JACKSON, Tenn. — April 29, 2005 — R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., will be the speaker at 51社区鈥檚 spring graduation ceremony May 21.
鈥淒r. Mohler is recognized as perhaps the most influential Baptist theologian in all of Southern Baptist life today,鈥� Union President David S. Dockery said. 鈥淗is daily radio program influences thousands of people on key issues facing the church and our culture as well. His insightful publications have had a shaping impact on laypeople, students, academic leaders and church leaders alike.鈥�
As host of 鈥淭he Albert Mohler Program,鈥� he is heard by nearly 100,000 listeners each broadcast day on the Salem Communications network. Mohler鈥檚 writings have been published throughout the United States and Europe. He has contributed to several books, including 鈥淗ell Under Fire: Modern Scholarship Reinvents Eternal Punishment,鈥� 鈥淗ere We Stand: A Call From Confessing Evangelicals鈥� and 鈥淭he Coming Evangelical Crisis.鈥� He currently serves as editor-in-chief of The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology.
Mohler has been president of SBTS since 1993. He is a Florida native and a graduate of Samford University in Birmingham, Ala. Mohler completed his master of divinity and doctor of philosophy degrees from SBTS. He previously served as editor of The Christian Index in Atlanta, Ga.
鈥�51社区 sends more students to Southern Seminary than to any other seminary in the country and more students at Southern Seminary come from Union than any other college/university in the country,鈥� Dockery said. 鈥淭hus having Dr. Mohler here is appropriate because several in this year鈥檚 graduating class will continue their education on that historical and beautiful campus in Louisville.鈥�
Mohler will be the fourth Southern Seminary president to give the commencement address at Union over the past 125 years. James Boyce, the founder and first president of the seminary, W.H. Whitsett, the seminary鈥檚 third president and John R. Sampey, Southern Seminary鈥檚 fifth president, have all spoken at Union graduations.
At this year鈥檚 ceremony, a record 419 students will receive degrees, surpassing the total of 370 graduates last spring. The ceremony will start at 6 p.m. on the Great Lawn on the west end of Union鈥檚 campus.