Dyron B. Daughrity is the William S. Banowsky Chair in Religion at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. He is the author of many books and articles in the fields of comparative religion, global Christianity, and world religious history. He has ministered to churches for over 30 years, and is currently the Senior Minister at the Hilltop Community Church of Christ in El Segundo, California. Dyron has been married to Sunde for 28 years and they have four children.
See below for links to Dyron’s books.
How many books have you written and which is your favorite?
I’ve written around 13 books, and have edited around seven or eight more. So in total, that is somewhere around 20 books. My favorite? That’s tough. They each have a story to tell. The book that has the most time invested into it is probably A Worldly Christian: The Life and Times of Stephen Neill (Lutterworth Press, 2021).
When did you begin writing, and what inspired you or led you to write (person, another author, an event)?
I have loved writing since a small child. I still have some of my earliest writings. I have always loved creative writing, but I like to stay within the nonfiction lane. My father has enjoyed creative writing over the years, so I imagine that has helped my curiosity. I had great teachers over the years who encouraged me. I started writing poetry while in high school. Being an academic and a pastor means that I must write weekly, so it is something that I’m compelled to do for reasons of employment (!), but over the years I have learned to really enjoy the process.
What book(s) or projects are you currently working on?
I am currently working on a book called “Christianity and Culture: A Global Perspective.” I should finish it soon. I hope it will be released in 2024.
What was your inspiration for your most recent book or work-in-progress?
I was impacted by H. Richard Niebuhr’s book Christianity and Culture. I read it in seminary and have since thought it to be brilliant and helpful.
What books are you currently reading (for research and/or entertainment)?
I’m currently reading all kinds of stuff: self-help, books in my discipline, devotions, and lots of online stuff. I don’t read as many “books” as I probably should, as I learned from Rodney Stark that I should probably be writing more books than I read at this stage of life.
What is your writing process like?
I usually have student researchers. They help me get my outlines together. We have a back and forth process. I find open times in my schedule, and I try to keep my teaching schedule to times that are conducive for me writing. For example, I usually try to keep my courses on two or three days a week so I can have a couple of days open for research.
What is the most difficult part of your writing process?
After I finish a book, it is always difficult to do all of the stuff required before publishing: multiple edits, indexing (which I usually get help with), back and forth with presses, etc.
What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?
“Words on paper, words on paper.” One of my colleagues taught me that. Just keep writing. Don’t pull away from it for too long or you’ll struggle to return to it!
What tool(s) do you use to write, and how? (Computer, tablet, apps, paper, etc.)
I use Microsoft Word. I usually write in my office. And I thoroughly need two screens: one for material on my left, and the right screen for writing the manuscript.
How do you celebrate when you finish your book?
I don’t smoke a cigarette, like in the Stephen King novel “Misery!” I prefer to take my family out for a meal, usually at Chili’s!
What is one thing you hope readers take away from your book(s)? Who is your ideal reader?
I hope my readers take away a desire to keep learning. I hope they are impacted by my books, but hopefully it opens them up to new ideas that they can then pursue.
My ideal reader is the one who reads my entire book, and looks for another book written by me when finished!
