July 10, 2012
For Immediate Release
By Joan C. McKinney, news and publications coordinator
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - Dr. Joe Early Jr., assistant professor of theology at Campbellsville University, was the faculty recipient of the Servant Leadership Award at CU recently.
Dr. Frank Cheatham, vice president for academic affairs at CU, in making the presentation to Early, said, “What I like about Joe is his concerns for his students.”
Cheatham said Early volunteers and is involved in his students' lives on campus and after graduation.
Early has taught at CU since 2009. He is the author of several books on Baptist life and history with his latest book being “The Life and Writings of Thomas Helwys: The First English Baptist.”
Early is writing a book for Broadman Holman Press titled: “A Survey of Christian History,” with a publication date of January 2013.
Early, who will be one of two speakers at Campbellsville University's Baptist Heritage Lecture Series Oct. 4 has been described as an “up-and-coming” Baptist historian. He will discuss “Richard Boyd: Shaper of Black Baptist Identity” at the lecture series.
He received his Ph.D. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas in 2002; his dissertation was on “The Hayden Controversy: A Detailed Examination of the First Major Internal Altercation of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.”
In 1997, he received his master of divinity degree from Midwestern Baptist Theology Seminary in Kansas City, Mo. He received his bachelor of science degree from Cumberland College in 1993.
Early taught at the University of the Cumberlands from 2004 to 2009 before coming to CU. He has also taught at Baylor University, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
His professional memberships include: Baptist History and Heritage, East Texas Historical Association, West Texas Historical Association, Texas Historical Association, Tennessee Baptist Historical Association and the American Academy of Religion.
Among his books that have been published are: “The Building of a Church: The Centennial History of South Main Baptist Church, Houston, Texas,” “A Texas Baptist History Sourcebook,” “A Handbook of Texas Baptist Biography,” “A Texas Baptist Power Struggle: The Hayden Controversy” and “Readings in Baptist History.”
Early has given several presentations and has had several articles published. He speaks frequently at historical conferences across the United States. His expertise is in general church history, Baptist history and theology, and philosophy.
He is married to Tiffany Early and is the son of Dr. Joe Early Sr., who retired as academic vice president from the University of the Cumberlands, and his wife, Phyllis.
Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 3,500 students offering 63 undergraduate options, 17 master's degrees, five postgraduate areas and eight pre-professional programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.