Walter B. Shurden, Sr.--timeline.

Weaver, Doug

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Birth:

* Greenwood, Miss., Feb. 1, 1937 Christian Conversion:

* Student at Delta State University, 1955

Baptism:

* Second Baptist Church, Greenville, Miss., 1955 Marriage:

* Kay Beth Wilson, Dec. 22, 1957

Undergraduate Degree:

* Mississippi College, B.A. in Religion, 1958;

Outstanding Ministerial Student Award

Graduate Degrees:

* New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, M. Div. 1961, Th. D. 1966; Th. D. Dissertation: "Associationalism Among Baptists in America, 1707-1814"

Additional Study:

* University of Tennessee

* Princeton University

Student Pastorates:

* Providence Baptist Church, Ethel, Miss., 1957

* Lakeport Baptist Mission, Lake Village, Ark., 1957-1959

* East Fork Baptist Church, Kentwood, La., 1959-1962 Professional Life:

* Church Flistory Professor, McMaster Divinity College, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, 1965-1966

* Pastor, First Baptist Church, Ruston, La., 1966-1969; Outstanding Young Man of the Year Award, Ruston Chamber of Commerce, 1968

* Associate Professor and Professor, Carson-Newman College, Jefferson City, Tenn., 1969-1976; Distinguished Professor of the Year Award, 1974-1975

* First Book: Not a Silent People: Controversies That Have Shaped Southern Baptists (Broadman Press, 1972)

* Associate Professor and Professor of Church History, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1976-1983

* Dean, School of Theology, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1980-1983

* Callaway Professor of Christianity, Mercer University, 1983-2007; Chair, Roberts Department of Christianity, 18 years

* Delivered "Address to the Public from the Interim Steering Committee of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, " May 9, 1991, (co-author with Cecil Sherman), included in The Baptist Identity: Four Fragile Freedoms (Smyth Helwys, 1993) in which Shurden summarizes the focus of Baptist identity around freedom (Bible Freedom, Soul Freedom, Church Freedom, Religious Freedom)

* Spencer B. King, Jr. Distinguished Professor of the Year Award, Mercer University, College of Liberal Arts, 1996

* Executive Director and Founder, The Center for Baptist Studies, Mercer University, 2001-2008; Editor, Baptist Studies Bulletin

* Chairman, Board of Directors, Baptists Today, 2011-2013

* Minister at Large, Mercer University, 2008-present; Publisher, Walter B. Shurden Preaching Journal

Selected Awards:

* W. O. Carver Distinguished Service Award, Baptist History and Heritage Society, 2001

* Judson-Rice Denominational Leadership Award, Baptists Tbday, 2005

* J. M. Dawson Religious Liberty Award, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, 2006

* Whitsitt Courage Award, William H. Whitsitt Baptist Heritage Society, 2009 (one of the organization's founders)

* Religious Freedom Award, Board of Directors, Associated Baptist Press, 2008

* Distinguished Alumnus Award, Department of Christian Studies, Mississippi College, 2013

Publications:

* First article: "An Odd Preacher," Baptist Message (newspaper of Louisiana Baptist Convention), March 16, 1967

* More than 200 articles of various types in scholarly journals, denominational papers, etc. and numerous books and edited books. One of the most important collections is Not an Easy Journey: Some Transitions in Baptist Life (Mercer University Press, 2005). See bibliography on pages 87-103 for an extensive sample.

Preaching Ministry:

* Has served widely as a denominational speaker

* Has served as "interim preaching minister" at more than 20 churches, including: First Baptist Church, Newport, Tenn.; Crescent Hill Baptist Church, Louisville, Ky., Fifth Avenue Baptist Church, Huntington, W. Va., First Baptist Church of Christ, Macon, Ga., First Baptist Church, Griffin, Ga., First Baptist Church, Savannah, Ga., Northside Drive Baptist Church, Atlanta, Ga., First Baptist Church, Columbus, Ga., First Baptist Church, Greenville, S.C.

Family:

* Dr. Walter Shurden has been married to Dr. Kay Wilson Shurden for 57 years. A marriage and family therapist until her retirement in 2000, Kay has also served as a writer, speaker, and spiritual retreat leader. The Shurdens have three children, Sherry Shurden Brewer, Paula Shurden Batts, and Walt Shurden, Jr., and six grandchildren, Emily Shurden Brewer, Audrey Wilson Batts, Benjamin Harrison Brewer, Samuel Callaway Batts, Langley Wilson Shurden, and Hayes Callaway Shurden.