Baylor University Department of Religion

Happiest of birthdays to Dr. Susan Benton! 🥳🎉 Beyond her incredible expertise, she brings so much warmth and energy to everything she does.

Dr. Benton, thank you for your dedication to our students, your brilliant contributions to our academic community, and the kindness you bring to the office every single day. We hope your day is filled with relaxation, joy, and plenty of cake! You deserve the absolute best. 🎂

🎉 Happy Birthday to our incredible Office Manager, Candice Williams! 🎂

If you’ve ever walked into the Department of Religion, you know that Candice is the true heart and soul of our office. From keeping our daily operations running smoothly to welcoming students, faculty members, and visitors with genuine warmth, she makes an immeasurable impact on our department.

Candice, thank you for your endless patience, your hard work, and the joy you bring to Tidwell every single day. We hope your day is filled with celebration and plenty of cake! 🐻💚

We are so proud of our Senior Religion student workers who are graduating this weekend! We're thankful to have spent this time getting to know each of you! We know that wherever you end up, you will be a blessing to everyone who meets you! Congratulations, Lydia and Sydney! 🐻 💚 💛

Happy Birthday to Dr. Adam Bond! 🥳
Today, we are celebrating a scholar, pastor, and vital member of our Baylor family. Dr. Bond’s work in the history of the Black Church and his dedication to teaching future leaders continues to inspire both our students and the community. 📖✨
From his research on the Black Social Gospel to his pastoral in the American Baptist Churches USA, Dr. Bond brings a wealth of wisdom and heart to the Tidwell Bible Building. We are grateful for your generosity of spirit and the countless ways you enrich this department every day. May your birthday be filled with joy, rest, and the good company you so richly deserve.

🎉 Happy Birthday to Dr. Sameer Yadav, Associate Professor of Religion! 🎉 A specialist in systematic and philosophical theology, Dr. Yadav is widely recognized for his interdisciplinary research on Christian mysticism, race and religion, and liberation theology. He is the author of the influential book The Problem of Perception and the Experience of God: Toward a Theological Empiricism and has received prestigious honors including the Arnold L. and Lois S. Graves Award in the Humanities and the Bruce and Adaline Bare Teacher of the Year Award. We are incredibly grateful for his rigorous scholarship and the deep intellectual curiosity he brings to our campus community. It's hard to believe you've only been a part of the Baylor faculty since 2024! Hope your day is filled with joy, good food, close friends, and fun memories!

🎉 Happy Birthday to Dr. Christian van Gorder, an Associate Professor in the Department of Religion! 🎉 Dr. van Gorder has become a vital voice in global interfaith dialogue and social justice, drawing on his extensive experience living and teaching in Western China and his work with international human rights organizations. A prolific author, his scholarship spans numerous influential books, including Islam, Peace, and Social Justice, Violence in God’s Name, and his latest release, Normalcy Never Again: Racist-Oppression and Today’s Justice Movement, which addresses racial justice through a biblical lens. We are grateful for his emphasis on compassion and his dedication to building bridges of understanding across the world’s religions. Hope your day is filled with love and laughter!

🎉 Happy Birthday to Dr. João Chaves, Assistant Professor of the History of Religion in the Américas and Co-Director of the Baptist Scholars International Roundtable (BSIR)! 🎉 An award-winning author and researcher, Dr. Chaves has significantly advanced our understanding of Latin American/Latinx religious networks and the global impact of U.S. Protestantism. Beyond his numerous books and peer-reviewed articles, Dr. Chaves has recently contributed to public scholarship as a researcher for the Netflix documentary Apocalypse in the Tropics. We are grateful for his dedication to uncovering the complex histories of faith and migration that shape our world today. Wishing you a year filled with joy, love, and adventure.

Happy Administrative Professionals Day! 🌟
Today, we celebrate the incredible people who keep everything running smoothly. From mastering new systems to managing the daily details that keep our departments thriving, your hard work and dedication don’t go unnoticed.

Thank you, Candice, Heather, and Rachel, for being the heartbeat of our team and for all you do behind the scenes to help us succeed! 👏✨

🎉 Happy Birthday, Dr. Doug Weaver! 🎉 Today Baylor honors one of its foremost scholars and leaders. Since joining the Department of Religion in 2003, Dr. Weaver has been a cornerstone of the program as Chair and as the inaugural Barbara Jo Beard Driskell Endowed Research Chair in Historical Studies. A leading authority in Baptist history and Pentecostal studies, he’s also served nationally—most notably as President of the Baptist History and Heritage Society. Beloved on campus for his rigorous research, devoted mentorship of graduate students, and the contagious humor he brings to the Tidwell Bible Building via his famed bobblehead collection. Join us in wishing him a wonderful birthday and many more years of insight and joy!

🎉 Happy Birthday to Dr. Carlos Cardoza-Orlandi! 🎉Today, we celebrate the Frederick E. Roach Professor of World Christianity in our Department of Religion. Dr. Cardoza-Orlandi has been a leading voice in exploring how the Gospel takes root and thrives in diverse cultures across the Global South. Your work brings together people from all nations and reaches people of all nations. Thank you for your dedication to your students and for helping us understand the vibrant, worldwide movement of Christianity.