Seasoned Scholar

Dr. H. Bruce Stokes, professor of behavioral science, started teaching at California Baptist University (then California Baptist College) in 1984 as an adjunct. Then it was “a mom and pop” campus. His office was in the closet of another professor’s office, faculty brought their own desks, and they used chalkboards and overhead projectors in the classroom. There were 597 students. And he fell in love with the campus.

“The students were different, they wanted to learn, and I could integrate biblical content with anthropology classes,” said Stokes, who had taught at a California State University campus.

Even though he was teaching a full load, Stokes remained an adjunct for 10 years. He finally asked about getting a contract. They gave it to him and also made him the division chair of behavioral science. He has taught Christian behavioral science, anthropology, sociology and psychology classes. Stokes also was acting director for religion and the founding dean of the thennamed School of Behavioral Science.

Now at 40 years of service, Stokes is CBU’s most senior faculty member, and at every commencement ceremony he leads the procession with the mace. Yet he acknowledges struggling with imposter syndrome throughout his career.

“It's an interesting thing going from the imposter syndrome to, in a sense, representing the faculty,” he said. Still, “I don't know when the feeling will completely go away.”

Over the years, he has been chosen as Faculty Member of the Year by the students and Distinguished Professor of the Year by the CBU Board of Trustees. He has developed curriculum for various programs. Being at CBU also gave him opportunities to work on the translation committee for the New American Standard Bible and with the Messianic Movement.

“I've got much more confidence in what I'm doing,” Stokes said. “I've had opportunities that I don't think I would have gotten anywhere else. And that changes you. It humbles you, but it also makes you appreciate those opportunities.”

In the early years, he knew all the students. Faculty often invited students to their homes or conducted wedding ceremonies. Stokes, who holds a 10th degree black belt in jiu-jitsu, even taught the women students self-defense.

Things have changed over the years. While he doesn’t know every student anymore, he appreciates the greater diversity found in both students and faculty.

“I like that the faculty are required to be believers. I also like that any student can come to California Baptist and we can have an influence on them,” he said.

In the classroom, Stokes wants to challenge the students in learning and in faith.

“I want them to be curious about the material. I think our education system kills curiosity the way it works, so I want them to be excited again about learning,” Stokes said. “Then I want students to go out of my class saying, ‘I don't think I know the Bible well enough, I need to read that more’ and a lot of students tell me that.”

Stokes still does the exercises for jiu-jitsu but his sparring days are over. Another hobby is music. He was classically trained on the upright bass, plays guitar and belonged to semi-professional rock bands in high school. He also got into sailing after taking lessons and fell in love with it.

“I don't have a Winnebago, but I have a sailboat. I love sailing and I love cruising,” said Stokes, who went on his 39th cruise in the spring.

Stokes, who is 74, is moving toward retirement in the next few years but is committed to keeping the Master of Arts in Counseling Ministry strong in such a transition. He helped create the program, which addresses relational counseling and life issues from a biblical worldview.

Stokes is grateful for Dr. Gary Collins, a former faculty member, for hiring him, and for president Dr. Ronald Ellis, for letting him thrive.

“I've had an ability to use my gifting in a lot of ways that I'm not sure I would have been able to, except for those two men who seem to think that I could be productive,” Stokes said.

CBU’s uniqueness is that it is engaged in Kingdom work, Stokes said.

“It’s about being Kingdom oriented, that we're seeking first the Kingdom of God, and then we're adding all of this. We're not becoming monks and isolating ourselves, but we are actually engaged in Kingdom business while we're in a world that may or may not appreciate that,” he said.