CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Reformed Theological Seminary is pleased 
to announce that Dr. D. Blair Smith has been promoted from Associate Professor of Systematic Theology to Professor of Systematic Theology, effective June 1, 2026.
Dr. Smith has served as President of Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) Charlotte since 2025 and as a professor teaching systematic theology since 2016. For several years, he was also the Academic Dean for the RTS Dallas and Houston campuses. Alongside his administrative leadership, he has continued to teach systematic theology and invest deeply in the formation of students preparing for ministry.
“Blair Smith is one of the finest theological minds of his generation,” said Ligon Duncan, Chancellor and CEO of Reformed Theological Seminary. “He combines world-class patristic scholarship with a pastor’s heart, a churchman’s wisdom, and a deep commitment to the Reformed faith. His leadership at RTS Charlotte and his teaching across our campuses have strengthened the seminary and blessed countless students preparing for ministry.”
Prior to joining the RTS faculty, Dr. Smith served for more than seven years as Pastor of Adult Education at Fourth Presbyterian Church in Bethesda, Maryland, and as a part-time associate pastor at Michiana Covenant Presbyterian Church near South Bend, Indiana, where he also ministered to graduate students at the University of Notre Dame during his doctoral studies. An ordained teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America, he is a frequent preacher and conference speaker who serves on ministry staff at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC.
“Dr. Smith brings rare gifts to the seminary classroom — patristic depth, doctrinal precision, and a pastoral love for the church,” said Robert Cara, Provost and Chief Academic Officer of RTS. “His scholarship in Trinitarian theology and the early church helps students see the riches of historic Christian doctrine and equips them to teach those riches faithfully. This promotion recognizes his exceptional academic contributions and his steady service to RTS.”
Dr. Smith’s academic interests include the doctrine of the Trinity, patristic theology — especially the fourth-century pro-Nicene tradition — and the Westminster Standards. His books include Reformed Confessionalism (P&R, 2025), The Fatherhood of God: The Divine Father in Fourth-Century Pro-Nicene Trinitarian Theology (T&T Clark, 2026), Our Father in Heaven: Rediscovering and Embracing the Fatherhood of God (Crossway, forthcoming), and A Commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith, co-edited with John Fesko and John Muether (Crossway, forthcoming). He also co-edited Generation to Generation: Essays in Honor of Douglas F. Kelly (Mentor, 2023), and his scholarly work has appeared in volumes including On Classical Trinitarianism (IVP Academic, 2024) and Covenant Theology (Crossway, 2020), as well as in journals such as Reformed Faith and Practice and the Southern Baptist Journal of Theology, Journal of Biblical and Theological Studies, and Journal of Reformed Theology.
Dr. Smith earned a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) from Bob Jones University, a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) from Reformed Theological Seminary, a Master of Theology (Th.M.) from Harvard Divinity School, and a Ph.D. in Historical Theology (Patristics) from Durham University in England, where he studied under Professor Lewis Ayres. During his doctoral studies, he served as a Research Visitor at the University of Notre Dame.
Known for his theological precision, pastoral care, and love for the early church, Dr. Smith continues to serve through teaching, writing, preaching, and mentoring students preparing for ministry. He and his wife, Lisa, have six children.