Southeastern Seminary announces Rhyne Putman as Professor of Theology

“Rhyne Putman is an accomplished scholar, devoted pastor, skilled administrator, and experienced professor,” commented Provost Scott Pace. “He brings a unique combination of gifts to the classroom and our campus that will have a profound impact on our students and help us equip students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. I couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome him to the Southeastern faculty.”

Putman has taught for the past 15 years at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and has served for the past five years at his undergraduate alma mater, Williams Baptist University, first as associate vice president for academic affairs and then as vice president of academic affairs. He has also served in a number of pastoral roles over the past 20 years — most recently as senior pastor of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Walcott, Arkansas.

Putman received his Master of Divinity, Master of Theology, and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from NOBTS. His PhD majored in systematic theology with a minor in New Testament, with his dissertation titled “Postcanonical Doctrinal Development as Hermeneutical Phenomenon.”

“My family and I are excited to be part of a place where God has done — and continues to do — great work,” Putman expressed. “Southeastern has a long history of sending out pastors, missionaries, and church leaders who do great things for the kingdom, and I’m eager to contribute to that mission alongside a gifted team. I believe God has called me to equip equippers who will make a difference in local churches and across the globe. I was blessed with incredible seminary professors and administrators at NOBTS who poured into my life, and it’s a joy to continue that legacy with a new generation of students in a new place."

As the son of a Southern Baptist pastor, raised within the church community, Putman’s passion for God’s kingdom and for his word grew in him from an early age.

“That love matured over the years,” he recalled, “especially in middle school, when I sensed a call to vocational ministry and began studying theology and apologetics.”

“One of the great joys of my life was studying the Bible academically for the first time at Williams Baptist University and later at NOBTS. I gravitated toward systematic theology because it helped me see the big picture — how Scripture, doctrine, and discipleship fit together. I conceive of theology as organized reflection on God’s self-revelation in Scripture for the purpose of making disciples,” explained Putman. “I believe that’s exactly what Jesus had in mind when he said, ‘Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations... teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you.’”

Putman has published multiple theological works in the past years, including “When Doctrine Divides the People of God,” “The Method of Christian Theology: A Basic Introduction,” and “Conceived by the Holy Spirit: The Virgin Birth in Scripture and Theology.

“Southeastern is thrilled to welcome Rhyne Putman to our faculty and the Southeastern family,” said Southeastern President Danny Akin. “Dr. Putman is one of the most gifted theologians in the evangelical world. He is an excellent teacher and a superb writer. His convictions and commitments to the truths of Scripture are well known and without question, and he perfectly fits the mold of pastor-theologian-missionary-evangelist that is held high at Southeastern. We are delighted to have Rhyne, his wife Micah, and their children join our seminary community.”

To learn more about Southeastern’s faculty and their mission to equip students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission, visit sebts.edu/faculty.