Faculty Spotlight: Julius “Rex” Gurney III I think, therefore I am Real Madrid


Rex Gurney was pastoring a church in San Jose when he received a letter from San Jose Christian College asking if he knew anyone who could teach U.S. History. Typically, he let those kind of letters go but, he investigated this one. It wasn’t long before he started teaching at SJCC part-time while serving as a full-time minister. Teaching part-time led to another year teaching full-time, which led to another year. Except in his third year, SJCC became William Jessup University. Rex moved with the university to Rocklin, CA and quickly worked toward creating and building the History Department.


Rex received his B.A. from University of New Mexico in English Literature, his M.Div. from Golden Gate Baptist Teological Seminary and his T.M. and Ph.D. in Church History from Union Teological Seminary. He teaches a plethora of courses: Western Civilization, U.S. History, 20th Century History, History of Religion in America, Military History, Christianity and Islam in Conflict, Ancient Rome, Christian Perspective, Introduction to Philosophy and Contemporary Teology.


We asked Rex, Why Jessup?


“Te eclecticism inherent in history and philosophy allows me to teach all sorts of subjects. I enjoy teaching in a Christian university where there is a natural way to integrate faith and learning—it’s not forced.”


Let’s break the ice… Sand Painting


From the high desert and mountains to the Navajo people, a piece of New Mexico will always remain in Rex’s heart and memory.


Globe


Rex has traveled to 21 countries and has stories about all of them. The most provocative was the time he snuck into Cuba. The trip’s itinerary: Virginia to Dallas, Dallas to Cancun, Cancun to Havana.


Custom Made Telecaster


Playing music most of his life, Rex has been in bands since college. Every once in a while you can catch him rocking out in the staff and faculty worship band in chapel.


Life of Christ Icon


Rex begins almost every class with a prayer from a Church Father or the Oxford Book of Prayers. A professor of History and Theology, he has an interest in the wider Christian world and church.


Machete


Rex was a Baptist missionary in Colombia for two years and later spent a summer in Ecuador. He’s fluent in Spanish but fairly inarticulate in machete—but if he needed to, he could mow his lawn with one.


Spain


Rex’s wife, Patti, grew up in Spain. They frequently travel to “La Furia Roja,” (the Red Fury) with their two sons, Josh and Karl, visiting historical and artistic sites and may or may not have attended a Real Madrid “futbol” match or two.


JESSUP MAGAZINE | 19


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