Minutes of the 2004 Annual Meeting 

The National Association of Baptist Professors of Religion 

2004 Annual Meeting Minutes 

Gonzalez Convention Center  

San Antonio, TX  

20 November 2004  

9:00 am - 11:30 am 

The twenty-fourth annual meeting of the National Association of Baptist Professors of Religion 

was called to order by President Nancy deClaisse-Walford. Danny Mynatt, Executive Secretary, 

greeted members and guests and introduced the program for the meeting.  

deClaisse-Walford introduced Bob Patterson, who presented the 2003 Festschrift in memory of 

John Newport. Dr. Newport’s grandson, Nicholas Bailey, accepted the Festschrift and thanked 

the Association on behalf of his family. Bill Bellinger introduced President deClaisse-Walford for 

the Presidential Address, “Confessions of a Canonical Critic.” At the conclusion of the address, 

deClaisse-Walford opened the floor for questions and comments from the Association, which 

were moderated by Bellinger.  

Helen Lee Turner introduced presenters for a discussion on the topic, “Forming Baptist 

Identity(ies) in American Higher Education.” Presenters were Glenn Hinson (Emeritus, Baptist 

Theological Seminary at Richmond), Dianne Oliver (University of Evansville), and Ralph Wood 

(Baylor University).  

At 11:00, President deClaisse-Walford convened the annual business session. After the 2003 

minutes were approved, Executive Secretary Danny Mynatt gave the Executive Committee 

report. Mynatt updated the membership on the current status of the Council of Societies for the 

Study of Religion office, which has fallen behind on its administrative tasks following the death of 

CSSR executive director, Dr. David Truemper, and the departure of two staff members. The delay 

in CSSR productivity meant that the NABPR had received no financial reports for six months. 

Danny Mynatt and Jimmy Byrd attended the CSSR meeting on Friday night to represent the 

NABPR and voice the association’s concerns. At the meeting, the CSSR discussed a plan for 

reopening the office and have it in order by 15 February. In light of this plan, the NABPR 

Executive committee determined that the best option was to remain with the CSSR for the time 

being. Mynatt noted that the NABPR endowment funds were doing quite well with a rate of return 

at nearly 17% over the previous year. Mynatt reported that the new idea for an NABPR job 

placement site was not going well due to lack of participation. The Executive Committee 

recommended that the NABPR continue the placement site and evaluate it after one additional 

year.  

After the Executive Committee report, Assistant Executive Secretary Jimmy Byrd read the names 

of nominations for new members into the association. After the new members were approved, 

deClaisse-Walford recognized Sandra Polaski, who offered the nominations of Mike Parsons for 

president and Curtis Freeman for vice president of the Association for 2005. There was no 

opposition, and the nominees were elected by unanimous vote. deClaisse-Walford then 

recognized Scott Nash for the report of the Editorial Board. Nash noted that Baylor University 

Press would launch the PRS monograph series, with Stephen Chapman of Duke University 

Divinity School serving as chair of the editorial committee. This series would replace the 

dissertation and special studies series. deClaisse-Walford introduced Glenn Jonas, who reported 

that the Editorial Board Nominating Committee had invited three new members: Phyllis 

Rodgerson Pleasants (BTSR), Robert Shedinger (Luther College), and L. Dean Allen (Andover 

Newton).  

The meeting was adjourned at 11:30 am. 

 

Respectfully submitted, 

Jimmy Byrd, Vanderbilt University