DISTINGUISHED SENIOR FELLOWS

Shawn Akers, M.A., J.D. Dean, Helms School of Government Adjunct Assistant Professor of Law, Liberty University School of Law   Education J.D., Regent University School of Law M.A., Regent University School of Government B.A., Northeast Louisiana University

Biography

Shawn Akers regularly works with conservative faith-based leaders and organizations at the national level, addressing matters of public policy, lobbying, and elections. He serves on the advisory council of National Public Policy Strategy Coalition and he regularly participates in the Military Culture Coalition, a council of experts and leaders on national defense and military readiness, headed by Elaine Donnelly.

Akers has also:

• Served as a policy analyst with Liberty Counsel
• Drafted a variety of scholarly and popular articles and policy analysis
• Been a frequent guest or co-host on national radio programs discussing political and public policy issues
• Provided counsel to public officeholders
• Served as a consultant to political candidates and campaigns

As a private practice attorney, Akers represented clients in state and federal trial and appellate courts, including the Louisiana Supreme Court. While in private practice, he served as a member of the Louisiana Bar Association House of Delegates.

Akers works with the dean of the Liberty University School of Law to develop joint programs and opportunities between the Helms School of Government and the law school. 

View Dr. Shawn Akers' Biography in Helms School of Government

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David Baggett, Ph.D. Professor of Apologetics   Education Ph.D., Wayne State University M.Div., Asbury Theological Seminary B.A., University of Michigan

Biography

David Baggett joined the School of Divinity in 2014, after teaching in the university’s philosophy department for eight years. Previously he taught for four years at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Penn.

Baggett’s areas of interest include philosophy and popular culture, philosophical theology, ethics, philosophy of religion, and philosophy of sport. He has published dozens of articles and reviews and written or edited nine books, with several more in production.

View Dr. David Baggett's Biography in the Rawlings School of Divinity

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Kenneth J. Dormer, M.S, Ph.D., FAHA Chair and Professor of Physiology Department of Integrative Physiology & Pharmacology, College of Osteopathic Medicine   Education NIH Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Texas Medical Branch Ph.D., University California, Los Angeles, CA M.S., University California, Los Angeles, CA B.S., Cornell University

Biography

Prior to joining LUCOM in April 2013, Dr. Dormer spent 30 years at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City as a professor and researcher.

During that tenure, he co-founded three not-for-profit corporations; two in Africa to promote medical teaching and research and one in Oklahoma City, the Hough Ear Institute. The HEI is a Christian, otologic research, education and humanitarian organization where, along with Dr. Jack Hough, Dormer co-invented a portion of the cochlear implant, the Audiant Bone Conductor and the MAXUM; FDA-approved implantable hearing devices, presently in ~ 200,000 patients.

His passion to serve underserved people in Christ’s name has been expressed in Africa for 18 years where two of the non-profit organizations sought to aid medical education and research in sub-Saharan African medical schools and where today, he is Adjunct Faculty with the Pan African Academy of Christian Surgeons, a ministry of CMDA.

He and his wife of 47 years, Karen Dormer, have served together, teaching marriage skills classes, teaching English as second language to international students (English Literacy Mission) and facilitating The Truth Project, a 13 week Christian World View course, for the past 20 years. Together they enjoy camping, distance cycling, fly fishing, and wind surfing.

View Dr. Ken Dormer's Biography in the College of Osteopathic Medicine

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Mark W. Foreman, Ph.D. Professor of Philosophy and Religion   Education Ph.D., University of Virginia M.A., University of Virginia M.A.B.S., Dallas Theological Seminary

Biography

Dr. Mark W. Foreman is professor of philosophy and religion at Liberty University where he has taught philosophy, apologetics, and bioethics for over 25 years. He has an MABS from Dallas Theological Seminary and an MA and Ph.D. from the University of Virginia.

He is the author of Christianity and Bioethics (College Press, 1999, [reprint Wipf and Stock, 2011] ), Prelude to Philosophy: An Introduction for Christians (InterVarsity Press, 2013), How Do We Know: An Introduction to Epistemology (with James K. Dew,Jr., InterVarsity Press, 2014) and articles in theEncyclopedia of Christian Civilization (Wiley-Blackwell, 2012), Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics(Harvest House, 2008) as well as chapters in Come Let us Reason: New Essay in Christian Apologetics(B&H, 2012) Steven Spielberg and Philosophy (with David Baggett, University of Kentucky Press, 2008) and Tennis and Philosophy (University of Kentucky Press, 2010).

