When Baptist icon Sigurd Bryan graduated from seminary almost a half century ago, he naturally assumed God would lead him to a pastorate. But God had other plans for the talented theologian.
Instead of a church, God steered Bryan’s career into the classroom.
And now, after 46 years of dedicated teaching, the highly respected and beloved professor has retired as chairman of Samford University’s (SU) department of religion.
Bryan, a 1946 graduate of Howard College, went on to pursue his divinity degree and doctor of theology degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky.
The 78-year-old, who grew up in Dothan, began his academic teaching career in 1956, the last year that SU was known as Howard College and was still located in Birmingham’s East Lake area.
Distinguished career
His distinguished career has academically enriched thousands of Samford students who have taken his Old Testament survey course. Last academic year he taught more than 230 students. “I have enjoyed my tenure at Samford so much. It has been such a joy and privilege to teach students the Bible,” he said.
Samford’s student ministries director, April Robinson, took a Christian doctrine course from Bryan in 1992 and said she received a true appreciation for the Bible under Bryan’s tutelage.
“He taught me how to let the Scripture remain alive and powerful. He has a sincere reverence and awe for God’s Word,” she said.
Last spring, a student of Bryan’s who had taken a biblical perspectives class wrote on his final examination paper, “I came into this course knowing absolutely nothing about Christianity. At first I was somewhat overwhelmed because everyone here is a Christian and had heard these stories their whole life. Dr. Bryan, you have forever changed my perspective on Christianity.”
Bryan and his wife, Sara, are members of Shades Crest Baptist Church, Birmingham. Sara, and the Bryans’ daughter, Catherine, are both graduates of Samford.
In addition to Bryan’s teaching career, he has preached in Baptist churches throughout Alabama, which he says he will continue to do in his retirement.
Bryan’s plans are to continue his active lifestyle of daily walking and swimming. And he says he will continue to devote a lot of time to the Old Testament by teaching courses for Samford’s extension programs.
The impact Bryan has had on his students is far-reaching. As senior Chad McGinnis said, “In Dr. Bryan’s Christian doctrine and biblical perspectives classes, I experienced some of my most intimate moments with Christ. One of the most memorable was during a lesson on the Lord’s Supper,” McGinnis said.
“Dr. Bryan read from a church bulletin that we do not come to the Lord’s table because we are worthy but because we are frail. The words he read were so simple. It was then that I felt Christ’s spirit move in our classroom. I saw a simple faith in a scholarly man.”
Of his decision to retire, Bryan said, “I just decided it was time to pass this privilege on to a younger teacher.”
(Alicia Reece contributed)
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