Baylor’s Institute for Studies of Religion Welcomes Former Congressman Ernest Istook

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Media contact: Terry Goodrich, (254) 710-3321
WACO, Texas (April 11, 2014) – The Institute for Studies of Religion will welcome Ernest Istook at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 15, in the Kayser Auditorium in Hankamer School of Business. He will present his lecture titled “Being an Underdog is a Great Opportunity: An Approach to Life, the Universe…Even Politics.”
Istook is a former U.S. Congressman and represented Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District for 14 years. He was rated as one of the top conservatives in Congress and was a founder of the Republican Study Committee, the leading organization of conservatives in the U.S. House.
A former Bear, Istook graduated from Baylor with a bachelor’s degree in journalism before receiving his law degree from Oklahoma City University School of Law in 1976.
Jordan Hannah, deputy chief of staff to Baylor President and Chancellor Ken Starr, said the university is proud to welcome Istook back to campus.
“Those who are able to attend are sure to benefit from Congressman Istook’s wisdom from his many years in public service,” Hannah said.
Istook is currently a radio talk show host, practicing attorney and Distinguished Fellow at The Heritage Foundation, an organization whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies. He has been a frequent guest on programs including FOX News, CNN, ABC’s World News Tonight and 20/20.
For more information on the event, contact the Institute for Studies of Religion at (254) 710-7555.
by Kristen Bennett, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian university and a nationally ranked research institution, characterized as having “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university provides a vibrant campus community for approximately 15,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating university in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 11 nationally recognized academic divisions. Baylor sponsors 19 varsity athletic teams and is a founding member of the Big 12 Conference.
ABOUT THE INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDIES OF RELIGION

Launched in August 2004, the Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion (ISR) exists to initiate, support and conduct research on religion, involving scholars and projects spanning the intellectual spectrum: history, psychology, sociology, economics, anthropology, political science, epidemiology, theology and religious studies. The institute’s mandate extends to all religions, everywhere, and throughout history, and embraces the study of religious effects on prosocial behavior, family life, population health, economic development and social conflict. While always striving for appropriate scientific objectivity, ISR scholars treat religion with the respect that sacred matters require and deserve. For more information, visit www.baylorisr.org