TORONTO, ON-Michael Haykin is an unassuming man, a peaceable academic who turned down two stellar job opportunities to serve instead as principal of Toronto Baptist Seminary (TBS)-a small school with a big reputation for controversy and doctrinal certainty.
"TBS has a rich history despite the controversies," he says simply. "There’s a need for this place to survive and try to overcome the negative image it had."
The church historian seems an unlikely character to lead the seminary founded by "battling Baptist" T.T. Shields in 1929 as a fundamentalist alternative to the "modernism" rampant in other theological institutions. But like Shields, Haykin has deep passion for theology and church life.
"I’m very deeply committed to a Reformed understanding of Christianity. By ecclesiological conviction I’m a Baptist," he explains.
Haykin, who founded Joshua Press (www.joshuapress.com) in 1999, has quietly become one of Canada’s most published church historians and is well known in Britain, the Netherlands and the U.S. In recent years he has been writing books and articles and teaching at various schools including TBS, Heritage Theological Seminary in Cambridge, Ontario and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.
Earlier this year he turned down an offer to teach full time at Southern, and declined an opportunity to serve as editorial director of Banner of Truth Trust, the Scotland-based publisher of Reformed and Puritan literature. Then at the beginning of July, with no fanfare, he became principal of TBS.
"Evangelicalism was a major shaper of Canadian society a century ago. We need to know something of our roots," he says.
"The needs in Canada are enormous. There has been something of a brain drain to the U.S. We have a great need for solid theological educators," he continues, explaining that the Canadian situation is quite different from the U.S.
"We don’t have the tendency towards a civil religion. Christianity is far from having any sort of hegemony in our culture, as it does in many parts of the U.S. The presence of religion in the political realm is nowhere near what it is in the U.S. The triumphalism of certain elements of evangelicalism in the U.S. is not at home here. There is more of a pilgrim motif in our evangelicalism."
Plenty to do
Haykin has some major challenges as he takes on responsibility for a school that has been through some hard times in recent years. "My first priority is to re-establish a solid financial base," he says. But Haykin notices a resurgent "confidence among churches that have traditionally supported TBS" and is aware of others "whose thinking and convictions reflect those of TBS but have not supported it before."
Next is to rebuild the faculty. "There’s been a meltdown in the last couple of years. About five have left or resigned." But Haykin is clearly excited about the possibility of "establishing a solid Reformed Baptist seminary for Canada and elsewhere." He is already negotiating with qualified personnel and pitching the "unique identity" of TBS.
He is aiming for a new set of internal dynamics. "There will be an emphasis on collegiality; not a hierarchical model," he says. "Second is a strong commitment to a Baptistic perspective on ecclesiology and, on soteriology, Calvinistic and Reformed." Other priorities include an emphasis on scholarship and academics and a strong link to the churches.
Currently the student body is small. According to Haykin, enrolment is around 55 full and part time. About 50 others are taking just one course and a further 50 take correspondence courses. "These numbers have to built up," says Haykin. "We could accommodate 100 full and part time."
Coming to TBS has also opened the possibility of opening the Jonathan Edwards Centre for Reformed Spirituality. "I’m very interested in spirituality, piety, spiritual disciplines," says Haykin. "Much of the spirituality that would have characterized our spiritual forebears was not passed on [e.g. meditation, silence, solitude]. Puritans and early evangelicals practised these things. We need to rediscover them; we need to be involved in helping forward both the praxis of spirituality and reflection on it."
