Southwestern Seminary Awards Long-Overdue Degree to African-American Alumnus
Recent decision by Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary brings ultimate redemption to dark segregationist past
Eugene Florence was finally awarded his master of divinity from the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary after waiting fifty-three years to obtain it. The ceremony was conducted as a special segment during the fall commencement service at the Travis Avenue Baptist Church. Florence was only two months shy of his one hundred and first birthday.
Florence was born in February 29, 1904 at the height of segregation era in the southern United States. In this period fraught with Jim Crow laws and rampant lynching, Florence lived with a dream in becoming a great theologian. At this time, many of the top theological schools in the nation adopted tough segregation laws meant to bar non-white students from entering its doors. In 1940, The Southwestern Seminary was one of the few seminaries in the nation that offered “Negro extension centers.” In 1943, Florence took his chances by enrolling into one of the “Negro extension centers.” The course offered at the center required students to attend Tuesday and Thursday night classes for only four credit hours per semester. Where as most of his peers would graduate quickly with a diploma, Florence studied eight long years enough to fulfill the master’s degree requirement.
In a tragic case of outright racial bigotry, Florence was unrightfully denied his degree because the seminary did not allow blacks to get master's degrees. This decree was not rescinded until 1951. Undeterred, Florence took the skills he learned in seminary to become a devoted preacher – retiring after 65 years of service to ministry work. In his 65 years of work, Florence had pastored in four churches, raised a family, and worked 2 – 3 fulltime jobs. Since then, he has outlived five wives and three of his four children. Today, Florence still does what he loves, voluntarily preaching wherever he is invited.
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When asked how he felt about not being able to go to day school like ordinary seminary students, Florence surprisingly answered, “I had no thought about it. I just thought that was the way it was operated…. I just attended regularly for eight years.” (Baptist Press)
Southwestern Seminary President Paige Patterson had different thoughts about Florence’s experience. During the awards ceremony Patterson announcement:
“In 1845 when the Southern Baptist Convention was begun … our church fathers had many, many things right, but they made one tragic mistake. … Our convention took a very sad position with regard to race [that] was unbiblical, ungodly and unchristian in every way.” (Baptist Press)
Later, Patterson commented, “It is one thing to make a bad mistake; it is another thing to never come to the point where you say, 'We were wrong.' I am very grateful that the Southern Baptist Convention some years ago came to that point where we say [that] we were wrong.…to all of the watching world.” (Baptist Press)
The decision made by Southwestern Seminary is a small but significant victory -- indicating that the Christian community is not restricted by color, race, or cultural background but stands united in the gospel. Southwestern Seminary’s decision to make amends to its misguided principles from over fifty years ago is a clear indication that Christians of different ethnicity can unite as one body in Christ. Thus, ending a sad and tragic chapter in history with ultimate redemption and forgiveness.
