Scholarship Established in Honor of Southern Baptist Leader Morris Chapman
In recognition of Morris H. Chapman’s impactful legacy, the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, has introduced a scholarship named after the former Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) president, who recently passed away at 84.
The Morris H. and Jodi Francis Chapman Scholarship was unveiled by the seminary on Wednesday. The Board of Trustees has sanctioned an allocation of $20,000 from its quasi-endowment fund to establish this scholarship.
“The Southwestern community is thankful for the opportunity to establish the Morris H. and Jodi Francis Chapman Scholarship, recognizing the Chapmans’ contribution to the life of the Southern Baptist Convention,” expressed SWBTS President David S. Dockery.
“We continue to pray for Jodi and the family during this time of loss while giving thanks to God for the hope of the Gospel,” he added.
The scholarship aims to assist students who intend to serve the SBC, particularly those participating in the SBC Annual Meeting course at SWBTS.
Chapman, who was a significant Southern Baptist pastor, held the presidency of the denomination for two terms during the 1990s and served as the head of the SBC Executive Committee for 18 years. He passed away on Monday.
Chapman had deep connections with Southwestern, having earned both a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Ministry from the seminary, and frequently delivered sermons at its chapel services.
Three years before his death, during a chapel service at SWBTS, Chapman shared, “Our one objective is to lead others to know Jesus as we know Him.”
He recalled his initial doubts about preaching, stating, “I told God early on I cannot preach. You know what God did? He said, ‘Well, son, we’ll just look at that.’ He said, ‘I think I will call you to preach.'” He continued, “I trusted Him maybe 99%, but I was not sure. But He is faithful. […] I am a living example of how God can take the common and do with it the uncommon.”
Chapman played a pivotal role in the SBC Conservative Resurgence, a movement that led to the removal of theological modernists from leadership roles within the denomination.
In 1990, he was the last theologically conservative SBC presidential nominee to face a moderate contender. By the following year, he ran without opposition.
Dr. Richard Land, former SBC Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission President, reflected on Chapman’s legacy in a conversation with The Christian Post, saying, “Morris was a man of courage and conviction” and also strove to be a “reconciler.”
“He and his wife, Jodi, were tremendous assets for Southern Baptists,” noted Land, who is currently the executive editor at CP.
This article was originally written by www.christianpost.com
