Anthony Weston, professor of philosophy, was presented with the 2001-02 Daniels-Danieley Award for Excellence in Teaching at Elon’s annual Faculty-Staff Awards Luncheon on May 15. J. Christian Wilson, professor of religious studies, was the recipient of the Distinguished Scholar Award.
Weston has been recognized by students and faculty alike for his innovative, challenging and thoughtful approach to teaching.
“His students uniformly give his teaching the highest praise,” writes a colleague in support of Weston’s nomination. “Many become his friends. In addition, Anthony has served as a constant invitation for our department to rethink and renew itself.”
One of Weston’s students says her future teaching career will be influenced by his presence in the classroom. “I know that Anthony’s teaching methods will influence my own ways of teaching in the classroom. He is able to connect with each student on his or her own level, so that the entire class can understand the topic at hand.”
Another student cites a class where Weston arrived dressed as a gorilla, portraying the title character in the book “Ishmael.” “At the end of the previous class, he had told us to expect a guest speaker at the next class…After a few minutes of the class trying to figure out whether Dr. Weston was under the costume, a very thoughtful discussion began to develop.”
Weston has been an active member of the university’s academic community, participating in Elon’s Gender Studies program and assisting with the design of a major in Environmental Studies. He is the author of several highly-acclaimed books, including “A 21st Century Ethical Toolbox,” and “A Practical Companion to Ethics.”
Weston came to Elon in 1992. He received a bachelor’s degree from Macalester College, St. Paul, Minn., and master’s and doctorate degrees in philosophy from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Weston is the 30th winner of the Daniels-Danieley Award, established by J. Earl Danieley, president emeritus, and his wife, Verona Daniels Danieley, in honor of their parents.
Wilson has been recognized as one of the top scholars in the study of the New Testament. He has been published in numerous books, journals, dictionaries and magazines, including New Testament Studies, the premier journal in its field. He has written two books, “Toward a Reassessment of the Shepherd of Hermas: Its Date and Its Pneumatology,” and “Five Problems in the Shepherd of Hermas.”
Wilson is an ordained United Methodist minister who has worked as a parish minister and college chaplain during his career. He has written extensively for the clergy, appearing frequently in the United Methodist clergy journal Circuit Rider and other publications. He also writes for United Methodist publications for general audiences, such as church school publications, study guides and small group study materials.
His colleagues praise his commitment to scholarship and teaching, and his ability to merge the two in the classroom. “What makes his work so impressive is the fact that Dr. Wilson’s scholarship is always being brought back to the classroom to enhance the educational experience of his students,” writes a colleague. “I hear it from them when I talk to them, and I see it from them when I read their senior thesis papers. They are well equipped for graduate work and make contributions of their own when they move out into the world.”
Wilson joined the Elon faculty in 1986. He received a bachelor’s degree, master’s degrees and a doctorate in biblical studies from Duke University, Durham, N.C.
He is the third recipient of the Distinguished Scholar Award, established in 2000 to recognize a faculty member whose research has earned peer commendation and respect, while making a significant contribution to their field of study.