Mark is the current vice-president of the Evangelical Philosophical Society where he has been a member for over 20 years. He is married and has three adult children and 4 grandchildren.

View Dr. Mark Foreman's Biography in the Department of Philosophy

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Christopher Gnanakan, Ph.D. Professor of Theological and Global Studies   Education Ph.D., University of Leeds (UK) D.D., Trinity Baptist College D.Min., South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies M.Th., South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies M.Div., Asian Graduate School of Theology B.A., Bible and Christian Ministry Tennessee Temple University Diploma in Biblical Studies, Word of Life Bible Institute

Biography

Dr. Gnanakan has served at Liberty University since 2014 as a faculty member in the Rawlings School of Divinity. His Academic expertise is in Theological Studies, Global Studies, and World Religions. Professor Gnanakan has more than 20 years of experience in teaching, preaching, counseling and leaders in the in international settings. In that experience he has also been involved in Church planting, pastoring, and partnering with mission organizations.

He has written several academic and lay curriculums for Churches and Christian organizations. Dr. Gnanakan has also published several books including: Charismata and Compassion, Lambert Academic Press, Saarbrucken, Germany, 2012. Angels and Demons, “Wounded Warrior-Healer”, Illinois, Apollos / IVP, 2007. South Asia Biblical Commentary, “First & Second Peter”, Langham Press, forthcoming.

Dr. Gnanakan is also the Executive Director of Outreach to Asia Nationals (OTAN), which is headquartered in Winchestor VA. He is also a member of Global Alliance for Church Multiplication (GACM), World Evangelical Association (WEA) Dynamic Church Planting International (DCPI), Missio Nexus, and Board:15:20 Coalition.

View Dr. Chris Gnanakan's Biography in the Rawlings School of Divinity

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Gary Habermas, Ph.D. Distinguished Research Professor of Apologetics and Philosophy   Education Ph.D., Michigan State University M.A., University of Detroit B.R.E., William Tyndale College

Biography

Dr. Gary Habermas has dedicated his professional life to the examination of the relevant historical, philosophical, and theological issues surrounding the death and resurrection of Jesus. His extensive list of publications and debates provides a thorough account of the current state of the issue.

He has also contributed more than 60 chapters or articles to additional books, and over 100 articles and reviews in journals and other publications. In recent years, he has been a Visiting or Adjunct Professor at about 15 different graduate schools and seminaries in the United States and abroad.

Dr. Habermas is Distinguished Research Professor of Apologetics and Philosophy at Liberty University Rawlings School of Divinity. He is married to Eileen and they have seven children and 11 grandchildren.

View Dr. Gary Habermas' Biography in the Department of Philosophy

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Biography

Prior to joining Liberty School of Law, Lindevaldsen served as senior litigation counsel to Liberty Counsel, a nonprofit litigation and education organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of human life, and traditional family.

At Liberty Counsel, she was actively involved in efforts throughout the country to preserve traditional marriage through litigation, legislation, and constitutional amendments. In addition to her efforts to protect children and families, she regularly provided representation to Child Evangelism Fellowship in its efforts to gain access to public schools for after-school Good News Clubs. 

She has appeared on numerous radio and television programs around the world, including BBC News, MSNBC’s “The Abrams Report” and “Scarborough Country,” CNN’s “Paula Zahn Now,” and Fox News Radio’s “The Alan Colmes Show.”  She has been a speaker and panelist at a number of conferences, seminars, and debates around the country.

Before she joined Liberty Counsel, Lindevaldsen was an associate with Katsky & Korins, LLP, one of the longest-lived mid-sized general practice law firms in New York City. She handled all aspects of commercial litigation matters, including partnership disputes, federal and state securities matters, and commercial foreclosures. 

While at Liberty Counsel, she co-authored several legal memoranda for legislative bodies, including:

“The Federal Marriage Amendment Preserves Marriage as the Union of One Man and One Woman and is Consistent with Constitutional Jurisprudence and Federalism” “Constitutional Analysis of the New York ‘Dignity for All Students Act’”
“Legal Analysis of SB 101: Proposal to Add Sexual Orientation to the Illinois Human Rights Act”

Lindevaldsen is admitted to practice law in all Florida, New York, and Virginia state courts, the United States Supreme Court, and all United States Courts of Appeal.

View Dr. Rena Lindevaldsen's Biography in the School of Law