Frank Stagg (theologian)

Frank Stagg, Ph.D., (1911-2001) was a noted Baptist theologian, seminary professor, author, and pastor over a 50-year ministry career. He taught New Testament interpretation and Greek at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary from 1945 until 1964 and at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky from 1964 until 1978. His publications, recognitions and honors earned him distinction as one of the eminent theologians of the past century. [See "Recognition and Honors" and "Library Collection" below] Stagg. [http://www.samford.edu/pubs/seasons/summer2001/stagg.html] ] When preaching or teaching, he read directly from the Greek New Testament, translating it into English as smoothly as if he were reading from an English translation. Other eminent theologians have honored him as a "Teaching Prophet."Talbert, Charles H. (ed.) "Perspectives on the New Testament: Essays in Honor of Frank Stagg." Mercer University Press, 1985. ISBN 0865541523]

Personal

Dr. Stagg was born in the small rice-farming community of Eunice, Louisiana. He married Evelyn Owen. They raised three children.

A couple endeavor

Frank and Evelyn together wrote and edited "Woman in the World of Jesus." [Stagg, Evelyn and Frank. "Woman in the World of Jesus." Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1978. [http://www.wpress.net Westminster Press] ] The book is divided into three parts:

# The world into which Jesus came
# Jesus and woman
# The early church and woman

Beliefs

Counted among the "best-known progressive activists," [Smith, Peter. "The story of Asenath Brewster." "Baptist History and Heritage," Winter, 2006] Stagg addressed a variety of contemporary issues. These included civil rights, gender equity, Vietnam, the First Gulf War, ecumenism and aging. He also argued for the Bible's relevance. "The Bible is relevant," Stagg said. "We don't have to make it relevant.". He said that the First Gulf War presented the ideal opportunity for Southern Baptists to "reassess and reject" the just war doctrine and embrace pacifism as the appropriate Christian response to all wars. [Quoted by Glenn Robins. "Gulf Wars Tweak Southern Baptist Thinking." "EthicsDaily.com," April 2, 2003. http:// http://www.ethicsdaily.com/article_detail.cfm?AID=2375] He opposed Reformed points of doctrine such as predestination and other Calvinist beliefs in Southern Baptist life. [Stagg, Frank. "A Whole Man Made Well," "The Struggle for Meaning". Judson, 1977]

Library collection

Through the years, Dr. Stagg amassed an extensive library and wealth of knowledge and scholarship in the form of correspondence, writings, articles, speeches, commentaries, book reviews, photographs, sermon notes and even private musings. "The Papers of Dr. Frank Stagg, 1938–1999" now reside at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. The 36 linear feet represent more than a half century of his life's journey and Christian pilgrimage. His collection shares prominence in the library with the manuscript collection of famed English theologian and preacher Charles H. Spurgeon.

Recognition and honors

Frank Stagg is included in various lists of distinguished twentieth century Baptist theologians: E. Y. Mullins, W. T. Connor, W. O. Carver, Frank Stagg, W. W. Stevens, Dale Moody, Dallas Roark, James Wm. McClendon, Morris Ashcraft, Frank Tupper, Warren McWilliams, A. J. Conyers, and Curtis Freeman. [ Humphreys, Fisher. "The Way We Were: How Southern Baptist Theology Has Changed and what it Means to Us All." Smyth & Helwys, 2002. ISBN 1573123765] He also has been called "one of the foremost interpreters of the New Testament among Baptists in the twentieth century." [ Shurden, Walter B. "Saints of Mine," "The Baptist Studies Bulletin," Vol. 3 No. 11, November 2004.]

At the Louisville seminary he held the prestigious James Buchanan Harrison Chair of New Testament Theology.

The Stagg-Tolbert Forum for Biblical Studies is an annual event named in his honor. It is designed to make excellence in biblical scholarship accessible to the lay person. [ [http://www.cbfla.org/events.html Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Louisiana ] ]

Education

References and notes