David Flick

              From Whence Cometh the “Bad Professor” Stories?

“Bad professor” stories in Baptist institutions of higher learning have been around for a very long time. Some may be true. Most, however, are not. That Professor Crawford Toy was a “bad professor” at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary may be true. However, that Professor Ralph Elliott was a “bad professor” at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is, in my humble opinion, a myth blown out of proportion. I wasn’t around when Professor Toy was dismissed from Southern, but I was just entering the ministry when Ralph Elliott was being hanged on the gallows.

I have Elliott’s two books, The Message of Genesis and The “Genesis Controversy” and Continuity in Southern Baptist Chaos: A Eulogy for a Great Tradition. My impression of the commentary is that Professor Elliott is one of the finest Southern Baptist scholars I have read. He probably forgot more about the book of Genesis than his accusers ever learned. Those who used “bad professor” stories to destroy his ministry among Southern Baptists will one day, if they have not already done so, face God Almighty and answer for their shameful deeds against this fine Baptist professor.

Where do the bad professor stories originate? I believe they come from three sources. They come from: 1) arrogant and powerful denominational leaders, 2) arrogant and powerful pastors, and 3) arrogant and ignorant students. Most bad professor stories come from people who believe they know and understand the Bible far better than the professors whom they demonize.

ARROGANT AND POWERFUL DENOMINATIONAL LEADERS: Paul Pressler was one of the primary leaders to demonize Professor Elliott. His “Report to the Second Baptist Deacons” (2nd Baptist in Houston) was a pitifully ignorant criticism of Professor Elliott's book. I am amazed by how Pressler, an arrogant layman, could possibly believe he knew more about the Bible, particularly about the book of Genesis, than a highly trained theological professor. How could Pressler possibly know more about the Bible than Professor Elliott, having never attended a theological school himself? But that’s how it was. Ignorance is bliss with the arrogant fundamentalists among Southern Baptists.

When Professor Elliott’s book first appeared, it was hailed as being a fine work. Dr. Millard Burquist, then president of Midwestern Seminary, wrote the following letter to William J. Fallis, Editor of the Broadman Press:

  I am pleased to learn that Broadman Press is in the process of publishing the manuscript of Dr. Ralph H. Elliott on the message of Genesis. I feel sure that many will agree with the statement from your office that this is one of the finest pieces of biblical scholarship produced by Southern Baptists since the days of Dr. A. T. Robinson and Dr. H. E. Dana.
    Here is to be found an honest, courageous, sincere endeavor to determine and present the meaning and message of this tremendously significant portion of Scripture. Dr. Elliott gives to Genesis an interpretation that reveals its message as highly relevant to the age in which we live. It is the work of a brilliant young scholar, who is also a devout and dedicated Christian. No one can read this book without feeling keenly the deep sense of holy reverence with which the author approaches his task and deals with his materials.
The author's knowledge and grasp of what has been written in this field is amazing. His ability to employ the tools of Hebrew linguistics, archaeology, and social history is strikingly impressive. He has rendered Southern Baptists and other Christian groups a genuine service in this scholarly yet profound spiritual treatment. Letter dated: 24 April 1961

Pressler was not the only arrogant and powerful denominational leader to get into the act of demonizing Elliott. Before the controversy had completed its cycle, scores of denominational leaders were calling Professor Elliott a heretic and were demanding he be fired. They demanded the editor of the Broadman Press to cease from publishing the book. And demands were met, all because of the bad professor stories which had spread throughout the SBC.

ARROGANT AND POWERFUL PASTORS: The two best known arrogant and powerful pastors to tell bad professor stories were K. Owen White, pastor of the FBC in Houston, and W. A. Criswell, pastor of the FBC in Dallas. On October 26, 1961, White sent an article, entitled, “Death in the Pot,” based on 2 Kings 4:40, to all the state papers, to the seminary presidents, to the Sunday School Board, and to many other leaders. Criswell began a campaign of telling bad professor stories, during which he called them “skunks” and “infidels.”

When arrogant and powerful pastors tell such stories, they are believed by millions of unsuspecting Baptists who really don’t know the truth. Thus the false stories are believed down to the local church level.

ARROGANT AND IGNORANT STUDENTS: It is beyond my ability to comprehend how any college or seminary student can claim to know more about the Bible and theology than a professor. But they are out there. I have attended four Baptist colleges and seminaries. I have observed arrogant and ignorant students in each of them. While it’s true that such students are small in number, they can certainly raise a lot of hell by telling a few bad professor stories.

While I was a student at Oklahoma Baptist University in the 1960’s, a couple of students told "bad professor" stories, giving hell to Professor James Timberlake for his position on eschatology. Professor Timberlake, who was the brother of W. B. Timberlake, one of the men on the committee that gave us the 1963 Baptist Faith and Message, was an amillennialist. In the early 1960s, dispensationalism was a major test of fellowship for pastors and professors in Oklahoma. Dispensational premillennialism was the rage in Oklahoma, especially for those who worshipped and believed the notes in the Scofield Reference Bible. For two years I watched these students display their ignorance in class by arguing with Professor Timberlake and stirring up resentment against him in the hearts of many Oklahoma pastors.

To this day, it amazes me that know-it-all students believe they are wiser and know more about the Bible than their professors. In the early 1980’s, it became popular for to arrogant ignorant students to carry tape recorders to class. Many professors were attacked by these students as being “bad professors.” In some cases, professors placed bans tape recorders in class in order to prevent students from mischaracterizing them.

Perhaps Jerry Johnson is the most infamous arrogant ignorant student to come across the scene. He attacked SBTS president, Dr. Roy Honeycutt, declaring that "one would have to be as blind as a mole to not see that Dr. Honeycutt just does not believe the Bible." He raised such a ruckus over the issue that he became a poster boy for the fundamentalists. He was lauded by the fundamentalists as being a bright young star in Southern Baptist circles.

Bad professor stories have been around a long time. Virtually every story I have ever heard has come from an arrogant, know-it-all fundamentalist who perceives himself to be wiser and smarter than the professors. Perhaps these people want to impress their peers. Perhaps they want to impress the powerful denominational leaders. Perhaps they want to have a hand in controlling what is taught in the schools. Perhaps in their delusions they think they are smarter than everybody else on the block. Who knows? One thing is for certain. As long as there are fundamentalists, there will be “bad professor" stories.

 (This article was written for  BaptistLife.Com Discussion Forums)