Dean's Update - January 18, 2021

Dear Colleagues:

At the outset of a new semester and on a national holiday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr., we should pray. Try these words if you like:

Our loving Father, from Thy hand have come all the days of the past. To Thee we look for whatever good the future holds. We are not satisfied with the world as we have found it. It is too little the kingdom of God as yet. Grant us the privilege of a part in its regeneration. We are looking for a new earth in which dwells righteousness. It is our prayer that we may be children of light, the kind of people for whose coming and ministry the world is waiting. Amen.

Grant, Oh God, that we will accept ourselves and accept the realities of life. And learn to come to thee for forgiveness so that we can wash our guilt away, then devote our whole lives to Thee. Grant, oh God, that as we do this, we will rise out of the tensions of modern life. We can live in the world, and yet above it. We can live in the tension, and yet beyond it. In the name and spirit of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Our Father God, who dost overarch our fleeting years with thine eternity and dost undergird our weakness with thy strength, in the midst of the pressures of another day, as we face its vast concerns. Above all else save us from succumbing to the tragic temptation of becoming cynical.

Oh God, our gracious heavenly Father, we thank Thee for the inspiration of Jesus the Christ. And grant that we will love Thee with all of our hearts, souls, and minds, and love our neighbors as we love ourselves, even our enemy neighbors. And we ask Thee, Oh God, in these days of emotional tension, when the problems of the world are gigantic in extent and chaotic in detail, to be with us in our going out and our coming in, in our rising up and in our lying down, in our moments of joy and in our moments of sorrow, until the day when there shall be no sunset and no dawning. Amen.

These, among dozens of others, are part of a collection of the prayers of Martin Luther King, Jr. that I’ve been reading. “Thou Dear God”: Prayers That Open Hearts and Spirits makes evident the spiritual life of a Baptist pastor perhaps best known for his anti-racist activism. Yet it was out of the depths of vital Christian faith that his service in the cause of social justice was rooted, grew up, and flowered. MLK, Jr.’s sermons are of course a great source of insight into that faith. So also are his prayers, which are governed by the grammar of Christian faith as he praises God, confesses weakness and failure, pleas for help, seeks deliverance and guidance, gives thanks, and waits upon the Lord. His praying goes hand in hand with his public, prophetic witness.

We honor a man today who leaves a legacy worthy of remembering for holding together biblical conviction, spiritual devotion, and radical Christian witness. May his number be increased.

Here are a few further things deserving attention:

• Updated guidance about COVID-19 matters is available here. During the semester’s first weeks, a spike in COVID-19 diagnoses is possible, with disruption to students’ class attendance due to quarantine or contact tracing. We learned much this year about how to identify and address instances of infection. Let’s sustain prudent measures as we look toward a spring of vaccination and a pathway to normalcy.
• I greatly appreciate the many hands who are making light work of our major recruitment events: Distinguished Scholars Day, Invitation to Excellence, and Getterman Scholars Selection. Zoom program attendance is running 3-4 times higher than past years’ on-campus events, an encouraging sign as we look toward next year. Prospective students always identify interaction with faculty and staff as a highlight of our programs, so thank you, colleagues, for your generous and effective contributions to these efforts.
• Nominations for Outstanding Faculty Awards are due in the dean’s office by January 22. We have faculty eligible in four of the six categories: tenured teaching, non-tenured teaching, tenured scholarship, and significant contributions other than teaching or research. A brief letter of nomination and the nominee’s CV are helpful for the HC’s nomination committee, led by Chuck McDaniel, Lynne Hinojosa, and Rob Miner.
• During Eileen Bentsen's convalescence, we are fortunate to have the availability of Ellen Filgo (director of the liaison program, research and engagement in the University Libraries) to serve as our library liaison. Ellen recently reached out to faculty, offering information about ways she’s able to strengthen our work. Among other things, I’ve watched students in my classes benefit from library literacy and research instruction modules led by our librarians. For this reason, I especially urge your consideration of Ellen’s expertise as you set assignments in your classes.
• Congratulations to William Weaver, associate professor of literature in the Great Texts Program, and Mike Whitenton, lecturer in the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core, for selection as fellows of this year’s Summer Faculty Institute. Over five weeks of self-reflective, interactive, and practically-oriented discussion, they will refine their pedagogical skills and research plans while enjoying the company of other fine colleagues.
• In hopes of a return to public gatherings in the 2021-22 academic year, I’ve named a Lectures Committee to provide recommendations and leadership in connection with three annual lectures. With insight from Elizabeth Corey, Michael Foley, and Mark Long, we can look forward to memorable events that gather our academic community together, extend hospitality to visitors, and deepen understanding. The Drumwright Family Lecture, Laura Blanche Jackson Memorial Lectureship in World Affairs, and a new lecture series in ethics and culture—for which Don and Judy have made provision through a planned estate gift—give us great things to anticipate in the year ahead.

All the best,

Douglas V. Henry | Dean
Honors College | Baylor University