Alton B. Pollard III to Deliver Inaugural Lecture as Dunn Chair at Wake Forest University School of Divinity
Symposium on “The Gift of Hope and the Human Condition” will explore faith, freedom, and the future of American democracy.
Winston-Salem, N.C. — Dr. Alton B. Pollard III, the James and Marilyn Dunn Chair in Baptist Studies in the School of Divinity and University Professor of African American Studies, will deliver his inaugural lecture as Dunn Chair at Wake Forest University School of Divinity. His address will serve as the centerpiece of this year’s James and Marilyn Dunn Lecture and Symposium, which will explore the theme “The Gift of Hope and the Human Condition.”
“We are extremely delighted that Dr. Alton B. Pollard III has returned to the Wake Forest University community,” said Corey D. B. Walker, Dean of the School of Divinity and Wake Forest Professor of the Humanities. “Dr. Pollard’s intellectual stature, visionary academic leadership, and deep moral witness embody the very best of the university’s commitment to educate leaders who serve humanity with wisdom and compassion. His return to Wake Forest marks a new and exciting chapter in the life of the School of Divinity and the future of graduate theological education at Wake Forest – one grounded in the pursuit of justice, the flourishing of community, and the transformative power of faith and hope in a challenging and complex world.”
The James and Marilyn Dunn Chair was established at Wake Forest University School of Divinity in honor of James Dunn, longtime leader of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty and the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission, and his wife Marilyn Dunn. Both were deeply engaged supporters of the School of Divinity, and James Dunn served as a member of the faculty, shaping generations of ministers and scholars committed to faith, freedom, and justice.
In addition to Dr. Pollard’s inaugural lecture, the symposium will feature two public conversations with distinguished scholars and theologians engaging the life of faith, hope, and moral imagination in our contemporary world.
The morning panel will bring together contributors to the recently published volume Why Study Baptists: A Festschrift to Bill J. Leonard. Panelists will engage in a moderated conversation on the enduring significance of Baptist identity, history, and witness in contemporary religious and public life. The session will also include a response by Bill J. Leonard, founding dean of the School of Divinity, who will offer comments on the book and on the futures of religion and public life in a changing world.
The afternoon session, “The Gift of Hope and the Human Condition,” will convene a distinguished panel of theologians and ethicists for a public conversation on the theological, ethical, and social dimensions of hope. In a world marked by uncertainty, suffering, and resilience, panelists will explore how hope serves as both a gift and a task of the human condition—animating faith, justice, and human flourishing in challenging times.
The Dunn Lecture and Symposium honors the vision of James and Marilyn Dunn by fostering thoughtful engagement, critical reflection, and faithful imagination at the intersection of theology, culture, and public life.
Those who’d like to attend can register here and bring guests. All are welcome.
About the Wake Forest University School of Divinity
Founded in 1999, Wake Forest University School of Divinity is a graduate, professional school that is Christian by tradition, Baptist in heritage, and ecumenical in outlook. Guided by the University’s motto, Pro Humanitate, the School prepares leaders informed by a theological understanding of vocation and equipped to serve as agents of justice, reconciliation in a complex world. The School offers masters and doctoral degree programs including dual degree programs in bioethics, counseling, education, law, management, and sustainability.
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