a sense I don't know all that you're saying there I'm not angry I can't read it I don't risk no I heard the words I don't know all this behind it III don't respond in anger nor in hurt I hear what you say I am committed to reconciliation again I'm not sure all that is behind that I I will pledge this I'm open I'm not sure what you mean by tolerant tolerant of what but I am certainly open to here open to respond I think you'll find I will respond and perhaps even now to anything you want to ask me but I think in an appropriate way I think response maybe is not enough for me I think initiative on your part might be what I need I've taken some initiative what initiative will you take well I hope appropriate initiatives and at this point with specificity I'm not sure how to respond I am NOT one to wait in terms of a leadership style I any any initiative towards reconciliation that I see I can take I want to take but again that's the circumstance that comes in time as events unfold thanks yes my name is Duane Merritt and it sounds to me what you're saying about the women and ministry issue and concern ordination that you're creating at least two levels of ordination and I was wondering where you were getting that and secondly if the convention is to lead and help us make decisions as far as they're not going to be ordaining women out there so maybe we should recognize that and you're going to tell people that well then what would your stance be there would be an awful lot of churches out there that would never ordain an african-american what are you going to tell them well first I don't see there is the same issue I do not see ethnic and racial issues as the same as gender issues there there are no text in the New Testament to deal with in terms of ethnic and and racial issues as there are with women I find absolutely no justification for any kind of delineation distinction dichotomies ation among racial lines and I've articulated that position for some time and there are ways I believe that Southern Baptist must respond to that in a way that given our his our heritage is is perhaps our unique responsibility I want to go back to what I'm not sure there's another part of your question you asked there first was it seems to me and what you're saying about ordination of women you're grading at least two different levels of ordination well Southern Baptists do not have a good theology of ordination the ordinate the coordination question the ministry question are not Co continuous coterminous they're not the same issue necessarily certainly in the life of churches there are persons who serve in certain roles and churches who are deigned and in other churches they are not ordained frankly Southern Baptists must articulate in an appropriate forum in an appropriate way developed in line with our heritage some understanding of ordination that goes beyond where we are now the role of offices within churches varies from church to church the actual role and function identity of the diaconate varies from baptist churches in the abstract of principles you'll see the terms bishops and elders in terms of ruling elders and other elders within the church so the terminology has somewhat changed in Baptists life it's still various in church the church the role the issue is the function in the office okay I would also have to say that in light of what has been pointed out here there is obviously some scripture that would clearly show that women were active in the early church and as leaders and so therefore it seems to me that you have picked some scripture to give more credence than others and possibly if not that you're allowing a political stance to give more credence to your answer than actually scripture well I don't believe that for a minute any of us are responsible to have as comprehensive and consistent a hermeneutical method as possible in any number of issues one must do everything possible to interpret Scripture on the basis of what it intends to say what God reveals through the and that is a weighty responsibility and for any of us there are passages one must read within the totality of the biblical revelation and understand it I do not believe scripture is contradicted it does not contradict itself it is not internally conflicted but we must do everything we can to understand scriptural principles and teachings and to understand the harmony that is there within scripture the unity is perhaps a better word than harmony again this is not the form for a lengthy exegetical discussion but I would reject the notion that the position on women that are I articulated in scriptural support indeed I was driven there in in in terms of my own internal conflict on this issue the egalitarian impulse that is found within the larger society and within the church would drive one as much pot as possible to other conclusions but scripturally I cannot I came to the place where I could not square that and where a comprehensive presentation and and exegesis of the texts that deal with this issue drove me to the conclusion I articulated again I don't know who's next I think I'd like to make a correction there is there is a scripture does say something about racial problems I think the Jews and the Gentiles that's ratio so there is a reference to ratio and that's by the way of correcting your dialogue with the gentleman that was here but I'd like to say that before Southern Seminary and before SBC and before Baptists that was Christ so that you I think you would need to take time out to weigh tradition that is Baptist tradition or American tradition as opposed to Christianity itself in the form of Jesus Christ himself and I think that may help in your decisions about women and this time I like to be the first person to be on your appointment book I'd like to make an appointment with you to sit down and talk with you and share elaborately as to why I think women should be