Edgar Young Mullins
Encyclopedia
Edgar Young Mullins was a Baptist minister and educator, who from 1899 until his death was the fourth president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
, the flagship school of the Southern Baptist Convention
.
caused him to pursue a career in foreign missions. He entered the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
, graduating in 1885 as one of the top students in his class. He married Isla May Hawley, whom he met at Walnut Street Baptist Church in Louisville
. They were parents of two sons, both of whom died in early childhood.
The Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board
, short on funds, turned down his application to become a missionary to Brazil. Years later, Mullins would become Associate Secretary of the Foreign Mission Board. Mullins also served in pastoral ministry in Baltimore, Maryland, where his experiences in the inner city gave him a sensibility to social issues that lasted a lifetime.
Following his time in Baltimore
, Mullins settled into pastoral work in New England, far from his alma mater, which was embroiled in a bitter theological controversy with its third president, William Heth Whitsitt. When Southern Seminary sent an agent to his doorstep in Newton Centre, Massachusetts
, to offer him its presidency, Mullins expressed initial shock at the thought of stepping into that difficult post. The unanimous call of the trustees persuaded him, however, and he assumed the presidency in 1899.
Toward the end of his seminary presidency, Mullins led in the relocation of the 1877-era campus from downtown Louisville to a spacious suburban tract known as “the Beeches” in the hills east of the city. In 1926 a handsome academic and residential complex was completed in classical Georgian architecture
, with a distinctive clock tower in his honor atop the main administrative building, Norton Hall. The main housing complex on the new campus was named Mullins Hall also in honor of his leadership.
In addition to serving as president, Mullins taught theology at the seminary. Out of his classroom experiences a pivotal textbook, The Christian Religion in Its Doctrinal Expression, was published in 1917, in addition to nine other books -- notably, The Axioms of Religion, Why is Christianity True?, and Christianity at the Crossroads.
Through his books, sermons and denominational articles, Mullins became one of the most influential Baptists of the twentieth century. His influence extended to all spheres of Southern Baptist life. From 1921 to 1924 Mullins served as the elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention
as it wrestled with significant issues including the teaching of evolution. Mullins helped prevent a split in the denomination through the development of a consensus doctrinal statement called The Baptist Faith and Message, adopted in 1925, which has been updated several times as the convention has turned steadily more conservative in recent years.
Shortly before his death from a paralyzing stroke, Mullins was named president of the Baptist World Alliance
, in recognition of his important role in international Baptist life.
43 boxes of his correspondence and notebooks are held at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
.
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary , located in Louisville, Kentucky, is the oldest of the six seminaries affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention . The seminary was founded in 1859, at Greenville, South Carolina. After being closed during the Civil War, it moved in 1877 to Louisville...
, the flagship school of the Southern Baptist Convention
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...
.
Biography
Mullins entered Texas A&M College at 16, and after graduation studied to become a lawyer, but a dramatic religious experience under the preaching of Major William Evander PennWilliam Evander Penn
Major William Evander Penn was a Texas Baptist evangelist and well known minister who preached widely in America and Europe. His visit of castles in Europe inspired him to build a castle of his own in 1888 where he and his wife Marilla lived for several years. "Penn castle" still stands in...
caused him to pursue a career in foreign missions. He entered the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary , located in Louisville, Kentucky, is the oldest of the six seminaries affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention . The seminary was founded in 1859, at Greenville, South Carolina. After being closed during the Civil War, it moved in 1877 to Louisville...
, graduating in 1885 as one of the top students in his class. He married Isla May Hawley, whom he met at Walnut Street Baptist Church in Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. They were parents of two sons, both of whom died in early childhood.
The Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board
International Mission Board
The International Mission Board is a missionary sending agency affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention which operates in virtually every nation except the United States and Canada...
, short on funds, turned down his application to become a missionary to Brazil. Years later, Mullins would become Associate Secretary of the Foreign Mission Board. Mullins also served in pastoral ministry in Baltimore, Maryland, where his experiences in the inner city gave him a sensibility to social issues that lasted a lifetime.
Following his time in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Mullins settled into pastoral work in New England, far from his alma mater, which was embroiled in a bitter theological controversy with its third president, William Heth Whitsitt. When Southern Seminary sent an agent to his doorstep in Newton Centre, Massachusetts
Newton Centre, Massachusetts
Newton Centre is a borough of Newton, Massachusetts. The main commercial center of Newton Centre is a triangular area surrounding the intersections of Beacon Street, Centre Street and Langley Road. It is the largest downtown area among all the villages of Newton, and serves as a large upscale...
, to offer him its presidency, Mullins expressed initial shock at the thought of stepping into that difficult post. The unanimous call of the trustees persuaded him, however, and he assumed the presidency in 1899.
Toward the end of his seminary presidency, Mullins led in the relocation of the 1877-era campus from downtown Louisville to a spacious suburban tract known as “the Beeches” in the hills east of the city. In 1926 a handsome academic and residential complex was completed in classical Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
, with a distinctive clock tower in his honor atop the main administrative building, Norton Hall. The main housing complex on the new campus was named Mullins Hall also in honor of his leadership.
In addition to serving as president, Mullins taught theology at the seminary. Out of his classroom experiences a pivotal textbook, The Christian Religion in Its Doctrinal Expression, was published in 1917, in addition to nine other books -- notably, The Axioms of Religion, Why is Christianity True?, and Christianity at the Crossroads.
Through his books, sermons and denominational articles, Mullins became one of the most influential Baptists of the twentieth century. His influence extended to all spheres of Southern Baptist life. From 1921 to 1924 Mullins served as the elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...
as it wrestled with significant issues including the teaching of evolution. Mullins helped prevent a split in the denomination through the development of a consensus doctrinal statement called The Baptist Faith and Message, adopted in 1925, which has been updated several times as the convention has turned steadily more conservative in recent years.
Shortly before his death from a paralyzing stroke, Mullins was named president of the Baptist World Alliance
Baptist World Alliance
The Baptist World Alliance is a worldwide alliance of Baptist churches and organizations, formed in 1905 at Exeter Hall in London during the first Baptist World Congress.-History:...
, in recognition of his important role in international Baptist life.
43 boxes of his correspondence and notebooks are held at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary , located in Louisville, Kentucky, is the oldest of the six seminaries affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention . The seminary was founded in 1859, at Greenville, South Carolina. After being closed during the Civil War, it moved in 1877 to Louisville...
.
Works
- Why Is Christianity True?, 1905
- The Axioms of Religion, 1908
- Baptist Beliefs, 1912
- Freedom and Authority in Religion, 1913
- Commentary on Ephesians and Colossians, 1913
- The Life in Christ, 1917
- The Christian Religion in Its Doctrinal Expression, 1917
- Talks on Soul Winning, 1920
- Spiritualism, A Delusion, 1920
- Christianity at the Crossroads, 1924