Sanctions relief may be coming to Southwestern Seminary

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary was sanctioned in 2023 after failing a financial audit.

Joyce Marshall

Star-Telegram/Joyce Marshall

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s years in the accreditation desert may be coming to an end, according to a letter from school president David S. Dockery.

Dockery’s letter comes a day after the seminary hosted inspectors from its accreditation agency, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission.

According to the letter, the inspectors will recommend removing sanctions put in place in response to an audit of the seminary’s finances.

The accreditation agency’s board will still have to vote on whether to remove the sanctions, but the recommendation from the inspectors is a positive step, Dockery said in his letter.

The seminary was placed on a two-year probationary period in 2023 following a July 2022 audit that found “deep financial vulnerabilities, including large deficits that threatened the seminary’s long-term stability.”

That probationary period was extended for one year after a 2025 inspection showed the seminary was taking positive steps to address the issues found in the audit, according to a June 2025 letter from Dockery.

The school has maintained its accreditation through the three-year audit process.

In his April 8 letter posted on the seminary’s website, Dockery thanked administrators, staff and the seminary’s board of trustees for their work to get the school on sounder financial footing.

“Today, we give thanks to God for answering these prayers in abundant ways, and for bringing Southwestern to this important place,” Dockery said.

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Harrison Mantas

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Harrison Mantas has covered Fort Worth city government, agencies and people since September 2021. He likes to live tweet city hall meetings, and help his fellow Fort Worthians figure out what’s going on.