Baylor Honors College Welcomes Darren Yau to Great Texts Faculty
The Baylor Honors College welcomes Darren Yau, Ph.D., as assistant professor of Great Texts beginning this fall. Yau joins Baylor after earning his doctorate from Princeton University. A scholar of theology, ethics and political thought, his research explores how Christian thought shapes questions of justice, democracy, race and public life while contributing to conversations across disciplines in the humanities.
The Baylor Honors College welcomes Darren Yau, Ph.D., as assistant professor of Great Texts beginning this fall. Yau joins Baylor after earning his doctorate from Princeton University. A scholar of theology, ethics and political thought, his research explores how Christian thought shapes questions of justice, democracy, race and public life while contributing to conversations across disciplines in the humanities.
“Darren's scholarship on nonviolence in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s political theology makes a timely contribution to key academic and social issues," Great Texts Program Director William Weaver, Ph.D., said. "He brings to his scholarship wide, thoughtful reading in the Western tradition. His teaching and scholarship will enhance partnerships between the Great Texts Program and other academic programs, including the Ethnic Studies Minor and the new Ethics major."
Yau's academic journey began at Wheaton College, where he earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy with a minor in theology. His undergraduate experience sparked a fascination with theology that ultimately led him to pursue doctoral studies at Princeton University. Before beginning his Ph.D., he spent two years working as a paralegal with Christian nonprofits and churches in Chicago, an experience that further shaped his interest in the relationship between faith, justice and public life.
“I first came to the academic study of theology at Wheaton College, where I had a number of very extraordinary professors who introduced me to theology in a really thoughtful and historically sensitive way," Yau said. "I grew up in a Chinese immigrant church background and didn't have much exposure to formal theological training, so my experience at Wheaton was quite transformative. It completely changed the way I thought about theology and ultimately set me on the path toward graduate study."
At Princeton, Yau developed a research agenda centered on Christian ethics and political thought. His doctoral dissertation offers a new interpretation of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s theology of nonviolence, exploring how King's theological convictions shaped his understanding of social reform. The dissertation now serves as the foundation for Yau's first book.
“My dissertation is about Dr. King and offers a new interpretation of his idea of nonviolence," Yau said. "I wanted to understand how his theology and political thought worked together rather than treating them as separate parts of his legacy. As I continue developing that work into my first book, I hope it offers a fresh way of thinking about King's vision for social reform and the theological convictions that shaped it."
Baylor's Great Texts program appealed to Yau because of its distinctive approach to the humanities. At a time when many universities are debating the place of the liberal arts, he was drawn to a community committed to careful reading, meaningful dialogue and intellectual formation.
“I think Great Texts is a really exciting place to be right now in the modern university," Yau said. "There's such an evident enthusiasm for keeping this humanistic tradition alive by reading deeply, debating texts and thinking about that as a good in itself. What excited me about Baylor was its generous vision of what counts as a great text and the opportunity to bring a diversity of perspectives into those conversations."
As he prepares for his first semester at Baylor, Yau said he is most looking forward to becoming part of the Honors College community.
“I'm really thrilled to be working in a place with such great students and people who read and care about the same texts I care about,” Yau said. “In my classroom, I want students to feel safe being wrong because that's often when the best learning happens. I'm excited to get started."
ABOUT THE HONORS COLLEGE AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
The Honors College at Baylor University unites five academic pathways: the Bachelor of Philosophy degree, the Great Texts major, the University Scholars major, the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core, and the Honors Program. Students may also choose to live in the Honors Residential College, a multi-year community of students that fosters formation through friendship, study, service, and spiritual engagement. Together these opportunities invite undergraduates to explore questions that reach beyond the boundaries of individual disciplines. For more information, visit the Honors College website.