By Anna Liza Denny, Public Relations Manager
For Dr. Mark Goodwin, PhD, theology professor at the University of Dallas, faith and scholarship have
never been separate pursuits.
A cradle Catholic and longtime resident of Tarrant County, Goodwin recently participated in the McDermott 2026 Panel at the University of Dallas, a conversation that brought together members of the university's Master's program in Classical Education and the Tikveh program, a Jewish Classical Education initiative, to discuss the promise of classical education in the 21st century.
Goodwin spoke on the virtues of faith and wisdom and their significance for students in a classical education setting, themes that have defined much of his decades-long career at UDallas.
"The panel discussed the promise of classical education, a type of education rooted in the disciplines of Western civilization, such as history, philosophy and the art of writing," Goodwin said.
Rooted in the Diocese of Fort Worth
Outside the classroom, Goodwin and his wife have built a life deeply rooted in the Catholic community of Tarrant County, where they have lived since the late 1990s.
Their home parish is St. Michael Catholic Church in Bedford, where the couple has been involved in various ministries. They also attend Mass at the Cathedral of St. Patrick in downtown Fort Worth. Fr. John Robert Skeldon, a UDallas alum who earned a BA in Philosophy in 1995, serves as a priest there.
"It is a joy to attend a Mass in the diocese celebrated by a priest who was educated and formed at the University of Dallas," Goodwin said.
Drawn to UDallas by Providence
Goodwin's path to the University of Dallas was not the result of a carefully laid plan. Fresh out of graduate school and searching for a teaching position, a friend recommended UDallas.
"When I came to UDallas, I loved it, especially its rich Catholic intellectual culture and life of faith on campus," he said.
He has remained at the university ever since, and credits something greater than chance for how it unfolded.
"I believe the hand of providence was at work in bringing me to UDallas," Goodwin said.
Over the course of his career, Goodwin has taught scripture across a variety of settings, including high school classrooms, deacon formation programs and college courses.
"When I teach scripture, I get to share what I believe is most important in human life: God, Christ and the Church," he said.
A Teacher of Uncommon Dedication
Goodwin's commitment to his students has not gone unnoticed. In 2019, he was honored with the University of Dallas King Fellow award, one of the university's most distinguished faculty recognitions.
This award recognized him as a teacher and scholar of unassuming, humble disposition, one who is always willing to help students and colleagues and is frequently called upon to serve the greater interests of the university. His lectures are crafted with exceptional diligence, prepared word for word and renewed each year across courses from the freshman to graduate level. His passion in the freshman core class has frequently led students to change their major.
Service Beyond the Classroom
Goodwin's service to the university has been extensive. He has served as department chair for many years, as well as interim dean, and has been instrumental in developing a Jewish Studies concentration and promoting interreligious dialogue with members of the other Abrahamic faiths.
Beyond the campus, Goodwin regularly gives talks on biblical topics in DFW parishes and teaches biblical courses to men studying for the diaconate in the DFW dioceses. He has also joined the faculty of the School of Ministry to help lead a tour of the Holy Land.
A Love of Scripture
Goodwin traces his devotion to scripture to a simple but formative childhood practice. His mother would gather the family during Lent to read select passages of scripture together.
"From that point, I have been continually fascinated with the lectionary readings of scripture at Mass and how God speaks through them and through the homilies," he said.
As a college student, that fascination became a calling. Goodwin felt drawn to teaching scripture, a vocation he has pursued for decades across multiple settings.
Goodwin has developed several new courses for the theology curriculum, including "Judaism I and II" and "Catholic Biblical Interpretation."
He is now writing a book on St. Paul and his letters, aimed at a Catholic audience. His scholarship on Paul is recognized by Catholic Biblical scholars across the nation, and his current research has expanded from Paul's theology of the living God to include patristic scholarship and its reliance upon Pauline thought, demonstrating the continuity of patristic thought with its apostolic legacy.
"My aim is to wake Catholics up to the significance of these letters to Catholic faith and tradition," Goodwin said.
A Message for High School Students
For high school students considering the University of Dallas, Goodwin points to the university's Core Curriculum as a distinguishing strength.
"Through its Core Curriculum, UDallas prepares students not only for successful careers, but also for lives as citizens, parents, and other walks of life," he said. "What the university does well is to form its students in thinking critically and imaginatively, as well as developing skills in both written and oral communication."
Those qualities, Goodwin said, translate beyond the classroom.
"These are the kinds of assets that will make them successful in any chosen career or walk of life," he said.
For a professor who has spent decades at UDallas, the university's mission is not merely something he teaches. It is something he lives.
"I am very blessed to have worked and taught at this university for so many years," Goodwin said.
