NABPR Annual Meeting – 2004

Minutes of the 2004 Annual Meeting

The National Association of Baptist Professors of Religion 

2004 Annual Meeting Minutes 

Gonzalez Convention Center  

San Antonio, TX  

20 November 2004  

9:00 am – 11:30 am

The twenty-fourth annual meeting of the National Association of Baptist Professors of Religion was called to order by President Nancy deClaisse-Walford. Danny Mynatt, Executive Secretary, greeted members and guests and introduced the program for the meeting. deClaisse-Walford introduced Bob Patterson, who presented the 2003 Festschrift in memory of John Newport. Dr. Newport’s grandson, Nicholas Bailey, accepted the Festschrift and thanked the Association on behalf of his family. Bill Bellinger introduced President deClaisse-Walford for the Presidential Address, “Confessions of a Canonical Critic.” At the conclusion of the address, deClaisse-Walford opened the floor for questions and comments from the Association, which were moderated by Bellinger.

Helen Lee Turner introduced presenters for a discussion on the topic, “Forming Baptist Identity(ies) in American Higher Education.” Presenters were Glenn Hinson (Emeritus, Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond), Dianne Oliver (University of Evansville), and Ralph Wood (Baylor University).

At 11:00, President deClaisse-Walford convened the annual business session. After the 2003 minutes were approved, Executive Secretary Danny Mynatt gave the Executive Committee report. Mynatt updated the membership on the current status of the Council of Societies for the Study of Religion office, which has fallen behind on its administrative tasks following the death of CSSR executive director, Dr. David Truemper, and the departure of two staff members. The delay in CSSR productivity meant that the NABPR had received no financial reports for six months.

Danny Mynatt and Jimmy Byrd attended the CSSR meeting on Friday night to represent the NABPR and voice the association’s concerns. At the meeting, the CSSR discussed a plan for reopening the office and have it in order by 15 February. In light of this plan, the NABPR Executive committee determined that the best option was to remain with the CSSR for the time being. Mynatt noted that the NABPR endowment funds were doing quite well with a rate of return at nearly 17% over the previous year. Mynatt reported that the new idea for an NABPR job placement site was not going well due to lack of participation. The Executive Committee recommended that the NABPR continue the placement site and evaluate it after one additional year.

After the Executive Committee report, Assistant Executive Secretary Jimmy Byrd read the names of nominations for new members into the association. After the new members were approved, deClaisse-Walford recognized Sandra Polaski, who offered the nominations of Mike Parsons for president and Curtis Freeman for vice president of the Association for 2005. There was no opposition, and the nominees were elected by unanimous vote. deClaisse-Walford then recognized Scott Nash for the report of the Editorial Board. Nash noted that Baylor University Press would launch the PRS monograph series, with Stephen Chapman of Duke University Divinity School serving as chair of the editorial committee. This series would replace the dissertation and special studies series. deClaisse-Walford introduced Glenn Jonas, who reported that the Editorial Board Nominating Committee had invited three new members: Phyllis Rodgerson Pleasants (BTSR), Robert Shedinger (Luther College), and L. Dean Allen (Andover Newton).

The meeting was adjourned at 11:30 am.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Jimmy Byrd, Vanderbilt University

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