Biographical Note: George W. Braswell, Jr. is a world-renowned scholar and expert in the field of World Religions and Middle Eastern Studies. Braswell’s career in academia began when he earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and Philosophy from Wake Forest University. He continued his education at Yale Divinity where he earned a Bachelor of Divinity in Comparative Religions and Christian Missions. After Yale, Braswell earned a Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, both focused in the area of anthropology of religions. Braswell also earned a Doctor of Ministry from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, in Wake Forest, North Carolina. Braswell’s career in academia continued following his time as a student. Following a five-year stint as pastor of Cullowhee Baptist Church in Cullowhee, North Carolina, Braswell took a professorship at the University of Tehran in Tehran, Iran, where he taught comparative religions. After five years in Tehran, Braswell taught year at Damavand College, where he taught sociology and English. As the political situation in Iran became increasingly tumultuous in the mid-1970s, Braswell returned to the United States in 1974, and took the position of Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Missions and World Religions at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he would remain for the next thirty years. In 2005, Braswell went to Campbell University Divinity School in Buies Creek, North Carolina, where he continued teaching World Religions, with a special focus on communicating to students the great need to have open dialogues with people of other faiths. In 2007, Braswell helped to found the World Religions and Global Cultures Center at Campbell Divinity School, where he continues to use his position to train future Christian leaders to have a more adept sense of global awareness and a deeper understanding of the cultures and religions of people around the world. Throughout his time as an educator, Braswell has written numerous books and articles on the topics of Islam, Christianity, and global missions.
Scope and Contents:
This collection documents the career of Dr. George W. Braswell, Jr. Braswell is a life-long scholar and teacher of world religions. During the course of his career, Braswell taught at institutions of higher learning in Iran and the Unites States, including thirty years at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, where he was the Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Missions and World Religions. Contained in this collection are many of Braswell’s class lecture notes and syllabi; numerous correspondence to Braswell; articles written by Braswell; and research done by Braswell for his many articles and books.
Custodial History: In 2014, Dr. Braswell donated 25 linear feet of material to the Archives. An additional 14 cubic feet of material was donated in 2018, and 15 cubic feet of material was donated in 2021.
Subjects and Access Points:
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Islam
Global missions
World religions
Foreign Missions Board