Albert Mohler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Al Mohler
|
|
|---|---|
Mohler in 2006
|
|
| 9th President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary | |
| Assumed office March 26, 1993 |
|
| Vice President | Paul Akin |
| Preceded by | Roy Honeycutt |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Richard Albert Mohler Jr.
October 19, 1959 Lakeland, Florida, U.S. |
| Spouse | Mary Kahler |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Florida Atlantic University Samford University (BA) Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (MDiv, PhD) |
Richard Albert Mohler Jr. (born October 19, 1959), often called Al Mohler, is an American evangelical Christian leader and writer. He is the ninth president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.
Mohler also hosts a daily podcast called The Briefing. In the podcast, he discusses current news and events from a Christian point of view.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Al Mohler was born in Lakeland, Florida, on October 19, 1959. As a young man, he attended Southside Baptist Church.
For college, Mohler first went to Florida Atlantic University. He later earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. He then went on to earn two more advanced degrees, a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Career and Leadership
Work in Media and Writing
Besides being president of the seminary, Mohler has been active in media. He used to host a radio show called The Albert Mohler Program. Now, he creates two popular podcasts. One is The Briefing, where he talks about daily news. The other is Thinking in Public, where he interviews different people.
Mohler has also worked as an editor for Christian magazines and newsletters. He was part of the team that advised on the 2001 English Standard Version (ESV) of the Bible. He writes a blog on his own website where his podcasts are also available.
President of the Seminary
In 1993, Mohler became the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS). He had worked at the seminary since 1983, starting as an assistant to the former president, Roy Honeycutt, while he was still a student.
As president, Mohler brought major changes to the seminary. He believed the school had become too liberal in its teachings. He worked to return the seminary to more traditional and conservative Baptist beliefs. This change is often called the "Conservative Resurgence" at the seminary.
Response to Church Problems
In 2018 and 2019, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) faced serious problems regarding misconduct by some church leaders. Mohler called the situation a "horrifying #MeToo moment" for the SBC. He said that for too long, people had been silent about these issues.
After news reports revealed many cases of abuse, Mohler called for outside groups to investigate the problems. He publicly apologized for having supported a leader who was accused of covering up misconduct. Some people praised him for speaking out, while others questioned why he waited to do so.
Theological Beliefs
Mohler is known for his conservative Christian beliefs. He is a Calvinist, which means he believes that salvation is a gift from God that people cannot earn on their own.
Views on Other Religions
Mohler is an exclusivist. This means he believes that faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to be saved. He has spoken about his disagreements with the teachings of other religions, including Judaism, Islam, and Catholicism.
He believes that any belief system that keeps people from becoming Christians is a problem. For example, after the September 11, 2001 attacks, he said that Islamic views of Jesus are incorrect and harmful to a person's soul.
Mohler believes it is important for Christians to share their faith with others. In an interview with Time magazine, he said that Christians should want to share the gospel with people all over the world, including in countries like Iraq.
Views on Science and Culture
Mohler is a young earth creationist. This is the belief that God created the Earth in six literal days, a few thousand years ago.
He has also spoken about cultural topics. For example, he has argued that the practice of yoga is a spiritual discipline that comes from Eastern religions. He believes its ideas conflict with Christian teachings.
Public Appearances
Mohler has appeared on many television and radio programs to discuss his views.
- He appeared on Donahue in 2002 to talk about sharing Christianity with Jewish people.
- He was on NPR's Fresh Air in 2003 to discuss Christian aid work in Iraq.
- He debated retired bishop John Shelby Spong on the TV show Faith Under Fire in 2004 about the truth of the Bible.
- He appeared on CNN in 2013 to discuss comments made by a star of the show Duck Dynasty.
Recognition
Mohler is seen as an important figure in American evangelical Christianity. In 2003, Time magazine called him the "reigning intellectual of the evangelical movement in the U.S."
In 2023, he received the Boniface Award from the Association of Classical Christian Schools. The award is given to a public figure who has stood up for Christian beliefs.
See also
In Spanish: Albert Mohler para niños
- Religion and spirituality podcast
