Truett Seminary Welcomes Dr. Carolyn Ann Knight as Seminary Scholar in Residence
Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary announced today that Rev. Dr. Carolyn Ann Knight will serve as a scholar in residence for the spring 2026 semester. Knight will work alongside Truett’s preaching faculty as a scholar, teacher, and mentor to Truett’s master’s and PhD in Preaching students. She will also be engaged in research and writing and will deliver a lecture for Truett faculty members, staff, and students.
Additionally, in March, Knight will join Tyshawn Gardner, PhD, associate professor of preaching at Truett and assistant director of the Kyle Lake Center for Effective Preaching, as a co-teacher in a PhD in Preaching seminar conducted in Birmingham, Alabama, on preaching during the Civil Rights era.
“Carolyn Ann Knight is no stranger to Truett Seminary,” said Gardner. “We presented her with the Living Legend Award at the African American Preaching Conference last year, and she served as our preaching celebrant for the E.K. Bailey Preaching Celebration in 2024. Dr. Knight is one of America’s premier preachers and is also a brilliant teacher. She is known and respected across the country for her passionate and theologically rich biblical preaching. Greater still, she is an extraordinary person.”
Reflecting on her appointment as a scholar in residence, Knight remarked, “Several years ago, at the invitation of Dr. Joel Gregory, I made my first visit to Truett Seminary. Since that time, I have enjoyed a wonderful relationship with the Seminary and many of its faculty and administrators. I am honored and grateful to be here this semester. I look forward to the rigors of teaching, research, and writing and to being in the mix of Truett’s academic environment.”
Gardner contends, “Dr. Knight’s presence as a seminary scholar in residence will be a highlight this semester. It echoes our commitment to introduce and connect our students to the best and brightest preachers and scholars in the Church and academy. Her homiletical excellence is a testament to her devotion to Christ and His Church. We welcome and anticipate her impact this semester with gratitude.”
Knight served as assistant professor of homiletics at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia, for ten years. She also served churches in Colorado, Texas, and New York. Knight received a BA from Bishop College in Dallas, Texas, a MDiv from Union Theological Seminary in New York, New York, and a DMin from the United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. She was mentored in organizational strategy and pastoral leadership by the late Rev. Dr. Wyatt Tee Walker, former chief of staff to Martin Luther King, Jr. She is founder and president of Can Do! Ministries, a youth advocacy ministry dedicated to the empowerment of youth and young adults. She is a sought-after preacher and lecturer in churches, colleges, and seminaries across the nation.
Dr. Knight’s service as a scholar in residence at Truett Seminary is made possible through the Lilly Endowment’s Compelling Preaching Initiative grant.