“The battle for the Bible is never over,” James W. Richards Jr., executive director of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention said during Louisiana College’s 102nd Founder’s Day observance last week.
PINEVILLE – “The battle for the Bible is never over,” James W. Richards Jr., executive director of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention said during Louisiana College’s 102nd Founder’s Day observance last week.
Thirty-five years earlier, Richards, as an LC student who was answering a call to the ministry, became upset along with other students upon hearing the truths of the Bible challenged.
“It was the first time I had ever heard the veracity of the Bible questioned,” Richards said. He did not like what he heard, and neither did many of his fellow students, who also objected.
Their protests caused quite a stir on the tiny campus and eventually led to a chapel service where Richards heard a de-emphasis on the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. It led to his leaving the college.
It also began an 11-year exodus among conservative Baptists that ended when Richards felt God’s call to fight for Biblical inerrancy. Their fight has led to a return to “a high view of Scripture” among the Louisiana and Southern Baptist Conventions, “and we give God the glory.”
Richards, along with Tony Perkins, president of the Washington, D.C.-based Family Research Council, were presented with the Trustees’ Distinguished Service Award during a special chapel service in Guinn Auditorium as part of the annual celebration of LC’s founding on Oct. 3, 1906. On that date, LC was founded as a private, Christian, liberal arts college funded by the Louisiana Baptist Convention.
Every year several individuals are chosen for the Trustee’s Distinguished Service Awards based on their exceptional service to others. Recipients are outstanding leaders in their church, to their community, state and nation. All follow Christ and by his example are servants of others.
Many also have exemplary giving in philanthropy to the needy, the arts or to Louisiana College.
In presenting the honor, Mike Holloway, president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention and a Louisiana College trustee, said Richards embraces all the attributes a recipient should have.
“He is someone who has influenced the kingdom of God, not only as a great preacher of the word of God, but as a warrior for the kingdom of God and as a mentor and a great friend.”
In accepting the citation with his wife, Richards said, “It is an honor beyond my worthiness.”
Perkins’ wife, Lawana, accepted in her husband’s absence the citation on stage from Mark Sparks, chair of the LC Board of Trustees. Perkins, though, did address the gathering in a video response projected on a screen above the stage.
After the conferring of the awards, LC President Joe Aguillard said he could confirm Louisiana College has “remained faithful through the condemnation and ostracism of liberalism.”
In addition, Aguillard and Michael Travers, vice president for academic affairs, awarded endowed professorships:
The Hogan Family Professorship to Brenda Pierson, associate professor of biochemistry;
The George F. Kirby Professorship in Chemistry to David Elliott, associate professor of chemistry, division chair of natural sciences and mathematics and coordinator for the department of chemistry, computer science and mathematics;
The Edith Kilgore Kirkpatrick Professorship of Music to Loryn Frey, chair of the division of visual and performing arts, coordinator for the department of music and a professor of music; and
The William Peterson Carter, Jr. Endowed Professorship in Religion to Charles Quarles, vice president for integration of faith and learning, professor of New Testament and Greek, and chair of the division of Christian studies.