7/2/2021
Dr. Vanden Eykel visited Rome for research in 2019.
Associate Professor of Religion Eric Vanden Eykel has been appointed the Forrest S. Williams Teaching Chair in Humanities at Ferrum College. This endowed teaching chair designation is given to a tenured faculty member who has demonstrated excellence in teaching and scholarly work, and who is committed to scholarly research within the Humanities.
“I was thrilled to receive news of this appointment, and it’s a real honor to be recognized in this way for my scholarship and teaching,” said Vanden Eykel. His appointment letter describes him as generous and supportive of Ferrum College students and his colleagues.
The Williams Teaching Chair is a two-year appointment with the possibility of extension for another one- or two-year term. While serving, Vanden Eykel will conduct research to support two book projects, one which he is authoring himself about the Magi in the Gospel of Matthew, and another that he is co-editing with a colleague from Wingate University, Dr. Christy Cobb, which encompasses a collection of essays on sexual violence in early Christian literature. His research will also include travel during his upcoming 2022 spring sabbatical, but those details are not final yet.
“I’m hoping to take a few trips and explore opportunities for integrating travel components into some of my courses at Ferrum,” he explained.
“Dr. Vanden Eykel is one of our dynamic and engaging faculty members, and his nomination for the Williams Teaching Chair highlights his accomplishments and brings honor to Ferrum College,” said Dean of Arts & Sciences and Professor of Chemistry & Physics Jason Powell, who nominated Vanden Eykel for the position. “He was recently named a general editor for the Journal for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies (JIBS), and I am particularly excited about the book he is writing about the Magi described in the book of Matthew. Look for him to lead an upcoming trip to Rome for members of the Ferrum College community, as well!”
Learn more about Vanden Eykel’s editing position for JIBS.
Learn more about Ferrum College’s Religious Studies program.
