JOHNSON CITY – The Bible played a crucial role in the Civil War.
That’s the argument put forward by Dr. James P. Byrd, a Vanderbilt University professor
who is coming to East Tennessee State University to speak about his book “A Holy Baptism
of Fire: The Bible and the American Civil War” published by Oxford University Press.
Dr. James Byrd
The event is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 20, on the second floor of the D.P. Culp Student Center.
His talk is free and open to the public.
“It is a great honor to have such an accomplished scholar come to our campus,” said Dr. Jennifer Adler, associate director of the Roan Scholars Leadership Program. “His topic is deeply interesting, and we invite students, faculty and staff, as well as the community, to come engage with Dr. Byrd.”
Byrd’s book has garnered positive reviews. The academic journal Church History called his work “thorough and evocative,” and the Wall Street Journal dubbed it “revelatory.”
The event is sponsored by ETSU’s Religious Studies Program, the Department of Philosophy and Humanities and the Department of History.