Posted on Mar 25, 2008 | by Jeff Robinson

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)--R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, received good news March 24 from the results of his recent surgery: A tumor removed from his colon is not cancerous.

Mohler, 48, underwent surgery March 20 to remove what was believed to be a pre-cancerous tumor, but he had to await the results of pathological testing to learn whether the tumor was malignant.

Mohler made the announcement during Tuesday morning's chapel service March 25, to the applause of those attending. He expressed gratitude to students, faculty and friends for their prayers and to God that the tumor was discovered before it turned cancerous. Doctors found the tumor during a routine colonoscopy in February.

"I am very thankful the pathology report came back yesterday clear," Mohler said. "As it turns out, this is a tumor that turns malignant 100 percent of the time, but was found before it had turned.

"I am now a walking infomercial for all the medical tests. We are living in an age, by God's providence, in which we have been given incredible opportunities and incredible services by medical technology and medical personnel which can make a huge difference."

Mohler said the health crisis is a reminder of the uncertainty of life in a fallen world, of a believer's dependence upon a sovereign God and of the importance of praying for one another.

"We do not know what is within us at any given moment," Mohler said. "I had no perception, no spiritual wisdom, to know that I had a tumor that was growing inside me. That is a reminder that we can think we are in control, but we don't even know what's going on inside ourselves."

Mohler said he is working his way back into his presidential duties.
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Jeff Robinson is director of news and information at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.