Philip Gunn, Southern Seminary’s second vice chairman of the Board of Trustees, was elected speaker of the House of Representatives in Mississippi, Jan. 3, 2012.
Gunn, who has served on Southern’s board since 2008, became the first Republican to sit as speaker of the house in Mississippi since Reconstruction.
In a letter to the trustee board, seminary president R. Albert Mohler Jr. writes: “This is a tribute to the leadership of Speaker Gunn, and his election brings honor to the people of Mississippi and to the board of trustees of Southern Seminary.”
Gunn, a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives since 2004, was unopposed in his bid for speaker. And, according to Jackson, Miss.’s Clarion-Ledger, members of the House met Gunn’s election with cheers and a standing ovation.
Russell D. Moore, senior vice president for academic administration and dean of the School of Theology at Southern Seminary, had a similar reaction, saying: “As a Mississippian, I am proud of Philip Gunn. He’s a humble, decisive servant-leader who knows his roots and his vision. I love working with him at Southern Seminary and pray for him as he leads the greatest of the fifty great states.”
And Greg Belser, senior pastor of Morrison Heights Baptist Church in Clinton, Miss. where Gunn is a member, echoed Moore’s enthusiasm: “The Mississippi House of Representatives has elected a true Christian statesman to its highest position,” he said. “I know of no finer man in politics anywhere. Philip Gunn is a man of unquestioned character and a deep love for Christ and the church while balancing the enormous demands of family and community service. He is the real deal.”
An article in the Clarion-Ledger providing details about Gunn’s election is available here.