Billy Jim Leonard (born 20 March 1946) is an American historian of religion, Baptist pastor, teacher and dean.
Bill Leonard was born on 20 March 1946 in Decatur, Texas to a salesman, Marvin R. Leonard, and his wife Lavelle, who worked as a secretary. [1] [2] He was raised a Baptist. [3] After he turned ten, Leonard moved with his family to Fort Worth, Texas. [4] Leonard earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Texas Wesleyan College (now ( Texas Wesleyan University) in 1968, followed by a Master of Divinity at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1971. He then obtained a doctorate at Boston University in 1975. [1] [5] Leonard completed postdoctoral research at Yale University. [5] After his studies, he was ordained minister. [6]
Between 1965 and 1972, Leonard was a youth minister at Northridge Baptist Church in Mesquite, Texas. He then led the First Community Church in Southborough, Massachusetts from 1971 to 1975. [1]
He began teaching at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1975, was appointed William Walker Brookes Professor of American Christianity for 1990 and 1991, then left for Samford University in 1992. [1] [5] Concurrently, Leonard was on the faculty of Berea College between 1989 and 1995, including a stint as dean from 1991 to 1992. [1]
In May 1996, Leonard was appointed the founding dean of the Wake Forest University School of Divinity. [5] As dean, Leonard expressed support for LGBT students, and the schools inaugural class admitted in 1999 included a lesbian student. [7] He retired as dean effect 30 June 2010, [2] and was succeeded by Gail R. O'Day.
In September 2011, Wake Forest University announced the creation of the James and Marilyn Dunn Chair of Baptist Studies. [8] [9] On 24 January 2012, Leonard formally assumed the named professorship. [10] Since assuming the role, he has spoken at several educational institutions. [11] He delivered Samford University's 2012 Ray Frank Robbins Lecture, [12] the 2015 William James Lecture at Harvard University, [13] as well as the 2017 William L. Self Preaching Lectures hosted by Mercer University's McAfee School of Theology. [14] Leonard retired from teaching in May 2018 and was named Professor of Divinity Emeritus. [6]