Dr. Bill Pitts and students--an enduring legacy.

Weaver, Doug

Baylor's religion department has five historians, four of whom do some academic work in Baptist history. That is amazing in this day and time, isn't it? Our senior scholar is Dr Bill Pitts, and I can testify that we are proud he is the recipient of this Festschrift.

What actually might be more amazing is the number of current historians of Baptists who were students of Dr. Pitts. His shadow is long! Given this student legacy, I decided to write this piece with the help of our current Ph.D. students in church history.

Students rightly know Dr. Pitts as a superb teacher. He earned the reputation years ago, but it continues: "I have been thoroughly impressed with his commitment, even after decades in the classroom, to continually refining his craft. He never stops updating his notes, improving his slides, and refining his presentation for each new lesson. This, I think, simply illustrates his intense passion for and dedication to the task of teaching."

Students universally comment about Dr. Pitts' concern that they communicate clearly. He does not take grammar lightly for a reason--it is tied to integrity and effort. One student commented: "Dr. Pitts taught me to write with clarity. Every paper had to be accurate grammatically as well as factually. And he refused to allow lazy thinking (emphasis added). He modeled both clarity of thought and voice for me and all his students."

Dr. Pitts' teaching effectiveness reflects his belief that you never stop learning, and never stop reading. And wow, does he read! One student said, "He reads so much it makes me feel lazy." Another student summed it up: "Every church history department needs a 'walking encyclopedia'--someone who always seems to know the names, dates, and importance of the events of history. Our walking encyclopedia is Dr. Pitts. But more than an encyclopedia distributing lifeless facts, Dr. Pitts is a scholar and a teacher who knows how to argue, interpret, and reanimate the stuff of our craft."

In today's academic world, teaching means research--not just classroom work. Dr. Pitts models how to balance those two competing (time-wise) interests: "He has modeled for me what it looks like to be deeply devoted to the craft of thoughtful, meaningful historical research while at the same time maintaining a steadfast commitment to the classroom experience." "Dr. Pitts' scholarly rigor, always permeated with genuine kindness, is truly worthy of emulation." Just a note on research methods: Dr. Pitts is legendary for the "light pencil marks he makes when he takes notes in a book, how he always writes in the front page where he bought it and in what year!"

I have never met one of Dr. Pitts' students who does not love him. One student said, "He is a saint of Christian higher education." The word most often used here is hospitality: "His hospitality and generosity toward his students are unparalleled." "He exemplifies an amazing combination of intellect, wisdom, and graciousness (and) exemplary hospitality." "His sincerity, humility, scholarship, and sharp wit have left an enduring mark upon countless colleagues and students over the years."

Students want to emulate Dr. Pitts' character: "Dr. Pitts is not only a great scholar and excellent teacher, but a model of generosity. He continually reminds me of the kind of person and professor I hope to be." "His example inside and outside the classroom challenges those around him to be not only better scholars but also better people." And this part of his legacy is enduring: "I continually hear positive remarks from scholars whose brief time spent with Dr. Pitts ten or thirty years ago left a lasting impression, whether by his generous support of scholarship or by his kind disposition."

So how do we summarize Dr. Bill Pitts? "Seasoned scholar and skillful teacher," "angelic" (well, I should mention Ruth here!). But maybe this bit of serious/humorous historical analysis does it best: "Fortunate is the student who is privileged to work with a professor like Dr. Pitts. His generosity is contagious, and his encyclopedic knowledge is inspiring. If there is a treasury of merit, Dr. Pitts has been gaining interest for some time."

Doug Weaver

Festschrift and Miscellaneous Issue

Editor