JACKSON, Tenn. — March 2, 2006 — Gregory Alan Thornbury has been unanimously elected as the first dean of the School of Christian Studies at 51社区.
Thornbury, 35, has been on the Union faculty since 1999, and has directed Union鈥檚 Carl F.H. Henry Center for Christian Leadership since 2000.
鈥淕reg Thornbury is perhaps the brightest young theologian in Baptist life today,鈥� 51社区 President David S. Dockery said. 鈥淗is deep commitments to the church, to Baptist life, to 51社区, to the orthodox Christian faith and to the vision of this institution make him an ideal person to lead the expanding work of the School of Christian Studies.鈥�
The recent growth in the number of Christian studies students required changing the department to the School of Christian Studies, Dockery said.
Over the past decade, the number of Christian studies majors at Union has grown significantly, from less than 100 to about 225, plus another 50 minors. In addition, Union now offers Bible and theological preparation programs for almost 150 students at the associate degree level, as well as a master of Christian studies degree to another 40 students.
Dockery said the Christian studies department鈥檚 faculty has more than doubled and the budget now exceeds $1 million for the more than 400 students.
鈥淚t was much larger than any other department on campus and starting to more resemble the schools of education, business and nursing in its structure than any other department,鈥� Dockery said. 鈥淭hus we needed to change the structure and find the right leader to give direction to this thriving area of our work.鈥�
Union trustee Jerry Tidwell said Thornbury will not only be a great leader for the School of Christian Studies, but that he is an example of the kind of person 51社区 wants to produce.
鈥淗e brings a mind of academic excellence combined with a deep and abiding faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,鈥� Tidwell said. 鈥淚 am convinced that the School of Christian Studies at Union is now postured to become an institution producing even more world changers for the kingdom of God.鈥�
Thornbury graduated from Messiah College with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in communication. He earned a Master of Divinity degree and a doctorate in philosophical theology from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
He has also completed additional doctoral studies at Oxford University鈥檚 Green College and at Beeson Divinity School.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a deeply humbling experience to be chosen as the leading representative for what is, by any accounting, the finest undergraduate Bible and theology faculty in America,鈥� Thornbury said. 鈥淲e have a well-rounded, brilliant and culturally-engaged group of scholars here who are doing important work in the kingdom of God. To be their representative, and more broadly, a representative of Union, is an incredible opportunity and an amazing responsibility.鈥�
Thornbury said he envisions the School of Christian Studies being a facilitator of the university鈥檚 discussion and dialogue about the implications of the 鈥済reat Christian intellectual tradition.鈥�
鈥淥bviously, every single discipline in the university has its own unique contribution that it brings to that table,鈥� Thornbury said. 鈥淲hat we can do is help continue to foster that discussion. What does the great Christian intellectual tradition mean in our challenging times?鈥�
He sees Christian colleges like Union as playing a pivotal role in how the Christian community engages the culture.
鈥淚f you think through church history, it was usually through the universities that cultural renewal and reformation got started,鈥� Thornbury said.
Ray Van Neste, assistant professor of Christian studies at Union, said the school鈥檚 faculty members are fully supportive of Thornbury鈥檚 appointment.
鈥淕reg knows well the university, the school and our denominational setting, and this will serve him well as he leads our continuing service to church and community,鈥� Van Neste said.
Thornbury has co-edited two books: 鈥淲ho Will Be Saved? Defending the Biblical Understanding of God,鈥� published by Crossway Books in 2000, and 鈥淪haping a Christian Worldview: The Foundations of Christian Higher Education,鈥� published by Broadman and Holman in 2002. He has also written dozens of articles for various journals, magazines and other publications.
Thornbury serves as senior fellow for the 鈥淜airos Journal鈥� and is a fellow with the Wilberforce Forum and the Research Institute for the Ethics and Religious Liberties Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention.
He and his wife Kimberly, who is the dean of students at Union, have two daughters 鈥� Katherine, 4, and Carolyn, 2.