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Mohler receives Criswell College award
June 22, 2007
By David Roach
SAN ANTONIO—R. Albert Mohler Jr. is a leader who is “engaging the culture with the truth claims of the Christian Gospel,” Criswell College President Jerry Johnson said as he presented Mohler with the W.A. Criswell Award for Public Service June 12 during the Criswell College luncheon at the SBC annual meeting in San Antonio.
“I don’t know anyone who has educated more ministers to go out there and be salt and light to make a difference for Christ and for culture,” Johnson said of Mohler, who serves as president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Established last year, the award is presented annually to a layman or minister who is active in promoting Christianity through public service. The inaugural award went to former U.S. Senator Jesse Helms.
Along with the award, Criswell College presented Mohler with a copy of the Criswell Study Bible autographed by W.A. Criswell and a pair of cufflinks Criswell received when he was elected president of the SBC in 1969.
“As you receive this award and have these cufflinks, we know that one president of the Southern Baptist Convention possessed and wore these cufflinks,” Johnson said. “And I am believing another president of the Southern Baptist Convention will wear these cufflinks. And who knows? That might be a year from now.”
Mohler said receiving an award bearing W.A. Criswell’s name was an honor because of Criswell’s contributions in Southern Baptist life.
“We know that as we stand here in the year 2007, Southern Baptists would not be who we are now but for Dr. W.A. Criswell,” Mohler said. “And there is a special sense of historical significance to me because Dr. W.A. Criswell is a two-time graduate of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.”
Criswell also had personal significance for Mohler, he said.
“I’m thankful for his encouragement and affirmation he gave even in some of the closing months of his life,” Mohler said.
He added, “Receiving this from the institution that bears his name is such a precious and wonderful thing to me because of who you are. You know from whence you came, and you know that under the leadership of Dr. Jerry Johnson this institution is not going to waver from its roots. It’s an honor to receive this.”
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