Investiture remarks by Rev. James Lawson, former Vanderbilt Distinguished University Professor
Vanderbilt University
April 9, 2022
Chancellor Diermeier, Dr. Churchwell, and sisters and brothers, I am very pleased to be here this morning to help participate in the welcoming of the ninth chancellor of Vanderbilt University.
I want simply to make one personal note.
Dorothy and Jim Lawson never broke with Nashville or with Vanderbilt University. We had two good years here in 1958, ’59 and ’60, and we were of the mind that we could never deny the quality of life, and the quality of learning, that I had at Vanderbilt. So we never broke, in large measure because of the nonviolent philosophy that we human beings do not have to hate each other in order to work together to create live abundant for ourselves, our children, our families our communities, our neighborhoods.
I want to lift up a text: Where this is no vision, a people perish. Where there is vision rooted in truth and beauty and mystery and wonder, vision flourishes. And where visions flourish, the people of all stripes are able to be prosperous in the confidence of life.
Vanderbilt, in welcoming our new chancellor, let us be eager to know the visions that go beyond where we today are, and push ourselves to where yet we can be.
I welcome Chancellor Diermeier, and I say to Vanderbilt, let us go on. The world yet to be is the world that we can see unveil itself. Thank you.