Former Baylor president’s death marks end of an era

Updated: 6/08/07

Former Baylor president’s
death marks end of an era

By Ken Camp

Managing Editor

WACO—Texas Baptist leaders agreed Baylor University President Emeritus Herbert Reynolds’ death marked the end of an era in Baptist life.

Reynolds died May 25 at his family’s second home in Angel Fire, N.M., at age 77 from what was presumed to be a heart attack.

Reynolds served as Baylor’s 11th president from 1981 to 1995, succeeding Abner McCall. He led the school to found Truett Theological Seminary, enter the Big 12 Conference and change its charter to protect the university from what he saw as a possible fundamentalist takeover.

Baylor University President John Lilley termed Reynolds one of the “great leaders” in Baylor’s history and “a renowned Texas Baptist.” He particularly singled out Reynolds’ role in founding Truett Seminary in 1994.

“I have known Herb for 50 years, first as Capt. Reynolds, one of my Air Force ROTC professors,” Lilley recalled. “During his 14-year presidency and the service he provided under President Abner McCall, Herb made an extraordinary impact on Baylor University, creating a new governance structure and supporting a variety of new academic initiatives, student life opportunities and facilities.”

Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Director Charles Wade praised Reynolds’ life of ministry and leadership.

“Dr. Reynolds was a courageous leader not only of the Baylor family but of Texas Baptists,” Wade said. “His deep appreciation for the essence of our Baptist heritage based on his confidence in the gospel of Jesus Christ and his faithfulness to the Baptist vision of soul competency and religious liberty made him a true Baptist statesman.

“In addition to his strong leadership of Baylor and influence in Texas Baptist life, he was a quintessential Christian gentleman. His love for students and friends was evident in all his relationships. I will greatly miss him as a friend and adviser.”

Bill Pinson, whose tenure as BGCT executive director mostly coincided with Reynolds’ time as Baylor’s president, remembered Reynolds as a friend and co-worker in Baptist life.

“A flood of words come to mind about him—Christian gentleman, devoted family man, committed churchman, dedicated Baptist, brilliant administrator, tireless worker. … Indeed, an array of adjectives fit him such as devout, insightful, thoughtful, courteous, gracious, appreciative, zealous, courageous, forthright, responsible and generous. He possessed a sharp mind, a quick wit and a sense of humor,” Pinson said.

But for all his academic achievements and intellectual abilities, Reynolds never forgot the simple lessons he learned as a child in Sunday school and Training Union, Pinson added.

“In the midst of all that he did and was part of, the stability of his life came from a single-minded focus on serving Christ—this was his guiding light, his source of navigation through life,” he said. “Simple faith and profound commitment bound together as one characterized Herbert Reynolds.”

During Reynolds’ tenure, the university changed its charter so the BGCT no longer would appoint all its governing board. Reynolds said the change was needed to protect the school from being taken over by fundamentalists who had taken over the institutions of the Southern Bap-tist Convention and were making inroads into state conventions.

David Currie, executive director of Texas Bap-tists Committed, worked closely with Reynolds in resisting fundamentalism. He praised Reynolds as possessing “pure courage and pure class” and as being “a Baptist hero for the ages.”

Reynolds “clearly saw the threat to all it means to be a Baptist before most and responded with unwavering conviction, courage and leadership,” Currie said.

Phil Lineberger, pastor of Williams Trace Baptist Church in Sugar Land, served as BGCT president when the BGCT and Baylor reached an agreement that allowed the state convention to name one-fourth of the university’s regents and continue to receive some financial support. He praised Reynolds as “a giant of a man,” a “Christian gentleman who was sincere in all that he did” and “a good friend” who will be missed greatly.

“Dr. Herb Reynolds offered a tremendous witness to the authentic Baptist faith,” Lineberger said. “He was a Christian example, a tremendous leader in higher education and a champion of the Baptist principle of separation of church and state.”

Jeff Kilgore, executive vice president of the Baylor Alumni Association, praised Reynolds as “the rare combination of a visionary and an achiever” whose impact on Baylor University would be hard to overstate.

“A steadfast champion of religious and academic freedom and a bold leader, he had a deep faith and unshakable integrity. Yet, despite his greatness, he was humble and approachable, witty and kind,” Kilgore said.