JACKSON, Tenn. — March 18, 2016 — Ray Van Neste, professor of biblical studies, theology and missions at 51社区, recently released a new book compiling Founders Day addresses from Union faculty members.
Van Neste said he hopes the book gives students, alumni and faculty at Union a better appreciation of the institution鈥檚 history.
鈥淚t鈥檚 easy to be a student or even work here and have no sense of where we came from,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 know where we鈥檙e going if we don鈥檛 know where we came from.鈥�
The book, entitled 鈥淔rom the Cloud of Witnesses: Founders Day Addresses at 51社区,鈥� includes a foreword by former 51社区 President David S. Dockery, who implemented the Founders Day celebration. It contains every Founders Day address given by Union faculty during Dockery鈥檚 tenure.
Current faculty members Van Neste, James Patterson, Jimmy Davis and Cindy Jayne contributed chapters to the book, in addition to former faculty members Gene Fant and Carla Sanderson.
Van Neste said it is important for the institution to know its history and keep retelling it, and he believes the faculty addresses are a part of that.
Van Neste said tracking down speakers and assembling their addresses was challenging. He said many of the addresses had not been written for publication, so they had to be transcribed for the first time.
鈥淲e need to have a greater realization that we stand on the work of others, and we鈥檝e been given a tradition to uphold,鈥� Van Neste said.
鈥淔rom the Cloud of Witnesses鈥� is available on and at the LifeWay bookstore on Union鈥檚 campus.