James E. Wood

Background

Wood, James E. was born on July 29, 1922 in Portsmouth, Virginia, United States. Son of James E. and Elsie Elizabeth (Bryant) Wood.

Education

Bachelor, Carson-Newman College, 1943; Bachelor's Degree, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1947; Master of Theology, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1948; Master of Arts, Columbia University, 1949; postgraduate, U. Tennessee, 1943-1944; certified in Chinese, Yale University, 1949-1950; Japanese diploma, Naganuma School Japanese Studies, Tokyo, 1950-1951; Doctor of Philosophy., Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1957; Doctor of Laws, Seinan Gakuin U., Japan, 1983; Doctor of Laws (honorary), Capitol U., 1996; D (honorary), Bucherest (Romania) U., 1998.

Career

Pastor, Southern Baptist churches, Tennessee and Kentucky, 1942-1948; Baptist missionary to Japan, 1950-1955; professor religion and literature, Seinan Gakuin U., Japan, 1951-1955; associate professor of history of religions, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, 1955-1958; professor history religions, director J. M. Dawson Institute, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, 1958-1973, 80-95; director honors program, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, 1959-1964; chairman interdepartamental graduate degree program in church-state studies, Baylor University, 1962-1973, 80-95; founder, chairman faculty-student Far Eastern exchange program, Baylor University, 1970-1972; Simon and Ethel Bunn Distinguished professor church-state studies, Baylor University, since 1980. Executive director Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs, Washington, 1972-1980. Member central panel Baptist World Alliance Commision on Religious Liberty and Human Rights, 1965-1975, Commision on Freedom, Justice and Peace, 1976-1980.

Chairman Baptist Committee on Bicentennial, 1973-1976. Member Southern Baptist Inter-Agency Council, 1972-1980, vice chairman, 1975-1976, secretary 1976-1977. Visiting professor Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1974, North America Baptist Theological Seminary, Sioux Falls, South Dakot, 1974, 79, Oklahoma Baptist U., Shawnee, 1977, Notre Dame U. Law School, 1980, Naval College Chaplains, Providence, since 1988, others.

Visiting lecturer Ashland (Ohio) Theological Seminary, 1971. Vernon Richardson lecturer U. Baptist Church, Baltimore, 1975, Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, 1975. Lecturer First World Congress on Religious Liberty, Amsterdam, 1977, 2d Congress, Rome, 1984, U. Faculty of Law, Warsaw, Poland, 1984, Chinese Institute Religion, Beijing, 1986, Brigham Young U., 1986, 95, Union Theological Seminary, Virginia, 1989, U. Tirana, Albania, 1992, U. Malta, 1994, Austin College, 1995, U. Pittsburgh Law School, 1997, Bulgarian Baptist Theological Seminary, 1998, numerous others.

Chair International Consultation on Relig. Rights and Ethnic Identity, Budapest, 1992. Co-chair International Conference Religious Freedom, Moscow, 1993.

Member international advisory board World Report on Freedom Conscious Human Rights Center, U. Sussex, United Kingdom. Co-chair consultation on Freedom of Conscience and Belief, Moscow, 1993. Chair International Consultation Religious Liberty and Social Peace, Malta, 1994.

Carver-Barnes lecturer Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1981. Asian Foundation lecturer SeinanGakuin U., Japan, 1983. Ecumenical consultation on education National Council Churches, 1974.

Numerous other committee county positions.

Achievements

• James E. Wood has been listed as a notable Religion educator, author by Marquis Who's Who.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Religion and the State: Essays in Honor of Leo Pfeffer

    (These essays examine major themes affecting religion and ...)

  • Reflections on church & state

    (Essays that cover a wide range of topics (historical, jud...)

  • Nationhood and the kingdom

    (Hardbound with Colorful Cover)

  • Church and State in Scripture History and Constitutional Law
  • The problem of nationalism in church-state relationships, (Focal pamphlet no. 18)
  • Problems and Conflicts Between Law and Morality in a Free Society

Membership

Sponsor Americans for Public Schools, 1963-1968. Board directors Waco (Texas) PlannedParenthood, 1966-1972, president, 1971-1972. Sponsor Christians Concerned for Israel, since 1968, Texas Conference Churches Consultation on Religion and Public Education, 1971, National Christian Leadership Conference for Israel, since 1978.

President Waco area American Civil Liberties Union, board directors Texas unit, 1968-1972. President National Council Religion and Public Education, 1979-1983, Executive Committee, 1975-1990, board directors, 1972-1990. Chairman of the executive committee Council Washington Representatives on United Nations, 1977-1980, member of council Executive Committee, 1973-1980.

Executive Committee National Coalition on Public Edition and Religious Liberty, 1973-1995. Member religious liberty committee National Council Churches United States of America, since 1972, also member committee international concerns on human rights. American representative Churches Montreux Colloquium on Helsinki Final Act, 1977.

Vice president Waco Conference Christians and Jews, 1983-1986, International Academy for Freedom of Religion and Belief, 1985-1990, president, since 1990. Member international advanced.bd. World Report on Freedom of Conscience, Human Rights Center, U. Sussex, England.

Trustee International Development Conference, 1974-1980. National county American-Israel Friendship League, since 1977. Founder, chairman Waco Human Rights Week,1981-1986.

Member church relations committee, United States Holocaust Memorial Council, since 1990. Advising committee on religious freedom abroad United States State Department, since 1998. Member American Society Church History, American Academy Religion, American Society International Law, American Society Science Study of Religion, N. American Society Ecumenists, National Conference of Christians and Jews (adjunct commission on church state and taxation 1979-1985), Supreme Court History Society, Society for Scholarly Publishing, American Civil Liberties Union, Phi Eta Sigma, Pi Kappa Delta, Alpha Psi Omega.

Connections

Married Alma Leacy McKenzie, August 12, 1943. 1 son, James Edward III.

Father:

James E. Wood

Mother:

Elsie Elizabeth (Bryant) Wood

Spouse:

Alma Leacy McKenzie