Daniel Akin

By Vivian P.

A new leader, Daniel Akin, will be recommended as president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. If he is elected, he will win Paige Patterson current president and become the sixth president of SBTS in Texas his native state.

Daniel Akin, 46, is vice president for academic administration and dean of the School of Theology at Southern in Louisville, Ky. He was professor of theology, dean of students and vice president for student services at Southeastern from 1992 to 1996.

A special meeting is scheduled for Jan. 15 for the presentation of the recommendation

"Dr. Akin is a man with great vision, keen insight and spiritual understanding," said Timothy D. Lewis, chairman of the search committee as well as the head of Southeastern's board of trustees. "His enthusiasm is contagious and genuine. We do not feel any other man in Southern Baptist life could better follow [former President] Dr. [Paige] Patterson than Dr. Daniel Akin."

"I am profoundly happy to know that under the leadership of the Lord our presidential search committee is recommending Dr. Danny Akin to our full board of trustees as the next president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary," Neal said. "Dr. Akin's gifts and experience make him uniquely qualified to serve as our president. Not only is he an inspirational and visionary leader, he is an outstanding theologian, educator and preacher.

In 1996, Akin was known as one of the emerging Christian leaders under the age of 40. He is a member of several organizations, including the Southern Baptist historical Society, the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, and the Evangelical Theological Society. He was New Testament editor of The Believers Study Bible by Thomas Nelson Publishers and he has written the volume on the epistles of John for the New American Commentary series.

Akin holds a bachelor's degree from Criswell College, a master of divinity degree from Southwestern, and a doctor of philosophy from the University of Texas at Arlington. He has been a pastor in Florida, Alabama and Virginia.

Akin and his wife, Charlotte, have been married for 25 years and have four children: twins Daniel and Jonathan, 22; Paul, 20; and Timothy, 18.

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