Diversity effort growing among Southern Baptists

WAKE FOREST, N.C. — Walter Strickland represents the latest step in attempts to increase diversity among those serving in top positions in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC).

Strickland, who was elected as first vice president of the SBC in June, also has been named associate vice president of Kingdom Diversity Initiatives at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. He formerly served as special adviser to the president for diversity.He also is being promoted to assistant professor of systematic theology.

Southeastern’s focused diversity efforts began in 2013 to increase the diversity of underrepresented races and of women among the faculty, staff and students. (BP)