We are surprised that righteous vandals have not already begun throwing projectiles through the stained glass windows at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. If ever a bonfire of vanities were called for, now is the time. The windows are at the same time garish, tacky, and idolatrous. They should have been removed by now. Period.
In the coming days as Southwestern Seminary prepares to elect a new president, The Baptist Blogger is going to write a profile on every living person depicted in the windows. That the call to remove them has not been public, unified, loud, and unqualified by the men and women who are portrayed in them is an indictment on everyone.
So if we cannot shame the trustees into removing them — and they do not see the wisdom of making a clear statement about their future removal before shouldering their new president with the burden — then our only recourse is to bring greater exposure to the continued embarrassment and disgrace their enduring display is to the school.
Seriously, it’s time to smash them into oblivion, and if necessary, grind them into dust and make the whole board of trustees drink down the damning dregs as an act of penance for their unwillingness to stop the Mad Hatter from memorializing such vanity and fiscal irresponsibility.
As long as they remain in place, the chapel of Southwestern Seminary is a temple to men. Seminary students should rather worship in a Fort Worth mosque. At least there they wouldn’t find the kind of pagan self-worship that forces you to honor the creature rather than the Creator.
So stay tuned . . . Operation Ernest T. Bass is about to commence.
The Baptist Blogger 
Very well said. Idolatry is the tip of the iceberg here. I agree with you entirely. WHY are the SWBTS trustees such cowards? How can they claim to be serving Christ when they are serving Mammon so obviously?
The rumor as I have heard it is that there was a plan to remove the windows that was halted when a donor got wind of it and threw a hissy fit. It will probably take the trustees to put on their big boy pants and make hard, definitive decisions.
Can they just mail these awful windows to the donors and they can put these idols in their living room?
When I first heard about the windows, years ago, my first thought was, “Well, they have their reward.” Looks like they may not.
The interesting thing is that as a pastor in Northeast Texas I have no interest in recommending any potential students to SWBTS until there is a decisive decision to separate from the hero worship, loyalty to anyone other than Christ and His truth, brotherhood system that has for so long been running the show at SWBTS. There will have to be a bold demonstration that things have finally and ultimately changed. Until then, my recommendation will be to go out of state to SEBTS, SBTS, or MWBTS. We are on the right track, but Southwestern is still “seemingly” being governed by something other than truth and its mission.
A couple of weeks ago, I had the chance to walk through SWBTS to see the windows first hand. I was shocked to see that they were 16ft to 18ft tall windows on the ground level. Looks grandiose even from the outside. Wave of overwhelming saddness washed over me.
Whose glory are these windows showing?
Whose seat have these windows taken at the Lord table?
Whose honor have these windows stolen?
I have no words for it. How long my Lord?
Pinterest has lots of ideas on how to use broken glass. Get your DYI on!
Windows. Finally. Something worth shooting.
While I do not concur with you about worshiping at a mosque unless the stained glass window depictions of SBC “Conservative Resurgence” heroes is taken down, your overall thesis is correct and these idolatrous vestiges of the Patterson era need to come down now. As an alumnus of SWBTS, I am sickened by these stained glass window images.
Here is a profound contrast:
The Carthusians are an order of Christians founded around 1084 and continue today. Their call is to labor in prayer to God, undergird all the world and the evangelical work of Christians with prayer to the Father. They live quiet lives filled with hands-on care for the poor, menial labor on behalf of the sick and needy. Their unity is in profound confidence in Jesus Christ, His redemptive work on the cross and the power of prayer. (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
When a Carthusian dies, they are buried in graves bearing only crosses-no names. “Since 1084, Carthusians have not wanted to leave any trace. God alone matters. Stat Crux dum volvitur orbis—the world turns and the Cross remains.” (Power of Silence, by C. Sarah, 2017).
COMPARE and CONTRAST this life of humble service and that of those who demanded the SWBTS Stained Glass Windows to memorialize them?
Ponder whose life more closely follows Jesus’ humble example? Which gives more glory to Jesus Christ and God the Father?
Which exemplifies Philippians 2:3-8?
“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”?