ordained and should be in the pastorate and I know this is not the place for it that's why I'd like to be the first to be in your appointment book and have one-to-one talk with you and perhaps convince you [Applause] [Music] [Applause] i I do recognise your position and I respect the fact that you've taken a stand and you're honestly talking about it but it would even excite me furthermore if you can tell me that you are open to the leading of the Holy Spirit if it should knock on your heart and lead you in other directions that you'll be open to that that would be very exciting that would tell me that you are not stagnant in your thinking and that you are open you know to further discussion on this matter and then I'd like to also say that just Jesus must be must have been very silly in fact Jesus must have been very stupid very stupid indeed to have entrusted the resurrection his resurrection to women to carry it to men and if the master himself saw it necessary to give it to a woman or women to take it to man how dare mere man God himself has ordained and when men ordained men and other women in ministry their only second in what God has already ordained so what what is it how can man mere man ordinary man mortal man evil man self or man say that but has not attained women and I can stand here and tell you that God's Spirit is in my heart he has called me and set me apart this is what I have to do he has called me he has sent me to give the good news to the poor child prisoners that they're prisoners no more telling people that they can see and said that untrodden free and being a pasta is just a medium through which I can do that let me be what I have been called to be and just as much as I want you to be what my heart is bleeding inside and I have a test right now alright I'll be talking more and more and I just welcome you and this is nothing to do personally it's not personal it's just you know how to woman to man and I think your mother has been always doing that and she was a pastor - thank you I hate to draw this conclusion and then I'd like for you to stay outside if you would like to and I appreciate dr. Mohler coming and responding to the student body of candidly and we'd like for you to stay in fellowship afterwards dr. Mohler my name is Amanda Haile and I'm a third year in Duke student and I'm pastor of a Southern Baptist Church you noted that the women in ministry issue is not in the abstract of principles and therefore it's difficult to make that a determining issue for this institution at the press conference I believe I heard you say that homosexuality and abortion would be questions asked to incoming faculty in the interview process but neither of those issues are in the abstract of principles they can only be implied in in a very derivative way as could women and ministry issue how would you delineate which criteria will be used what is not an abstract and how you feel what can be implied from it well those are two different questions you're asking there I was responding to current faculty in terms of the fact that the issue of the ordination of women is not there in and the abstract that is and it is not an actionable issue trustees and administration have the right and responsibility to ask persons who are presented for election that whom they will nominate to the trustees the administration will nominate to the trustees questions on any issue and I will tell you I fully expect for issues of this the of women in pastoral roles and issues of abortion and homosexuality to arise within that process those are two different levels of operation and to follow up on that as women in ministry does become maybe more of an issue in the interview process with hiring new faculty and at the same time there is room for women to come here and study and prepare for ministry how are those two things balanced when this situation comes out between a faculty that maybe does not support women a pastor and how would you expect women to come who feel called to the pastor and sit in those classrooms well again I would expect that what women or any student would expect of this institution is the honest articulation of positions from those who bear the teaching and the responsibility of the teaching role here I'm not sure exactly how to answer your question there again I think it depends on what students are looking for from an institution from its president and from faculty it is my impression this is an impression that a large number of faculty currently teaching here articulate a position very positive towards women serving in any ministerial role so in some sense I think there is no danger of that position not being represented here but I want to be very candid with you about where I think future hiring questions are going to come for the foreseeable future on that issue just to order five but couple times as issues come up about what students need or expecting from the institution or faculty in terms of support I think a big factor particularly with the women and ministry issue that's been brought up a lot here today is mentorship well that means in closing say what what I expect from you as students I've certainly heard something of what you expect of me what I expect from you is your openness your respect of this institution your candor your decorum as befits this institution and what you should expect of me is that I will always tell you the truth I will always respond directly to any question or any issue that comes up and we will trust each other in terms of our impulses to work and wish and pray for the best of this institution I thank you for being here with me today and look forward to further opportunities for conversation with you in the future thank you [Applause]

Channel: Eric Zhou

Views: 48,906

Rating: 4.8213592 out of 5

Keywords: Albert Mohler

Id: QQTQOnv21Z8

Length: 49min 37sec (2977 seconds)

Published: Wed Sep 13 2017