Dr. James Lewis
Professor, School of Theology
It’s a new season for Dr. James Lewis. In the summer of 2006, the beloved Professor of Theology packed up his boxes and moved into the School of Theology, the building across the valley from his previous home in the Religious Studies department. While he still teaches a few undergraduate courses, his main responsibilities are now teaching in the SOT. But Lewis’s passion for discipleship extends to everyone—undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, family, and friends. Although he definitely enjoys the refreshing new season in the seminary, he knows it’s all part of his constant calling to be a disciple of Jesus.
When students listen to Lewis, they note something special in his voice. There is both strength and confidence set ablaze by his passion and this combination is likely what has brought him this far. Lewis, in fact, didn’t initially start in the ministry. Many of his students would be surprised to learn that the dynamic educator, James Lewis, worked as a Certified Public Accountant in his native state of Texas after graduating from Texas A&M University. It wasn’t until 1976 that Lewis became more aware of his discipleship and began to “think more seriously about equipping for ministry.” When God called him to vocational ministry in 1980, he answered faithfully. The next several years would become a great adventure for him and his family as he pursued God’s call. Throughout this time, his extended family and home church supported the entire Lewis family. “When God calls us, He… equips us,” Lewis explained. He began his preparation at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX, and continued with his doctorate studies at Duke University in Durham, NC. While studying at Duke, Anderson University started to take notice in Lewis. His interest in teaching had grown, and so the call from AU seemed like an open door. In 1992, he and his family took a final step across the country and moved to Anderson, IN, where Lewis took on his post in the Religious Studies department.
Through the Liberal Arts program, every student is enriched by some study of religion at AU and as a result, Lewis has had a chance to impact a “broader constituency” of students than he will now have at the SOT. He takes a very principled approach to teaching undergrads about religion. He feels his first responsibility is to “model what it means to serve the Lord as a calling.” His students don’t just learn about God, but learn how to “be more human” in the way God calls us to be human. Secondly, his approach to teaching has grown out of his learning about theology. His classroom is one where “each person is valued, and the pursuit of truth is taken seriously.” Lastly, he creates a classroom environment where students can grow in their own faith. He feels responsible to “help students come into the faith,” but also “to guide people out of the faith” when the faith they hold is harmful. His way of facilitating this growth is by creating an atmosphere where “people are allowed to ask questions without being destroyed.”
His goals for his undergraduates are to help them own their faith and broaden their perspective. Because many students come into the program without much experience with the Bible, Lewis conducts a rigorous study of the Scripture so students can grow in their own “passionate pursuit of faith.” Lewis also helps students see how faith works outside the classroom walls in the diverse world in which we live. He teaches on the “necessity of Christianity to be in conversation” with other faiths and other disciplines. Most of the undergraduates he teaches aren’t pursuing a theological degree, and so he shows students how the study of Bible impacts other disciplines, like music, economics, literature, and medicine. He takes his role in discipleship seriously—both as a model to follow and as a follower of Jesus Christ.
Meanwhile, Lewis is excited about his new season in the SOT, where he feels he is called to be “more intentionally preparing people for ministry.” With the new housing developments in progress, more young people joining the seminary, and new staff coming in, Lewis looks forward in anticipation: “I truly believe the seminary’s best days are ahead.” With his family, including his grandchildren, all living in Anderson, and the spirit of a disciple in his heart, Lewis’s own best days are also ahead.
