DR. DONALD MICHAEL HUDSON

Dr. Donald “Don” Michael Hudson, age 63, of Johnson City, Tennessee, died on Tuesday, November 15, 2022, in Anchorage, Alaska. Don was born June 22, 1959, to the late Donald Eugene Hudson and Frances Jane Roberts Kramer in Roanoke, Virginia. He was a member of Tazewell Presbyterian Church, Tazewell, Virginia. Don married the love of his life, Christina Camille Flynn Hudson on March 3, 2012. They lived in several places throughout the world, but the happiest years of his life were when he and Christina lived in Wiesbaden, Germany.

Professionally and academically, Don was a very accomplished man, having four master’s degrees and a Ph.D. He was an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA). He was Professor of Religious Studies and Chair of the Bible and Religion Department at King University in Bristol, TN. In his role as the leader of the Religion 1001 class and others, Don likely taught more students at King than any other individual professor. His zeal for understanding the Christian Scriptures in the 21st century was evident among those who were privileged to sit under his instruction. He designed and developed the course, Foundations of Christian Thought and Practice, which encouraged students to develop their worldviews and apply critical thinking skills to their faith.

Prior to joining King University, he taught in the Philosophy and Religion department at Appalachian State University. He co-founded the Seattle School of Theology and Psychology in 1996. He crafted the original vision of the school, hired faculty and staff, recruited students, raised funds, and designed the curriculum for the MA in Theology and the MDiv. For years, Don led teams of undergraduate students to Palestine to pursue epistemological humility, excellence in scholarship, and nuanced thinking in regards to religion and geo-politics.

As chair of the Bible and Religion department, Dr. Hudson had been actively promoting undergraduate research and scholarly activities in the College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Hudson promoted education in his community by speaking regularly at churches, local high schools, community colleges, universities, student organizations, and with local news media about religious violence and extremism and Iron Age archaeology in Israel. Dr. Hudson also served on the governing board of the King Institute of Faith and Culture.

At heart, Don was a fly fisherman and served as both a guide in Montana and taught a course for undergraduate students on fly fishing at King. He also travelled around to local high schools to teach high school students the art of fly fishing. As Don would have put it, to echo the words of Norman Maclean in A River Runs Through It, “in our family there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing.”

Don authored, co-authored, and/or edited ten books and had written over 60 essays and articles in journals such as Imaginatio et Ratio, Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, Mars Hill Review, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, Inklings, The Everyday Study Bible, Sojourners, and Zeitschrift fur die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft. He also founded and co-directed the Mars Hill Review where he served as concept editor for nine years.  He gave more than 500 research and public scholarship presentations in 47 states and 14 countries. He has also been a consultant with international organizations managing refugee populations in Germany, Austria, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Germany, and Turkey.

Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Christina; children, Madilyn Trula Pereira and Donald Michael Martin Hudson; siblings, Jodi Hudson Crown (and Taylor), Scott Hudson (and Heather), and Beth Hudson Proffitt (and George); and many nieces and nephews.

Don’s family will receive friends from 8:45 – 9:45 am EST at King University Library (1350 King College Rd, Bristol, TN 37620) on Tuesday, December 13th, 2022. The visitation will conclude promptly at 9:45 am EST so please plan accordingly. A Service of Witness to the Resurrection will commence immediately following the visitation, in the King University Memorial Chapel, under the direction of Dr. Brian Alderman. The service will be available to view at 10:00 am EST via livestream at www.webcast.king.edu.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to support refugees, a cause important to Don and his family, are directed to Middle East Children’s Alliance (https://www.mecaforpeace.org/), United Palestinian Appeal (https://upaconnect.org/), Anera (https://www.anera.org/), or Mercy USA for Aid and Development Inc. (https://mercyusa.org/). 

Memories and condolences may be shared with the family via www.morrisbaker.com

Morris-Baker Funeral Home, 2001 E Oakland Ave, Johnson City, Tennessee, is honored to serve the Hudson family. (423) 282-1521