Dr. Amy Merrill Willis, associate professor of religious studies and chair of the religious studies department, has been named the University of Lynchburg’s recipient of the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges Mednick Faculty Fellowship Award for 2021.
Willis will use the funds received as part of the award for a research project titled “The Theology of the Book of Daniel.”
The purpose of the project is to offer a critical and constructive theological reading of the Book of Daniel found in the Bible’s Old Testament. Funds will be used to procure research materials, such as monographs and reference materials, and to support research travel to libraries.
“This project will help readers see how the apocalyptic worldview of the Book of Daniel helped shape western views of time and history in ways that were both positive and destructive in terms of their consequences,” the impact statement in the award announcement stated. “This project will help readers engage this powerful text in ways that are both analytical and constructive.”
The Maurice L. Mednick Memorial was created in 1967 in honor of a young Norfolk industrialist who died from accidental causes. The Mednick Memorial Fund is administered by the VFIC to encourage the professional development of college teachers and improve their academic competence through fellowships for research and advanced study.
Founded in 1952, the VFIC is a nonprofit fundraising partnership supporting the programs and students of 15 leading private colleges in the commonwealth.
