Theology and Missions

Meet Ben Mitchell

April 22, 2021 - Recently retired professor Ben Mitchell will be the featured speaker at the School of Theology and Mission's Annual Awards Banquet on Monday May 3rd. Dr. Mitchell was formerly Union's provost and a professor in the STM. The banquet will be in the Carl Grant Events Center at 6 p.m. Tickets are available in the STM office on the third floor of Jennings Hall: $5 for students, but the first 20 tickets sold will only be $2.

When I first met Dr. Mitchell, he introduced me to an ethical topic I knew nothing about: in-vitro fertilization. He was leading a discussion group for Scholars of Excellence, and he challenged us to think about what it means to value life. We may have walked into the room with the goal to prove how much we know, but all of us left with a greater understanding of life, ethics and what Union is about.

Mitchell retired last year, but he has remained connected to our beloved school. He gave us some peace of mind by telling us that he will not stop fulfilling his calling. He promised to continue to write and teach and to continue to faithfully serve the denomination he's been a part of most of his adult life.

"Ben has helped provide a moral and ethical compass for Southern Baptists, particularly as it relates to bioethical issues," David S. Dockery, provost at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and former president of Union University, said. "He has been at the forefront of that conversation as much or more than any Southern Baptist in the past 40 years."

For Mitchell, this all started with being dissatisfied with the churches he and his wife, Nancy, began to visit when they were newlyweds. He saw a problem, and God guided him into a calling that continues to address some of the issues. Through many different roles and in many different places, he has been able to present ethical issues and help others understand the problem and how to go about resolving the issue.

"I've been able to take these big questions and difficult issues like human genetics and explain them to pastors, church leaders and church members," Mitchell said. "That's been very satisfying to me because that's one way I see my role — standing as a bridge between the scientific community, the ethics community and the church."

This is work he loves, and he made many of his former students love it too. He has helped those around him learn to value life in a biblical way, and he has equipped many to be able to teach others to look at human life as something sacred, something that cannot be replaced.

"He is a passionate teacher and helps individuals, groups, congregations and the larger public understand issues more deeply and through a biblical lens," said Dr. Samuel W. "Dub" Oliver, president of Union University.

Though many of us may not have the honor of having him as a professor, we all have the chance to glean some wisdom from this lifetime teacher.

— Jess Bogle