The College at Southwestern began in 2005. (The seminary itself began in 1905.) It only offers two degrees- Bachelor of Arts in Humanities and a Bachelor of Arts in Music. There are four concentrations in the BA in Humanities including history of ideas, education, homemaking, and music. There are three concentration in BA of Music- worship, performance, and composition.
There are several names that continue to be brought up in this "controversial" program. Dr. Paige Patterson, Dr. Dorothy Patterson, and Dr. Terri Stovall. Dr. Paige Patterson is the President of SWBTS and former president of the Southern Baptist Convention. He has been known to be center of other controversies in the past. I only had a couple of run ins with him while on campus. He is nice guy, and I think he means well. He is just one of those men that says what he believes and makes no apologies for it. His wife, Dr. Dorothy Patterson, I never really knew while in school. However, my seminary roommate did get to know here since she was int he women's ministry concentration.
Dr. Stovall is now the Dean of Women's Programs, but when I was at SWBTS she was a professor in the School of Education. I did have her in class and my roommate had her for several classes. I came to admire and respect her. She was fair. She was open with her students. And to be honest, she had this coolness to her as well. How many other professors claimed to be roller coaster fanatics, drive a red Corvette, or a Harley? From what I understand she has been seen on both Fox News and The Today Show.
First, I would like to point out this is one concentration. Not every woman who enrolls at The College at Southwestern has to choose the homemaking concentration. It is just an option.
Secondly, lots of colleges offer home economic classes or degrees. Mississippi College offered a degree in General Family and Consumer Sciences when I was there. I feel pretty confident that other schools have similar programs. (Apparently this program was modeled after one in California.)
Lastly (and I could go on, but will refrain), I trust Dr. Stovall. This isn't a degree that degrades women. Neither she or the rest of the staff believe women are incapable of learning. She does believe that a woman's first priority should be her home and family, which she says in the Fox article. Women who choose this concentration are still going to take theology courses, education courses, Greek, Latin...it isn't some Mrs. Degree.
I don't think we should be asking whether or not a seminary/college should offer such a concentration. I think the better question is why is a seminary having to do this. Why are they having to teach the biblical roles of the family? Why are they having to go to college to learn to cook and sew? Why aren't they learning some of this in the home. I think that schools and universities are having to pick up the slack for what is not being taught in the home.
I know it seems odd for a single woman to be commenting on such things. That's okay with me. A lot of the critiques are saying that a concentration like this one is telling women they have no value. That there only role is to be Suzy Homemaker and Mommy. What is wrong with that? That is a very hard and noble job. It is one that the world doesn't value any more, but no price can be placed on it. I know many women who feel that this is their calling, and they are doing incredible jobs being a helpmate to their husband and raising godly children. It is a job that someday I hope to have.
I am not endorsing any of these articles. I just thought it would be nice to provide additional information:
Southwestern's Press Release
Baptist Press
Fox News
The Today Show
