James Edward Wood

Background

Wood,, James Edward 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, University Tennessee, 1944. Certified in Chinese, Yale University, 1950.

Japanese diploma, Naganuma School Japanese Studies, Tokyo, 1951. Doctor of Philosophy., Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1957. Doctor of Laws, Seinan Gakuin University, Japan, 1983.

Doctor of Laws (honorary), Capital University, 1996. DHC (honorary), Bucharest University, Romania, 1998.

Career

Pastor Baptist churches, Tennessee and Kentucky, 1942-1948. Baptist missionary to Japan, 1950-1955. Professor religion and literature Seinan Gakuin University, Japan, 1951-1955.

Associate professor history of religions Baylor University, Waco, Texas, 1955-1958, professor history religion, director J. M. Dawson Institute Church State Studies, 1958—1973, 1980—1999, 1st director honors program, 1959-1964, founder chairman interdepartamental graduate degree program in church-state studies, 1962-1973, 80-95, founder Baylor University Church State Research Center, 1968, founder, chairman faculty-student Far Eastern exchange program, 1970-1972, Simon and Ethel Bunn Distinguished professor church-state studies, 1980-1999, Simon and Ethel Bunn Distinguished professor emeritus, since 1999. Executive director Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs, Washington, 1972—1980. Member central panel Baptist World Alliance Commission on Religious Liberty and Human Rights, 1965—1975, 1980—2000, Commission on Freedom, Justice and Peace, 1975—1980.

Chairman Baptist Committee on United States of America Bicentennial, 1973—1976. Member Southern Baptist Inter-Agency Council, 1972—1980, vice chairman, 1975—1976, secretary, 1976—1977. Fellow International Academy for Freedom of Religion and Belief, since 1985, president, 1990—2000, honorary president, since 2000.

Visiting professor Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1974, North America Baptist Theological Seminary, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 1974, South Dakota, 79, Oklahoma Baptist University, Shawnee, 1977. Visiting scholar Christ College Oxford University, 1983. Visiting professor Bulgarian Baptist Theological Seminary, Sofia, Bulgaria, 1998.

Visiting professor Faculty of Canon Law Catholic University, Leuven, Belgium, 1999. Visiting professor others. Visiting lecturer Texas Agricultural and Mechanical University, 1962, 65, 68, Ashland Theological Seminary, Ohio, 1971.

Lecturer Union Theological Seminary, New York City, 1974, Virginia, 89. Vernon Richardson lecturer University Baptist Church, Baltimore, 1975. Lecturer Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, 1975, Duquesne University, 1976, Wake Forest University, 1978, University Richmond, 1979, First World Congress on Religious Liberty, Amsterdam, 1977, Rice University, 1977, 84, Notre Dame Law School, 1980, University Kansas, 1982, University Southern California, 1983, 2d World Congress on Religious Liberty, Rome, 1984, University Faculty of Law, Warsaw, 1984, Loyola University, 1985, Chinese Institute Religion, Beijing, 1986, Brigham Young University Law School, 1986, Naval College Chaplains, Providence, 1988—1995, faculty law University Oviedo, Spain, 1989, Austin College, 1989, 95, University Kansas Law School, 1990, University Tirana, Albania, 1992, University Malta, 1994, Brigham Young University Law School, 1995, 97, 2005, University Pittsburgh Law School, 1997, University Kiev, 1998.

Chair International Consultation on Religious Rights and Ethnic Identity, Budapest, 1992. Member international advisory board World Report on Freedom Conscience 2nd. Human Rights Center University Sussex, England.

Co-chair consultation on Freedom of Conscience Human Rights 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 Seinan Gakuin University, Japan, 1983. Ecumenical consultation on education National Council Churches, 1974. Speaker in field.

Achievements

• Ordained to ministry Southern Baptist Church, 1942.

Works

More photos

• book

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

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

  • Church and State in Scripture History and Constitutional Law

Membership

Sponsor Americans for Public Schools, 1963-1968. Board directors Waco (Texas) Planned Parenthood, 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 executive committee Council Washington Representatives on United Nations, 1977-1980, member council executive committee, 1973-1980.

Executive committee National Coalition on Public Education and Religious Liberty, 1973-1995. Member religious liberty committee National Council Churches United States of America, since 1972, member committee international concerns on human rights, 1973-1980. 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, 1990-2000, honorary president, since 2000. Member international advisory board World Report on Freedom of Conscience, Human Rights Center, University Sussex, England. Trustee International Development Conference, 1974-1980.

National council American-Israel Friendship League, since 1977. Founder, chairman Waco Human Rights Week, 1981-1986. Member church relations committee, United States Holocaust Memorial Council, 1990-1997.

Advisory committee on religious freedom abroad United States State Department, 1998-2004. Member American Society Church History, American Academy Religion, American Society International Law, American Science Society Study of Religion, N. American Society Ecumenists, National Conference of Christians and Jews (adjunct committee on church state and taxation 1979-1985), American Civil Liberties Union, Supreme Court History Society, Society for Scholarly Publishing, Virginia History Society, Phi Eta Sigma, Pi Kappa Delta, Alpha Psi Omega.

Connections

Married Alma Leacy McKenzie, August 12, 1943 (deceased October 2000). 1 son, James Edward III.

Father:

James E. Wood,

Mother:

Elsie Elizabeth (Bryant) Wood,

Spouse:

Alma Leacy McKenzie