Beeson Divinity Welcomes New Dean, Douglas A. Sweeney Casts Vision for School by Kristen Padilla After a nationwide search in 2019 for founding Dean Timothy George’s successor, Douglas A. Sweeney was chosen as the second dean of Beeson Divinity School. He began his tenure July 1, 2019, and was formally installed during the school’s spring Opening Convocation, Jan. 28, 2020. A world-renowned scholar of American theologian Jonathan Edwards, Sweeney came to Beeson Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, where he was the distinguished professor and chair of church history and the history of Christian thought and founding director of the Jonathan Edwards Center. Having served on Trinity’s faculty since 1997, Sweeney was also the founding director of the Carl F. H. Henry Center for Theological Understanding at Trinity, 2000-2012. As director, he raised nearly $4 million for the center, supervised staff, collaborated with boards and hosted conferences and lectures.
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Prior to his tenure at Trinity, Sweeney served at Yale University, where he edited The Works of Jonathan Edwards and was a lecturer in church history and historical theology. “Dr. Sweeney brings together internationally renowned scholarship, academic administrative experience and a deep love and commitment to the church of Jesus Christ,” Samford Provost J. Michael Hardin said. “In addition to exceptional academic credentials, Dr. Sweeney also possesses a humble spirit and a servant’s heart, which make him uniquely qualified to lead Beeson Divinity School in its next chapter.” During Sweeney’s installation service on Jan. 28, Samford President Andrew Westmoreland said that Samford and Beeson have come to know Sweeney as one ideally prepared to provide wise visionary leadership for Beeson. “Your commitment to the relevance and authority of Scripture, your strong record of scholarship, your devotion to equipping those called to ministry, your administrative expertise, and your engaging, charitable spirit will serve you and Samford well in the many years to come,” Westmoreland said to Sweeney. Sweeney, who has been a longtime admirer of George, said it was a great honor and privilege to serve as the next dean of Beeson. "I think that Beeson is the best-conceived and cultivated divinity school in all of North America,” he said. “My approach to
theological education meshes well with Beeson’s guiding confessional documents, academic culture and personal approach to teaching and mentoring students. In fact, for me, moving to Beeson is like moving to a school that was designed to facilitate the kind of academic work, ecumenism and ministry I have done all my life. These are exciting times in which to serve the Lord together at Samford." President and editor-in-chief of The Alabama Baptist, Beeson alumna and dean search committee member Jennifer Davis Rash believes Sweeney will represent Beeson well to churchgoers across Alabama and the nation and will win the hearts of many. “Dr. Sweeney is a solid evangelical and theologically sound leader who is ready to tell the world why students interested in seminary should consider Beeson first,” she said.
