36 Notable alumni of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Updated: June 14, 2026 EliteDegrees
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary is ranked #4,509 in the world and #1,176 in United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 36 notable alumni from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff. Many individuals affiliated with Southern Baptist Theological Seminary won Nobel Prizes for Peace, in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economics.
1. John Hall Buchanan, Jr
1928-2018 (aged 90)
politician
John Hall Buchanan Jr. was an American military veteran, clergyman, and politician who served as a Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1965 to 1981, representing Alabama's 6th congressional district.
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2. James W. Kelly
1913-1989 (aged 76)
military officer
Christian minister
James Woodrow Kelly was a rear admiral in the United States Navy. He was Chief of Chaplains of the United States Navy from July 1965 to July 1970. He is an alumnus of Ouachita Baptist University and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
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3. James Washington Watts
1960-. (aged 66)
professor
James Washington Watts is an American professor of religion at Syracuse University. His research focuses on the rhetoric of Leviticus. His publications also compare the Bible with other religious scriptures, especially in their ritual performances, social functions, and material symbolism.
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4. Charles C. Baldwin
1947-. (aged 79)
military officer
Charles Cread Baldwin is a former Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force.
5. Robert Don Hughes
1949-2023 (aged 74)
science fiction writer
novelist
Dr. Robert Don Hughes was an American educator, writer, and pastor. He authored mainstream fantasy and science fiction and evangelical non-fiction.
6. James H. DeVotie
1813-1891 (aged 78)
James Harvey DeVotie was a Baptist minister in the American South. Born in Oneida County, New York, he was a pastor in South Carolina, Alabama and Georgia. He was a co-founder of Howard College in Marion, Alabama, later known as Samford University near Birmingham. He was a long-time trustee of Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. He served as a Confederate...
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7. J. William Jones
1836-1909 (aged 73)
military chaplain
author
historian
J. William Jones was an American Southern Baptist preacher and writer who became known for his evangelism and devotion to the Lost Cause of the Confederacy. During the American Civil War of 1861–1865, the newly ordained Jones was a Confederate chaplain and conducted many revival meetings. Later, he became a campus minister at several universities and in his final years,...
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8. Charles Van Zant
1943-. (aged 83)
architect
politician
Charles E. Van Zant is an American architect and Southern Baptist minister who served as a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives. From 2012 to 2016, Van Zant represented the 19th District, which includes Bradford County, Putnam County, Union County, and southern Clay County. Van Zant previously represented the 21st District from 2008 to 2012.
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9. Benjamin Ladner
1941-. (aged 85)
academic administrator
university teacher
Benjamin Mance Ladner is an academic expert in the fields of philosophy and religion. He was president of American University from 1994 to 2005, when he was ousted.
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10. Edgar Young Mullins
1860-1928 (aged 68)
theologian
Edgar Young Mullins was a Southern 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.
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11. Douglas L. Carver
1951-. (aged 75)
Douglas Lanier Carver is a retired American Army officer who served as the 22nd Chief of Chaplains of the United States Army. He was appointed to this assignment on 12 July 2007, and was the first Southern Baptist chaplain to be promoted to the position of Chief of Chaplains in more than 50 years.
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12. A. C. Dixon
1854-1925 (aged 71)
theologian
Amzi Clarence Dixon was a Baptist pastor, Bible expositor, and evangelist who was popular during the late 19th and the early 20th centuries. With R.A. Torrey, he edited an influential series of essays, published as The Fundamentals (1910–15), which gave Christian fundamentalism its name.
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13. Steve Amerson
1954-. (aged 72)
singer
Stephen "Steve" Amerson is a singer, songwriter, and recording artist with 18 albums.
14. Judy Baker
1960-. (aged 66)
consultant
politician
Judith W. Baker is an American Democratic politician, small business owner, and educator from Missouri. She is a former member of the Missouri House of Representatives and a former Region VII Director for the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Baker was a candidate for Missouri State Treasurer in the 2016 election, but was defeated in the general...
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15. Ron Lewis
1946-. (aged 80)
Christian minister
academic
politician
Ronald Edward Lewis is an American retired politician who was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1994 to 2009, having represented the 2nd congressional district of Kentucky.
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16. Dan Crary
1939-. (aged 87)
musician
Dan Crary was born September 29, 1939, in Kansas City, Kansas, and is an American bluegrass guitarist. He helped re-establish flatpicked guitar as a prominent soloing bluegrass instrument. Crary is an innovator of the flatpicking style of guitar playing. He is also a Speech communications Professor at California State University, Fullerton. Crary categorizes himself as a "solo flatpicker" and has...
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17. David O. Dykes
1953-2025 (aged 72)
religious figure
David O. Dykes was an American Baptist minister who was Pastor Emeritus and onetime Senior Pastor of Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas. He was also the author of several Christian books. Under his leadership Green Acres became "one of the leading churches in America," according to president of the SBC Executive Committee Morris Chapman.
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18. Miguel A. De La Torre
1958-. (aged 68)
theologian
Miguel A. De La Torre is a professor of Social Ethics and Latino Studies at Iliff School of Theology, author, and an ordained Southern Baptist minister.
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19. Archibald Thomas Robertson
1863-1934 (aged 71)
biblical scholar
university teacher
preacher
theologian
Archibald Thomas Robertson was a Southern Baptist preacher and biblical scholar whose work focused on the New Testament and Koine Greek.
