Robert H. Culpepper was Professor of Theology. The service begins with organ music (00:00-02:10). Culpepper delivers the Scripture reading from 1 John, and he gives a word of prayer (02:11-04:06). The choir sings a song of worship (04:07-07:00). Culpepper delivers his testimony on the gifts he has found in his relationship with Jesus Christ, and these gifts are grace, purpose, fellowship, revelation, and hope (07:01-29:54). Culpepper ends the service with a benediction (29:55-30:15).
Archie Lee Nations was Professor of New Testament Interpretation. The service begins with a Scripture reading and a word of prayer (00:00-0:56). The choir sings a hymn (00:57-03:50). Nations delivers the Old Testament lesson from Psalm 72:1-4 and the New Testament lesson from Matthew 5:9 (03:51-05:37). Nations preaches on the theme of shalom in scripture, and he recognizes that current world conflicts and theological rigidness are an affront to the peace of God (05:38-27:03). The service ends with a word of prayer (27:03-27:11).
William Randall Lolley was the 3rd president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. The service begins with organ music (00:00-01:56). Morris Ashcroft, Dean of the Faculty, delivers an announcement about the death of visiting professor Bishop Stephen Neill and a Southeastern student, and he gives a word of prayer (01:57-03:42). President Randall Lolley announces the beginning of the 34th academic year, and he recognizes the new students (03:43-06:10). A speaker delivers the Scripture readings from Matthew 27:45-56 and Luke 23:55-24:11 (06:11-10:25). Thomas R. Mckibbens Jr. is inducted into the faculty (10:26-13:07). Ashcraft presents the Award for Faculty Excellence to Thomas H. Graves (13:08-17:25). Lee Beaver, a member of the Board of Trustees, presents an aid fund for Southeastern (17:26-20:51). Lolley and his wife are presented awards of appreciation for 10 years of faithful service to Southeastern (20:52-26:03). For his convocation address, Lolley delivers a critique on the resolution on the ordination and role of women in ministry delivered at the 1984 Southern Baptist Convention in Kansas City, MO, and he speaks about the importance of women in the church using various characters and passages from Scriptures and stories of women in recent church history (26:04-47:05). The service ends with a word of prayer (47:06-48:05).
Alan P. Neely was Professor of Missions. The service begins with a word of prayer (0:00:00-0:03:22). Two speakers deliver the Scripture readings from Isaiah 42:1-6 and 2 Corinthians 5:14-6:1 (0:03:23-0:06:48). President Randall Lolley welcomes all guests, he shares about the importance of commencement, and he gives a word of gratitude to two retiring faculty members, Elmo Scoggins and James Blackmore (0:06:49-0:13:37). Lolley invites friends and family members to stand when the graduates receive their diploma (0:13:38-0:14:24). The Associate of Divinity degrees are conferred (0:14:25-0:21:15). The Master of Religious Education degrees are conferred (0:21:16-0:23:20). The Master of Divinity degrees are conferred (0:23:21-0:41:33). The Doctor of Ministry degrees are conferred (0:41:34-0:46:11). C. Michael Hawn and John Steely are introduced as the worship leaders, and Alan P. Neely is introduced as the commencement speaker (0:46:12-0:46:52). Hawn and Steely play “Amazing Grace” on acoustic guitars (0:46:52-0:49:52). Neely delivers a sermon on 2 Corinthians 5:14-6:1, and he gives a charge to the graduates to preach the gospel at any opportunity for the purpose of reconciliation (0:49:53-1:13:46). Lolley leads in a round of applause for the graduates, and the service ends with a word of prayer (1:13:47-1:14:51).
The guest speaker for the SEBTS Convocation on Women in Ministry was Letty M. Russell who was Professor of the Practice of Theology at Yale Divinity School (00:00-03:41). The title of Russell’s convocation speech is “Woman in Ministry: Problem or Possibility,” and she states that her attention will be focused on what has been called the “Strasbourg Shift” (03:42-12:05). Russell believes that men in the church view the creation order as a pyramid of domination with men above women in the hierarchy, and this domination has been masked by the label of maintaining orthodoxy even though both sexes have been called into one ministry and one baptism (12:06-19:51). She examines the abuse of the hierarchical structure of Reformed ecclesiology, and she offers other paradigms that celebrates diversity, humility, and inclusiveness and creates order through a synergetic spectrum (19:52-28:48). Russell states that ministry should be defined through servanthood, specifically the humble posture of Christ as the servant and liberator (28:49-37:56). Russell concludes her convocation speech by speaking on the pinnacle complex, and she says, “we must let Pharaoh go and embrace the rainbow” (37:57-47:15).
Thomas Forman Hewitt was Professor of Christian Ethics. The service begins with organ music (00:00-03:33). The speaker delivers the opening Scripture reading, and she gives a word of prayer (03:34-04:25). Another speaker delivers the Scripture reading from Philippians 3:8-14, and he gives a word of prayer for those who suffered from the storms in eastern North Carolina (04:26-10:04). The choir sings the anthem (10:05-12:57). Hewitt shares his testimony on coming to have a relationship with Jesus, and he speaks about the reoccurring themes of Christ’s acceptance, reconciliation, and unity with those who he has invited to himself (12:58-30:05). Hewitt ends the service with a benediction (30:06-30:26).
John I. Durham was Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament. The service begins with organ music (0:00:00-0:05:05). The speaker gives a word of prayer (0:05:06-0:06:17). The Old Testament lesson is read from Ezekiel 34, and the New Testament lesson is read from John 10 (0:06:18-0:11:00). President Randall Lolley welcomes everyone to the December commencement service, and he invites a graduating student on stage for a special address (0:11:01-0:11:46). The graduating student, Debra Collins, presents a check for an endowment fund to help international students (0:11:47-0:13:31). C. Michael Hawn sings a song of worship (0:13:32-0:16:25). Durham delivers the commencement address from the Old and New Testament lessons of Ezekiel 34 and John 10, and he urges the graduates to be good shepherd amid the temptation to follow and adapt to the patterns of bad shepherds who hold influence and powerful positions in the world (0:16:26-0:35:55). Lolley recognizes the friends and family of the graduates (0:35:56-0:36:33). The Associate of Divinity degrees are conferred (0:36:34-0:38:21). One Master of Religious Education degree is conferred (0:38:22-0:39:40). The Master of Divinity degrees are conferred (0:39:41-0:52:30). The Master of Theology degrees are conferred (0:52:31-0:54:33). The Doctor of Ministry degrees are conferred (0:54:34-0:57:00). Lolley leads the audience in the Litany of Mission (0:57:01-1:00:45). The service ends with a word of prayer (1:00:46-1:01:23).
Ronald Callahan Hill was the Fletcher Visiting Professor of Missions. The service begins with organ music (00:00-05:55). The speaker reads a Psalm, and he gives a word of prayer (05:56-08:13). Ronald Callahan Hill is introduced as the chapel speaker (08:14-11:22). The choir sings the anthem (11:23-15:14). Hill preaches from Colossians 1:1-14, and he speaks about the growing Christian movement in the former mission field of the global south (15:15-34:08). Hill ends the service with a word of prayer (34:09-35:04).
Richard Albert Spencer was Professor of New Testament and Assistant to the Dean for Academic Services. The service begins with organ music (00:00-07:06). Spencer delivers a Scripture reading from John 4, and he gives a word of prayer (07:07-08:30). The choir sings the anthem (08:31-12:07). Spencer reads from Mark 8:27-35, and he gives a personal testimony of the victory and priority that Christ has in his life (12:08-27:58). Spencer ends the service with a word of prayer (27:59-28:16).