R. Scott Pace Inaugurated as Southeastern Seminary President
The institution officially welcomed R. Scott Pace to lead the Wake Forest seminary following the retirement of Daniel Akin.
Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Christianity
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R. Scott Pace was inaugurated as the president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in a ceremony held at Binkley Chapel in Wake Forest. He officially stepped into the role following the earlier 2026 retirement of his predecessor, Daniel Akin.
Why it matters
The transition marks a leadership shift within the institution, which plays a significant role in training a substantial portion of the nation’s clergy. Pace, who previously served as provost and chief academic officer, will now oversee the seminary as it navigates future denominational shifts.
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary supports nearly 1,600 students and receives 16 percent of its annual budget from the Cooperative Program. This funding is part of a larger $40 million annual pool shared among the Southern Baptist Convention's six seminaries.
The players
R. Scott Pace
He is the newly inaugurated president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary who previously served as its provost and chief academic officer.
Daniel Akin
He is the former president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary who retired from the position earlier in 2026.
The details
Pace previously served as the institution's provost and chief academic officer before ascending to the presidency. The appointment comes as part of a wider generational transition among the six seminaries maintained by the Southern Baptist Convention.
Timeline
The conservative takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention began in the early 1980s.
R. Scott Pace was formally inaugurated on October 13, 2026.
Culture Shift
This leadership transition reflects the broader, ongoing generational turnover occurring across the six seminaries of the Southern Baptist Convention. It signals a move toward a new era of administrative oversight for the organization which trains roughly 25 percent of all Master of Divinity students in the U.S.
The transition at the seminary may influence local educational programming and community partnerships in Wake Forest. Residents and students should anticipate shifts in academic priorities as the new administration begins its tenure.
The takeaway
The appointment of R. Scott Pace represents a significant chapter in the administrative history of the institution. Observers of the seminary will be monitoring how the new leadership influences the training of clergy in the coming years.
Further reading
Learn more about the history and development of Christianity within the Southern Baptist tradition.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Religion News Service.
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