Letters

Summer
Regarding the recent change of leadership of Dr. Robert Sloan, I would like to observe and point out some of the positive changes that Dr. Sloan has been primarily responsible for. I am very pleased he has been so forceful and committed to strong leadership in athletics. This has been a formidable undertaking, and many people did not have the courage nor the strength to undertake this goal in such a direct way. He has never wavered or backed off from his goal. Today, we see the results of that strong commitment. It is all over the front page of the Baylor Magazine, national television and even Houston newspapers and television stations that never mention the Baylor Bears! His athletic director, Tom Stanton, I include in this. They pushed hard, made a few mistakes, recovered, and moved on. I am one person who believes in "Action Education." Therefore, I am greatly overjoyed they have done this for Baylor.
Second, but by no means of lesser importance, Dr. Sloan has had the courage to pound into the north wind in regard to investing in assets. I mean borrowing money, building buildings and creating a stronger academic environment.
I think Dr. Sloan came along and took Baylor up and out of its complacency and started us on the road to further growth in the future. What he did showed great faith in and about Baylor. I salute him and his team for this. They are part of the Family of Baylor. I know whoever emerges as the new president will do equally well.
 

Ronald E. Goelzer, BS '53, MD '57
Baylor University College of Medicine
El Campo, Texas

As a Baylor alumnus, I was very much elated at Baylor's outstanding successes in the sporting arena ... i.e., NCAA champions in women's basketball, men's and women's singles tennis in the past year, not to mention championships in the Big 12 in women's basketball, men's and women's tennis, 400-meter, 4x400-meter relay as well as being baseball co-champions in the past year. In fact, 2004 and 2005 should be considered as being Baylor's best years, in contrast with 2003 when Baylor plunged into its worst abyss with the murder of Patrick Dennehy and the subsequent scandalous revelations about its basketball program. So, once again, we are proud to be Baylor's alumni, and the chant, "Sic 'em Bears" should be on every Baylorite's (past and present) lips.

Stephen B. Isabirye, MA '83
Flagstaff, Ariz.

I was delighted to read about Ms. Kristin Kan in this most recent issue of Baylor Magazine. I graduated from the University Scholars program in 1993 and went to Johns Hopkins Medical School. When I arrived at medical school, I worried about my ability to keep up with graduates from Harvard, Yale, Princeton, etc., etc. But my Baylor education served me well, and I graduated AOA (top 10 percent) of my medical school class. The University Scholars program, with its emphasis on well-roundedness and personal accountability in course selection, is one of Baylor's gems.
Thank you for the story.

Joni Sago, BA '93, MD
Kingsport, Tenn.

February
Vicki Kabat's article on academic and religious freedom was satisfying to read because it showed how deeply Baylor is engaged with this vital issue. Both sides can make reasonable arguments, though their good reasoning tends to cancel each other out. I believe in reason, but even more do I believe in story - in seeing a complex dilemma projected in human terms, which is the way Jesus usually taught. After I had read Ms. Kabat's piece, I chanced to watch for the first time a work of art that instantly crystallized the issue for me. The work of art was the 1928 silent film, "The Passion of Joan of Arc." The film appears to faithfully dramatize Joan's trial, for which a complete transcript exists. 
On the one hand, we have Joan, who may be interpreted as representing the priesthood of the believer. We recognize that Joan is, in fact, a handmaiden of the Most High, and not on account of her military successes, which are never mentioned, but because of her inspired responses, which humbly sidestep every trap that the court has laid for her. We are reminded, through Joan, that when the Most High decides that it is time for a revelation, it is generally an individual - not the guardians of orthodoxy - who is appointed.
On the other hand, we have those guardians of orthodoxy. They stand beneath the banner of the Church, confident in their own righteousness. They can only understand Joan as a witch. They could never be convinced of what is so obvious to the outsider - that their Christian faith has been twisted by politics and patriotism. With Bible in hand, they conspire to the murder of a saint.
The issue today, at least in the present generation, is not one of life and death, but the questions remain. Are the high churchmen of the Baptists incapable of being perverted by politics? Are they too wise to confuse patriotism and the divine will? No doubt they are composed of the best moral fiber, but can they resist the evils that stand in the shadow of orthodoxy? What is the appeal of orthodoxy anyway, but the lure of power - power to save America and to save the world? Maybe, to reference another story, the lure of orthodoxy is like the lure of Frodo Baggins' gold ring.
I can imagine very little of greater value to our faith than a university that remains committed to the highest spiritual values and that also keeps the guidelines of community consensus as broad and flexible as possible. It is an extremely difficult course, with pitfalls on either side. In this challenge we might well pray for a miracle; those with the greatest faith will perhaps expect one.

Earl Simpson, BA '65
Wake, Va.

Back Issue
Interesting how a certain back issue can serve a special purpose. This issue is a favorite of mine and helped calm growing criticism from a co-worker toward President Bush, and equally about Crawford, Texas. So I shared with him the Jan./Feb. '03 issue, pointing out in particular the article on Crawford and Mayor Robert Campbell. Alvin is of the same race as Campbell and both are Democrats. Alvin and I are the best of friends ... all I hoped to accomplish was to influence his appreciation for Crawford and cool his over-the-top partisan criticism about President Bush. He was at first surprised when I presented him the magazine, and 30 minutes later he thanked me, and was genuinely favorably impressed after learning about Mayor Campbell. Plus, it helped that he learned of plans for the presidential library to possibly be located at Baylor. Mission accomplished! Thanks for your help. 
 

Joe Holmes, BA '61
Oklahoma City, Okla.