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David S. Dockery was
elected the 15th president of Union University on December 8, 1995.
Since that time the university has seen an increase in student
enrollment from 1975 in the Fall of 1996 to over 3,300 in 2007. The
number of donors to the university has increased from around 2000 to nearly 4,800.
The significant increase in giving to the university during
this period has included fifteen
of the largest gifts in Union’s long history. Dr. Dockery is providing
leadership for a major five year strategic plan called Union 2010: A
Vision for Excellence. The plan will be enabled by a $110 million
campaign, of which over $98 million has been raised.
During his tenure the
university has seen a strong increase in commitment to excellence in
teaching and scholarship. Union has been listed among the top tier
institutions in the South each of the past ten years by U.S. News and
World Report. Union has also been recognized during this time by
Peterson’s Competitive College Guide, the Time/Princeton Review,
and Templeton’s Colleges that Encourage Character Development.
Union has also received the President's Higher Education Community Service Award.
Union has been listed among America's Colleges of Distinction and also
as one of America's Top 100 College Buys.
The university has
added several new degree programs including undergraduate majors in
digital media studies, engineering, physics, sports medicine, political
science, and ethics,
among others, and graduate programs in business, intercultural studies,
Christian studies, nursing, and education, including the doctor of education program and a
graduate program in nurse anesthesia. Faculty
development programs have been greatly enhanced and the breadth of student
services has been visibly increased. A new campus master plan has seen
the addition of two residence halls, the Miller Tower, Jennings Hall,
Hammons Hall, the Fesmire baseball/softball complex, Fesmire Athletic Fieldhouse,
a soccer complex, and White Hall. A branch
campus was established in Germantown, TN in 1997, which offers programs in
education, business, nursing, and Christian studies. Additional residence life
facilities and a new 600 seat banquet hall are under construction.
Dockery is the author or
editor of more than twenty-five books. In addition he
has contributed to over thirty other volumes.
He is the author of numerous articles, chapters, and book reviews.
A much sought after speaker on issues
of higher education and cultural issues, Dockery has been invited to
present lectures at numerous colleges, universities, and seminaries across
the country. He has been quoted in The Washington Post, The Boston Globe,
The Dallas Morning News, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
The Washington Times, The Tennessean,
The Commercial Appeal (Memphis), The Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
The Birmingham News,
The Courier-Journal (Louisville), The Baltimore Sun,
The Chronicle of Higher Education, Religion News Service, Bloomberg.com,
and several denominational publications, among others. His articles have been published in
Touchstone, Books & Culture, Christianity Today, and a number
of other publications.
In 2002 Dockery was named a
Distinguished Alumnus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He serves on the board of
directors of several civic groups and local foundations. Dockery has
served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Council for Christian
Colleges and Universities as well as the Council for Global Eduation.
He serves on the Board of Reference of Prison Fellowship and
has served on the board of Christianity Today
where he also serves as a consulting editor.
Born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in
1952, Dockery holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Alabama-Birmingham, and
masters degrees from Grace
Theological Seminary, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Texas
Christian University. He holds the Ph.D. in Humanities from the University
of Texas system. Dockery and his wife, Lanese, have three sons:
Jonathan (who is married to the former Sarah Phillips),
Benjamin (who is married to the former Julie Holzer), and
Timothy (who is married to the former Andrea Signaigo).
Major Lectureships:
- Spell Lectures, Mississippi College
- Page Lectures, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
- Day-Higginbotham Lectures, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
- Founders’ Day Lecture, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
- Convocation Address, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
- Keynote Address, Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Theological
Society
- Keynote Address, The International Mission Board Communications
Symposium
- Hester Lectures, The Association of Southern Baptist Colleges and
Schools
- Powell Lectures, Florida Baptist College
- Dimension Lectures, Gardner-Webb University
- Hobbs Lectures, Oklahoma Baptist University
- Keynote Address, Consortium for Global Education
- Theological Fellowship Lecture, Southwestern Baptist Theological
Seminary
- Torrey Lectures, Biola University
- Alabama Baptist Leadership Summit Keynote Address
- TACL Conference Keynote Address
Major Conference/Special Event Speaker:
- Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
- Beeson Divinity School, Samford University
- Azusa Pacific University
- Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary
- Wheaton College
- Baylor University
- New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
- University of Mobile
- American Academy of Ministry, Princeton University
- Hannibal LaGrange College
- Free Will Baptist College
- Institute for the Study of Protestantism and American Culture
- Houston Baptist University
- Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
- Anderson College
- Oklahoma Chrisitian University
- Louisian College
- Grace College and Seminary
Visiting Professor:
- Anglican School of Theology/University of Dallas
- Moscow Theological Institute
- Beeson Divinity School, Samford University
- Grace College and Seminary
Books (Authored)
- The Doctrine of the Bible (Nashville:
Convention Press, 1991; reprint, Nashville: Seminary Extension, 1998).
