>In a telling article published in The American Daily, J. Grant Swank Jr. tells about his experience as a theological student at Harvard Divinity School (HDS).

He writes about Krister Stendahl, a professor of New Testament, who taught in his first class at the Divinity School “that the virgin birth was a myth.” He tells about a professor who believed that God was “green.”

He also writes of how Paul Tillich “enjoyed going to Manhattan to strip clubs, particularly taking in the black strippers” and how “a Dean of the Divinity School was caught with pornography all over his home computer.”

Of all of his professors at the Divinity School, Swank mentions one who truly inspired him. His name was G. Ernest Wright. Swank wrote:

“There was one professor [at Harvard Divinity School] who actually was a Christian. He taught Old Testament. His name was G. Earnest [sic] Wright, now deceased, as are the Greek professor and Dr. Miller. Wright was an ambitious believer who was not afraid to speak his biblical convictions. He stood out, obviously, for he actually believed in the Bible as divine revelation. I am forever grateful to Dr. Wright for his witness to the biblical record.”

I did not know G. Ernest Wright personally, but he taught Joseph Callaway who was my Old Testament professor and advisor during my graduate work at Southern Seminary. Callaway was a great professor and a committed Christian. He always spoke good things about G. Ernest Wright.

Even though many professors at the Divinity School almost caused Swank to lose his faith, there was one person there, in addition to G. Ernest Wright, who helped him maintain his faith. Swank wrote:

“However, during that time at HDS there was one fellow who kept my Christmas for me. His name was . . . .”

Well, for you to find out who that person was, you will have to read this fascinating article. Click here to read the article.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Harvard, Paul Tillich, G. Ernest Wright