On Credible Credentials

A Southern Baptist educator once described the takeover of the SBC as "the revenge of the 'C' students." Ethics Daily has posted an illustration of that educator's lament. Johnny Hunt, the new president of the Southern Baptist Convention has padded his resume with "doctorates" from diploma mills.

It is a familiar story among Fundamentalist Baptists. Former SBC President, Jim Henry, pads his resume with honorary doctorates in "Humane Letters" and "Sacred Laws and Letters." Former SBC Vice Presidents Junior Hill, who nominated one of the losing candidates for SBC President this year, and Bob Pittman also pad their resumes with dubious credentials. All them come from the same diploma mill that credentialed Johnny Hunt -- Covington Theological Seminary.

Fundamentalists crave recognition and authority. They are the Rodney Dangerfields of the religious world. They never get enough respect. And, they never seem to have all the authority they need to influence secular politics.

Fundamentalists want credentials but they don't want to expend the effort required to earn them. Paul's injunction to "study to show yourself approved" (2 Timothy 2:15) doesn't apply to them. They are convinced that all they need is faith to believe that the Bible is inerrant.

There's a reason why these diploma mill "doctors" are pastors and not educators -- accredited institutions won't recognize their credentials. Gullible lay people and a lot of journalists, however, don't know the difference between an earned degree and a mail order degree.

Rather than chide these men for their lack of integrity myself, perhaps it would better to quote from one of their own legitimately credentialed educators. Dr. Danny Akin, President of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, wrote an essay for Baptist Press about "Integrity in Ministry" around the time of the Steven Flockhart padded resume scandal mentioned by Robert Parham (incidentally, Flockhart was a staff member under Johnny Hunt before having difficulties over his resume). Here's what Akin had to say:

1) Guard your integrity by always being completely honest. Do not pad your resume or reputation with false or inflated accomplishments. The Bible says God hates a proud look and lying tongue (Proverbs 6:17). Be a truth-teller in every area of your life, both in the big things and the little things.

I don't agree with a lot of Akin's theology, but on this point he is right on the mark.