October 2, 2026
O.S. Hawkins, chancellor of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Southwesterner Mike Huckabee, U.S. ambassador to Israel, were awarded the White Rose legacy prize on Dec. 2 at the President’s Home in Jerusalem in a ceremony attended by Israeli President Isaac Herzog and other dignitaries.
“The Evangelical world stands with you,” Hawkins (’74, ’20) said at the event, according to an article published by The Jerusalem Post. “For Zion’s sake and for Jerusalem’s sake, we will not be silent.”
The White Rose Society was founded by Jewish community leaders and philanthropists in the United States to recognize non-Jewish individuals who display courage and commitment to justice in standing with the Jewish people and the State of Israel. The name comes from the code name of White Rose used by a Munich University professor and a small group of students who opposed the Nazi regime, an act that ultimately cost many of them their lives.
“The White Rose remains the enduring symbol of the unwavering Evangelical support for the Jewish people,” Hawkins reflected in an article he wrote for All Israel News. “We Bible-believing Evangelicals are not going away … not now … not ever.”
Hawkins called it a “high honor” to receive the White Rose alongside Huckabee, and he said he is proud to where a white rose pin on his coat lapel. Hawkins has visited Israel almost annually for the past 50 years and actively supports the Lone Soldiers, men and women who leave their home countries to join the Israeli Defense Forces.
“Deeply grateful to President Isaac Herzog for hosting as the White Rose Society honored Pastor O.S. Hawkins and myself with the White Rose Award,” Huckabee said in a social media post. “I count it a privilege to stand firmly with Israel and the Jewish people against antisemitism in all its ugly forms.”
Huckabee attended Southwestern from 1976 to 1977.
Linda Selig, a senior member of the White Rose Society, praised the two honorees, calling Huckabee a friend in moments of both crisis and calm, and saying Hawkins has shown “extraordinary courage and devotion” in standing up for the Jewish people, according to The Jerusalem Post.
Other recipients in recent years include Stuart Bell, former president of the University of Alabama; Nikki Haley, former governor of South Carolina; and U.S. Senator Lindsay Graham from South Carolina. This was the first time the award ceremony was held in Israel.
In August, Hawkins spoke at a banquet in Israel honoring Huckabee for his appointment as ambassador to Israel. Hawkins and his wife were also recognized at that time for their work with the gift of a mezuzah and having their names engraved on the wall of a foyer in the Great Synagogue.
In his article for All Israel News, Hawkins reflected on the importance of evangelical support for Israel. He pointed out to those at the ceremony that the most repeated command of the Torah is to remember, a command carried out by Israel through the construction of altars and sharing the Passover. He explained that evangelicals also remember the covenant God has with Israel and the promise He gave to “bless those who bless Israel.”
Hawkins told Baptist Press the growth of “replacement theology” among evangelicals was one reason he participated in a recent trip to Israel with 1,000 pastors, which coincided with the White Rose ceremony.
“The first leg is ‘rejection’ [and] teaches that God has rejected the people of Israel because of their unbelief. The second leg is ‘replacement’ – God has replaced the Jews and the promises given them with the Church. The final leg is ‘revoke,’ which states that God has revoked the covenant promises He has given to Israel,” he said.
Scripture does not support this theology, he added, saying, “If God were to break His covenant promises to Israel, what hope do we have that He would not break His covenant promises to us?”
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