Baylor Posts Two Authors Among Top 10 Religion Books

The American Library Association has included the works of two Baylor University professors--The Listening Heart: Vocation and the Crisis of Modern Culture by the late Dr. A.J. "Chip" Conyers and Discovering God: The Origins of the Great Religions and the Evolution of Belief by Dr. Rodney Stark-- in its Booklist magazine's Top 10 Books in Religion for 2007. 
"Booklist magazine is one of, if not the premiere English language selection tool used by librarians across the country and around the world," said Bill Hair, associate dean and director of University Libraries at Baylor. "What a tremendous honor for Baylor University to have the books of two Baylor professors selected for inclusion in the list of Top 10 Religion Books of 2007." 
Conyers' Listening Heart was published posthumously in December 2006 by Spence Publishing Co. One of the founding faculty members of Baylor's George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Conyers died July 18, 2004, after a long battle with cancer.
"Dr. Conyers knew that this might be his last book," said Dr. David E. Garland, dean of Truett Seminary and the William M. Hinson Professor of Christian Scriptures. "Death was approaching all too rapidly, and the cancer was sapping his strength. With intrepid courage and unwavering dedication, he finished it. It is his last gift to us. It is a lasting witness to his steadfast faith."
Stark's Discovering God was published this fall by HarperOne. A Booklist reviewer called Stark's latest book "an essential sourcebook" for "serious students of religion" and pointed out, "Skeptics such as Richard Dawkins and Daniel Dennett have just lost their monopoly on the topic of religious evolution. Only a believer, Stark asserts, can fathom the origins and subsequent unfolding of the world's great faiths."
"Discovering God is another major contribution from Dr. Rodney Stark--in fact his 27th book on sociology of religion," said Dr. Charles M. Tolbert II, BA '73, MA '75, professor and chair of the department of sociology at Baylor. "We should not underestimate the impact of such prolific scholarship on Baylor and on Baylor sociology."
"Most importantly, there is a pedagogical side to this synergy," Tolbert added. "Students leave his classes with a bit of [Stark's] passion themselves, energized to tackle a topic of great interest to them. Most will only know Rod Stark as a renowned writer. We at Baylor know him as a master mentor and great teacher."