by Billy Findley
Copy Editor
The Bryan College Department of Biblical Studies plans to hire a new theology professor by the end of this year.
In the wake of losing former Professor of Theology Doug Kennard at end of spring semester last year, biblical studies professors have been forced to teach substantially heavier course loads this semester. According to Associate Professor Ken Turner, finding a replacement soon will be crucial.
“If we don’t ever replace Dr. Kennard, we’ll be having teachers teach classes that aren’t their specialty,” Turner says.
To help seal the gap due to Kennard’s absence, Jud Davis, associate professor of Greek, has been teaching 18 hours per week. The standard number of hours professors normally teach is 12 hours. He’s taken the hardest hit, according to Turner.
Jon Charles, director of the Bryan Institute for Critical Thought, has also alleviated some pressure by teaching both Theology I and II. However, according to both Turner and Davis, there are still classes requiring teachers with specific expertise that need to be filled.
Economic uncertainty and a concern that enrollment would be down this year played a significant role in the postponement for hiring a new professor, according to Davis. Fortunately for Bryan, enrollment was much higher than expected, and the department has decided to go through with the hiring process.
According to Paul Boling, professor of philosophy and Bible, there have been dozens of résumés sent in for the position. The department has narrowed the list down to five candidates and plans to set up interviews with them at the Evangelical Theological Society in New Orleans next week.
“We have five incredible candidates,” Davis says. “It’s going to be hard to narrow it down.”
The candidate will be teaching anything that is heavily theologically driven, according to Boling. He hopes the department will be able to select the top two of the five by the end of the interviewing process.
For Turner, qualifications mean more than just a formidable résumé. He says he wants the candidate to be able to relate well to students.
“We are sensitive to find someone who does well in the classroom,” Turner says. “We feel that’s a very important aspect to this school.”
“We will never be able to replace Dr. Kennard,” Davis says. “He brought to the classes a kind of charm that can never be replaced.”
With the addition of a new professor, specific alterations in current professors’ schedules will have to be made. Davis says he plans on passing the Koine Greek class, a class he thoroughly enjoys teaching, on to both Turner and the new professor in the coming fall semester.
“It was a hard decision to make,” Davis says, “but, we have a great biblical studies program and I think the future is just getting better.”
Likewise, Turner says he is excited and thinks this decision to hire is going to improve the department.
Boling says they hope to have made their choice by the end of the year.