Baylor Writers Receive Christianity Today Merit Awards

by Judy Long

The June 2004 issue of Christianity Today Magazine recognized two books written by Baylor University professors in its annual book awards. From a field of 349 recently published books nominated by 45 publishers, the magazine's judges selected 20 to commend, including awards of merit extended to Dr. David E. Garland, associate dean and professor of Christian scriptures at George W. Truett Theological Seminary, and Dr. Rodney Stark, University Professor of the Social Sciences.
In the biblical studies category, Garland's I Corinthians, published by Baker Academic, an arm of Baker Book House, earned recognition with CT's award of merit. Garland received his doctoral degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville and conducted post-graduate study at Eberhard-Karls Universitaet, Tübingen, Germany and Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. He joined the faculty Truett Seminary in 1997. I Corinthians is Garland's 12th book.
In the history/biography category, Stark's For the Glory of God: How Monotheism Led to Reformations, Science, Witch-Hunts, and the End of Slavery, published by Princeton University Press, also was recognized with CT's award of merit. After spending several years as a newspaper reporter, Stark received his doctoral degree in sociology from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1971, and joined the Baylor faculty in 2004. He is the author of 23 books, including The Rise of Christianity: A Sociologist Reconsiders History, which was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in 1996.