- La Doctrina de La Bibla, translated by Miguel
A. Mesias (Nashville: Convention, 1992).
- Biblical Interpretation Then and Now (Grand
Rapids: Baker, 1992, reprint 2000).
- Seeking the Kingdom: The Sermon on the Mount Made
Practical, co-authored with David E. Garland (Wheaton: Harold
Shaw, 1992).
- Christian Scripture: An Evangelical Perspective on
Inspiration, Authority, and Interpretation (Nashville: Broadman
and Holman, 1995). Also translated into Romanian.
- Ephesians: One Body in Christ (Nashville:
Convention, 1996).
- Efesios: Un Cuerpo en Cristo (Nashville:
Convention, 1996).
- Our Christian Hope: Bible Answers to Questions
About the Future (Nashville: Lifeway Press, 1998)
- Basic Christian Beliefs (Shepherd's Notes
Series; Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 1999).
- Holman Guide to Interpreting the Bible
with George Guthrie (Nashville: Broadman and
Holman, 2004).
- Building Bridges
with Timothy George (Nashville: Convention Press, 2007)
- Renewing Minds: Serving Church and Society Through
Christian Higher Education (Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2007)
- Southern Baptist Consensus and Renewal: A Biblical, Historical and
Theological Proposal (Nashville: B&H Publishing, forthcoming Spring 2008)
Books (Edited)
- Baptist Theologians, co-editor and contributor
with Timothy George (Nashville: Broadman, 1990) chapter on
"Millard J. Erickson."
- Revell Bible Dictionary, consulting editor
(Old Tappan: Fleming H. Revell, 1990).
- People of God: Essays on the Believers' Church,
co-editor with Paul Basden (Nashville: Broadman, 1991).
- New Testament Criticism and Interpretation,
co-editor and contributor with David Alan Black (Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 1991) chapter on "The History of New Testament
Interpretation."
- Beyond the Impasse?: Scripture, Interpretation,
and Theology in Baptist Life, co-editor with Robison B. James
(Nashville: Broadman, 1992) chapter on "A People of the Book: The
Crisis of Biblical Authority Today."
- Holman Bible Handbook, general editor and
contributor (Nashville: Holman, 1992) sections on "Pauline
Letters," "History of Biblical Interpretation,"
"Christian Faith and the Christian Community," and "The
Lord's Supper."
- The Concise Bible Dictionary, consulting
editor (Old Tappan: Fleming H. Revell, 1992).
- Holman Book of Biblical Charts, Maps and
Reconstructions, contributing editor (Nashville: Holman, 1993).
- Southern Baptists and American Evangelicals: The
Conversation Continues, editor and contributor (Nashville:
Broadman, 1993) chapters on "Introduction to Southern Baptists
and American Evangelicals" and "Evangelical Responses to
Southern Baptists."
- Foundations for Biblical Interpretation,
co-editor and contributor with Robert B. Sloan and Kenneth A. Mathews
(Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 1994) chapter on "The Study and
Interpretation of the Bible."
- The Challenge of Postmodernism: An Evangelical
Engagement, editor and contributor
(Grand Rapids: Baker/BridgePoint, 1995, revised edition 2001)
chapter on "The Challenge of Postmodernism."
- The Best of A. T. Robertson, compiler
(Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 1996).
- New Dimensions in Evangelical Theology: Essays in
Honor of Millard J. Erickson, editor (Downers Grove: InterVarsity,
1998). Chapter on "Millard J. Erickson."
- Holman Concise Bible Commentary, general
editor (Nashville: Broadman and Holman,
1998). Section on the "Pauline Epistles."
Translated into Spanish.
- The Integration of Faith and Learning: A Basic
Bibliography, editor and compiler (1998).
- The Future of Christian Higher Education,
co-editor with David P. Gushee (Broadman and Holman, 1999). Chapters
on "The Future of Christian Higher Education: An
Introduction," "The Great Commandment As a Paradigm for
Christian Higher Education," "The Role of Professional
Education in Christian Higher Education," and "The Grandeur
of God and Real Education: A Strategy for Integrating Faith in a
Post-Christian Culture."
- New Testament Interpretation, co-edited with
David Alan Black (Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 2000). Chapter on
the History of New Testament Interpretation.
- Theologians of the Baptist Tradition,
co-edited with Timothy George (Nashville: Broadman & Holman,
2001). Chapters on John A. Broadus, A.T. Robertson, and Hershel Hobbs.
- Shaping a Christian Worldview, co-edited with
Greg Thornbury (Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 2002). Chapter
on Shaping a Christian Worldview.
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