Two confessional documents guide The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. "The Abstract of Principles" is the confession of faith upon which Southern's founders established the seminary. "The Baptist Faith and Message" is the confession of faith of the Southern Baptist Convention, the body Southern serves. Every faculty member  at Southern agrees to teach in accordance with, and not contrary to, these confessions. The material to the right provides the text of each, along with an historical overview of "The Abstract of Principles" and an exposition of "The Baptist Faith and Message."