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Samuel S. Hill, a Professor Emeritus of Religion at the University of Florida whose study of southern United States religion galvanized the field, died June 1, 2021. He was 93.

Hill is remembered as a thoughtful mentor of students and colleagues, a pioneering scholar and a key driver of the Department of Religion’s progress in the late 20th century. He arrived at UF as chair of the Department of Religion in 1972 and held the post until 1977, continuing as a professor at UF until his retirement in 1994.

“Sam was a bridge builder to other departments, a constant presence on college and university committees, and an attentive mentor to me and others in our department,” religion professor David Hackett said.

“Sam was a bridge builder to other departments, a constant presence on college and university committees, and an attentive mentor to me and others in our department.”— David Hackett, professor of religion

Hill’s trailblazing book, Southern Churches in Crisis, first published in 1967, formed the foundation for scholarly study of southern religion. In the work, Hill contended that white southern Protestantism had compromised its integrity and influence by turning away from the moral imperatives of the Civil Rights Movement and the fight against segregation. The book’s endurance led Hill to reissue an updated edition as Southern Churches in Crisis Revisited in 1999, and it remains a crucial resource for anyone in the field today.

Throughout his time at UF, the recognition that Hill received for his writing and research made him a much sought-after speaker, especially at southern colleges and universities. Among many awards and honors, he was named Teacher of the Year by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for the 1982-83 academic year, and was named a finalist for the same recognition for 1988-1989.

Before entering academia, Hill worked as a pastor in Burlington, Kentucky. He received his PhD in Religion from Duke University in 1960 and went on to serve in faculty positions at Stetson University and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he was chair of the Department of Religion from 1961-1970.

Toward the end of his career at UF, Hill focused on teaching ethics to undergraduates, taking care to counsel them not only in academics but life in general.

“When I first came on the faculty,” Hackett wrote in a history of the department, “he pulled me aside to say that what we really were doing in our teaching was ‘character formation.’ One could not have found a better mentor in this than Sam.”

Hill is survived by his wife, Helen S. Hill, and his children, Sarah and Charles.

This story appears in the fall 2021 issue of Ytori magazine. Read more stories from the issue.