20. Bryant Wright
1952-. (aged 74)
pastor
Bryant Wright is a Baptist pastor and author. He served as senior pastor of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, Georgia from its founding in 1981 until 2019. He also served as elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) from June 2010 to June 2012. He succeeded Johnny Hunt, who had served two one-year terms. Wright was succeeded as...
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21. J. Frank Norris
1877-1952 (aged 75)
priest
publisher
journalist
John Franklyn Norris, more commonly known as J. Frank Norris was a Baptist preacher and controversial Christian fundamentalist.
22. Albert Mohler
1959-. (aged 67)
writer
chancellor
preacher
theologian
Richard Albert Mohler Jr. is an American evangelical theologian, the ninth president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and host of the podcast The Briefing, where he gives a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.
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23. Mark Dever
1960-. (aged 66)
missionary
pastor
writer
preacher
theologian
Mark E. Dever is a theologian and the senior pastor of the Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., and president emeritus of 9Marks (formerly known as the Center for Church Reform), a Christian ministry he co-founded "in an effort to build biblically faithful churches in America." Dever also taught for the faculty of Divinity at the University of Cambridge...
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24. Russell D. Moore
1971-. (aged 55)
theologian
Russell D. Moore is an American theologian, ethicist, and preacher. In June 2021, he became the director of the Public Theology Project at Christianity Today, and on August 4, 2022, was announced as the magazine's incoming Editor-in-Chief. On September 24, 2025, Moore announced his resignation as Editor-in-Chief and his transition to the role of Editor-at-Large and Columnist.
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25. Flame
1981-. (aged 45)
actor
rapper
music executive
Marcus Tyrone Gray, known as Flame (often stylized in all caps), is a Lutheran Christian hip hop rapper from the United States. He is with Clear Sight Music and has released nine albums. Flame has been nominated for several Dove and Stellar Awards. The Our World: Redeemed album was nominated for a Grammy Award.
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26. David P. Gushee
1962-. (aged 64)
historian
ethicist
David P. Gushee is a Christian ethicist, Baptist pastor, author, professor, and public intellectual. Growing up, Gushee attended and completed his college years at College of William and Mary in 1984. After college, he received his Ph.D. in Christian ethics from Union Theological Seminary in 1993. Among the titles listed, Gushee has shown hard work and dedication in different parts...
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27. Jeff Struecker
1969-. (aged 57)
writer
novelist
Jeffery Dean Struecker is an American author, pastor, and former United States Army Ranger who was involved in the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993. He also participated in the 1989 invasion of Panama (Operation Just Cause) and in Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm. Struecker has co-authored five published books. Struecker was portrayed by Brian Van Holt in the 2001 film...
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28. Steve Goss
1949-2015 (aged 66)
politician
Benjamin Stephenson Goss was an American politician. He served two terms (January 2007 – December 2010) as a Democratic member of the North Carolina Senate. He represented the 45th Senate district, including constituents in Alexander, Ashe, Watauga, and Wilkes counties. He was defeated for re-election in 2010 by Republican Dan Soucek.
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29. Joseph Shore
1948-. (aged 78)
opera singer
Joseph Shore was an American operatic Baritone and voice teacher. He has excelled particularly in the operas of Giuseppe Verdi.
30. Gregory Alan Thornbury
1970-. (aged 56)
Gregory Alan Thornbury was formerly president of The King's College in New York City from 2013 to 2017, and chancellor from 2017 to 2018. Before his tenure at King's College, he was professor of philosophy, dean of the School of Theology and Missions, and vice president for spiritual life at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. He was also formerly vice...
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31. Steven Furtick
1980-. (aged 46)
songwriter
pastor
Larry Stevens Furtick Jr., known professionally as Steven Furtick, is an American pastor, author, singer, and composer of Elevation Worship. He is the founder and general overseer of Elevation Church, based in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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32. Douglas Hahn
Douglas Hahn is an American prelate who served as the seventh Episcopal Bishop of Lexington. He was elected on August 18, 2012, and consecrated on December 15, 2012, in Lexington, Kentucky. He served until March 9, 2016, when he was suspended for one year for lying during the bishop interview process about past adultery with a parishioner. In October of...
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33. Wallie Amos Criswell
1909-2002 (aged 93)
pastor
Wallie Amos Criswell Jr., was an American Baptist pastor, author, and a two-term elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention from 1968 to 1970. As senior pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas for five decades, he became widely known for expository biblical preaching at a popular level, and is regarded as a key figure in the late 1970s...
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34. Dondi E. Costin
1964-. (aged 62)
military leader
Dondi Enos Costin is an American Baptist minister and former major general in the United States Air Force. He has been serving as the 6th president of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, since July 2023.
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35. Ed Stetzer
1966-. (aged 60)
writer
editor
Edward John Stetzer is an American author, pastor, and Christian missiologist. He is Dean and Professor of Leadership and Christian Ministry at Talbot School of Theology at Biola University. Previously, he served as the Billy Graham Distinguished Chair for Church, Mission, and Evangelism at Wheaton College. He also serves as Distinguished Visiting Scholar at Wycliffe Hall at Oxford University. Stetzer...
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36. Zulu Sofola
1935-1995 (aged 60)
writer
playwright
director
university teacher
Nwazuluwa Onuekwuke "Zulu" Sofola Listen was the first published female Nigerian playwright and dramatist. Sofola was also a university teacher and became the first female Professor of Theater Arts in Africa.
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