SBTS: Dr. Marvin Tate Dies at Age 87

From SBTS Tower's campus newspaper:

Marvin Embry Tate Jr., an alumnus and longtime professor of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, died Oct.15. He was a professor of Old Testament interpretation from 1960 until 1995, and then a senior professor until 2003.

A memorial service honoring Tate will take place Tuesday, Nov. 20 at Buechel Park Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky., at 11 a.m. A public burial will immediately follow the funeral at Cave Hill Cemetery. The preceding day, Monday Nov. 19, the Tate family will hold a visitation from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Pearson Funeral Home on Breckenridge Ln. in Louisville.

Born May 2 1925, Tate grew up in Washington, Ark. In 1944, he enrolled at Ouachita Baptist University, from which he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1947. Tate then attended Southern Seminary, earning a divinity degree in 1952 and a doctorate in 1958.

While finishing his final degree, Tate spent three years pastoring a church in Tulsa, Okla., during which time he married his wife, Julia Moorman. After he graduated, Tate and his new wife moved to Texas, where he taught at Wayland Baptist College. He joined the Southern Seminary faculty in 1960. In 1965, Tate signed the Abstract of Principles, and in 1992, Tate took an endowed position, as the John R. Sampey Professor of Old Testament — a chair he held until his retirement from full-time teaching in 1995.

Tate leaves behind his wife of 52 years and his five children, Sarah, Martha, Betsey, Marvin and Virgina.

Southern Seminary’s Office of Communications will post a full obituary after the weekend.