During its graduation exercises on May 29 at the Central Baptist Church Moscow, the Moscow Theological Seminary of the Evangelical Christian Baptists conferred the doctor of divinity degree on Denton Lotz, Baptist World Alliance (BWA) General Secretary. The honorary degree recognized the strategic leadership Lotz gave to the creation of the seminary.
Seminary leaders credited Lotz’s “close personal involvement,” which they said, was largely responsible for the opening of the school in 1993, a fulfillment of the prayers of Baptists from around the world, who in 1905 began to pray and collect funds for a seminary in Russia. From that time BWA has worked to encourage the formation of a seminary. However, it was in the early 1990s that Lotz appointed a theological assistance group to give leadership to such an institution.
Together with the Russian leadership, this committee agreed that a Baptist seminary would open in Moscow in 1993 and it would be called the Moscow Theological Seminary of the Evangelical Christian Baptists that would meet in the new headquarters of the Russian Baptist Union.
The BWA — which had been holding $60,000 for a new seminary in Russia — transferred those funds to help complete the headquarters building. Lotz was praised for his commitment to missions as evidenced in his service as missionary and educator in Eastern Central Europe with the Board of International Ministries of the American Baptist Churches, USA, and for his loyalty to BWA, which he has served since 1980.
Lotz was also commended for his courageous defense of Baptist principles “when they have been threatened by benign neglect or malicious assault, his tireless toil to bring together people who are divided by race and ethnic identity, and his attempts to give a hand and a voice to the poor and neglected people throughout the world.”
Religious liberty focus
He was cited too for his leadership in religious liberty, his passion for religious liberty; his wise leadership that enables the BWA to be a home for all Baptists and, “for his faithful witness to the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ in all times and places.”
The seminary plans to recognize the contributions of the BWA in its program, especially in the area of global missions. In his address to the graduating class of 29 seminarians and the audience, Lotz gave an overview of theological education around the world and the different emphases that include the academic, charismatic, practical and mentoring models, all of which he said are useful.
Of greater importance, Lotz said, is “to find that aspect of theological education which is culturally proper and intellectually feasible for each national and church situation.”
“Theological education must be existential and also culturally relevant. It must be faithful to the Word and at the same time know culture well enough that it can be prophetic over against it,” he said. (BWA)
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