James Parker III, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Professor, Dies at 77

James Parker III, a longtime professor of worldview and culture at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, died on October 23, 2026, in Fort Worth, Texas, at the age of 77. He served at the seminary from 1999 until his retirement in 2019, teaching courses in Christian philosophy and apologetics at both the master’s and doctoral levels.

Parker joined Southern Seminary’s faculty in 1999 as professor of worldview and culture and associate dean of the newly created Worldview and Culture division of the School of Theology. His academic career was marked by a commitment to equipping students with the tools to articulate and defend the Christian faith. Southern Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr. described Parker as a scholar who “loved ideas” and taught a generation of students to do the same, grounded in the Christian tradition of scholarly reflection and biblical Christianity.

Born in Abilene, Texas, Parker grew up in a Christian home and first encountered skepticism about his faith during his time at Baylor University. A friend introduced him to the works of Carl F. H. Henry, Francis Schaeffer, and C. S. Lewis, which profoundly influenced his life and career. Henry, he said, “was my hero and still is my hero.”

Parker earned advanced degrees from several institutions, including Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Princeton Theological Seminary, and the University of Basel. Before joining Southern Seminary, he taught at various academic institutions, including McMurry College, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Dallas Baptist University. In 1991, he founded the Trinity Institute in Tehuacana, Texas, a residential study center dedicated to helping believers understand and articulate a Christian worldview. He continued to lead the institute even after joining Southern Seminary’s faculty.

Parker believed that defending the faith was a responsibility for every Christian. “Everyone engages in apologetics as a Christian,” he once said. “It’s not a question of whether they’re going to, it’s a question of whether they’re going to do it competently.” He lived on campus in Foster Hall, where students came to know him not only as a professor but also as a neighbor. Known for his kindness and humor, he was cherished for his ability to share meals and long conversations with former students outside the classroom.

A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Central on Saturday, November 7, at First Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.

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