He is Professor of Christian Scriptures at Baylor's George W. Truett Theological Seminary, where he served as the seminary's fourth dean from June 2007 to June 2015. During this time, he was Baylor's interim president from August 2008 through May 2010 and Interim provost from July 2014 to June 2015. He was honored to have The David E. Garland Chair of Preaching provided for the seminary through the initial gift of an anonymous donor and subsequent gifts from others. He also served on the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary faculty for 21 years, was chairman of the Biblical Division from 1992 to 1997, and was the Ernest and Mildred Hogan Professor of New Testament Interpretation from 1993 to 1997. A magna cum laude graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University and U.S. Navy veteran, he received his master of divinity and doctoral degrees from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and also completed postgraduate work at Eberhardt-Karls Universitat in Taübingen, Germany, and Macquarrie University in Sydney, Australia. In addition to his administrative duties, Garland is a New Testament scholar, having authored, co-authored, and edited 24 books, which include commentaries on the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Acts, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Colossians, and Philemon. His publishers include Mercer University Press, Baker Books, and Zondervan Publishing. He has also published more than fifty articles and contributed to the acclaimed DVD series, "Deeper Connections," produced by Zondervan. His Mark: NIV Application Commentary received a Silver Medallion from the CBA in 1996. "The Gospel of Mark" in Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary received the Gold Medallion Award from the ECPA in 2003. 1 Corinthians received a Silver Medallion from the ECPA and an Award of Merit from Christianity Today in 2004. His most recent book, The Theology of Mark, was nominated as a finalist in the Bible Reference category of the ECPA Christian Book Award. He is an elected member of Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas. Dr. Garland remains closely connected to local church ministry. He has preached in churches throughout the US, Australia, and Africa, and has served as interim pastor of sixteen churches in Kentucky, Indiana, and Texas. Dr. Garland's late wife, Dr. Diana S. Richmond Garland, served as the founding dean of Baylor's School of Social Work, which was renamed in her honor. They co-authored several books, including Flawed Families of the Bible: How God's Grace Works Through Imperfect Relationships.
Controversy
In 2017, the Houston Chronicle reported a court filing revealed what Baylor University Interim President David E. Garland stated in online communication with a Baylor administrator. Garland cited an NPR episode in which the author chronicled alcoholism in college. Garland said the piece "added another perspective for me of what is going on in the heads of some women who may seem willingly to make themselves victims."
