SWU News:

October 4, 2007

Author brings his book to Southern Wesleyan

Southern Wesleyan University’s Rev. Jim Wiggins, left, receives a copy of “Gospel-Telling to a Digital Culture” from the author, Dr. Jonathan Watts, a graduate of the university.

Author, professor and class of 1973 Southern Wesleyan University graduate Dr. Jonathan Watts visited the university’s campus Oct. 1 to promote his book, “Gospel-Telling to a Digital Culture: The Forensic Reconstruction of a Good Story.”  

Watts presented a copy of the book to Vice President for Development Jim Wiggins, who accepted it on behalf of the university. The book will be available to the university community through Claude A. Rickman Library on the university’s campus in Central, S.C.

Dr. Watts is a professor at Snead State Community College in Boaz, Ala., teaching religion, philosophy and speech. He is an elder in the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Watts holds a bachelor’s degree in theology, a master of divinity degree, a doctor of ministry degree and a doctor of philosophy degree, which he received from the Graduate Theological Foundation upon successfully defending his dissertation in Oxford, England, where he studied at Christ Church College, Oxford University.

The author has a broad background in church work as a lay person, a minister of music and has 20 years in pastoral ministry. He, and his wife Karen Young Watts, a 1974 SWU graduate, are active in the First United Methodist Church in Guntersville , Ala. They have two daughters, Lindsey and Whitney.

Watts has conducted numerous workshops and retreats focusing on storytelling and preaching. The book is published by Cloverdale Books.

Dr. Watts and his family sponsor scholarships for Southern Wesleyan University students.