Thornton, Edward E.

Edward Everett Thornton, pastoral educator, was born in the Philippines to Baptist missionary parents on December 23rd, 1925. His family returned to the United States in 1926, and Thornton was educated at Oklahoma Baptist University (B.A., 1947), the University of Oklahoma (M.A., 1948), and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (B.D., 1952 and Ph.D., 1961).

Thornton was licensed to preach at age 17 and became pastor of the Snomac Baptist Church in Oklahoma at age 18. He married Betty June Raburn in 1948 and became pastor of the Little Chief Baptist Church soon after. His first experience in pastoral care was in 1950, when he began working as a psychiatric aide at Norton Memorial Infirmary in Louisville, Kentucky. In 1958, he was appointed Professor of Pastoral Care at the Institute of Religion, Texas Medical Center, Houston, Texas.

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