Distinctive and Distinguishing Teachers

Dr. David GowlerDr. David Gowler
Pierce Professor of Religion
Associate Professor of Religion
Humanities

David B. Gowler became Pierce Professor of Religion at Oxford College of Emory University in the fall of 2000. Since joining the faculty at Oxford College, he has received a grant from the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning, a Scholarship of Teaching grant from Oxford College, and the Oxford Rackley Career Development Award, was an Office of University Community Partnerships Faculty Fellow, published in the area of information technology and teaching, received a "Best Teaching Idea Award" from Emory University, won first place in Emory University's "Best Syllabus" competition, won an University Advisory Council on Teaching Consultation Award, and won the Phi Theta Kappa Teaching Award for 2003.

Dr. Gowler is the author of the books Host, Guest, Enemy, and Friend, What Are They Saying About the Parables?, and What Are They Saying About the Historical Jesus? He has published dozens of articles, chapters in books, and book reviews, is the editor of several other books, and has served as Associate Editor of Emory Studies in Early Christianity since 1991. His research interests include the Synoptic Gospels and Acts, the parables, the historical Jesus, the merger of literary and social-scientific approaches to the New Testament, and the literary theory of the philosopher Mikhail Bakhtin.

Before coming to Oxford College, I had taught for many years at a college in North Carolina. A colleague of mine knew about Oxford, and when he heard that there was a religion position open, he recommended that I investigate. I visited Oxford, met its faculty, staff, and students, and immediately realized this was the place for me. So I left a tenured Full Professor position to come to Oxford as an untenured Associate Professor. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. Our Oxford College community embodies a dedication to teaching and learning that most colleges espouse but precious few actually attain.

As our recent Strategic Plan observes, Oxford is a diverse, caring community that integrates instrumental education-in which learners acquire knowledge or skills that enable them to do particular tasks-and transformational education-in which learners develop in significant ways as human beings. The diversity of our student body creates a dynamic atmosphere for learning both inside and outside the classroom.

Oxford is an incredible liberal arts intensive environment, and its role within Emory University is crucial: It demonstrates how the scholarship of teaching and learning can be the nexus between the scholarships of discovery (research), integration, and application (service).