History Track

Why Study Church History?
The aim of this program track is to learn the story of the past in order to gain perspective on the present and future, and to acquire resources for serving the world and the church today. While the program is aimed at equipping students for Ph.D. work, it could also be for personal spiritual enhancement. 

The Master of Arts - History track is for those who want to deepen and enrich their understanding of church history. Many students discover that the discipline can offer powerful resources for understanding the deeply-embedded foundations for how people think and act within Christian communities. The study of history helps in understanding why we do the things we do. In doing so, students learn exciting new ways to tap into the narrative of the unfolding Christian story. 

Along these lines, many students are drawn by the liberation of gaining a historical perspective. History adds a dimension to church doctrine, ethics, and practices that proves to be highly illuminating. Many students find the epiphany of learning the origins of particular practices to be very exciting because it provides a rationale and historical background that add new layers of meaning.

Further, the academic study of church history provides students a spiritual historical consciousness. Church History is more than just a series of interesting stories; it is the story of personal and corporate spiritual transformation. Seen this way, learning church history is like learning about one's own family history. Some of the lessons one learns are exciting, some are touching, and some can be difficult. Through the process, though, there is a strong connection grounded in love for family. Similarly, the study of the history of Christianity can help students think through the things worthy of both admiration and regret about the history of the church, with transformational effect.

Faculty
The GST has two full-time faculty members in the area of Church History: Dr. Doug Foster and Dr. Jeff Childers.

Dr. Foster is advisor for the history track. His emphases lie in the history of the Stone-Campbell movement, American Christianity, Ecumenical Ecclesiology, and racial and ethnic diversity within American Christianity. Dr. Foster's current projects include serving as co-editor of a Global History of the Stone-Campbell Movement, completing a biography of Alexander Campbell to be published by Eerdman's, and serving as a representative for the Stone-Campbell movement on the Faith and Order Commission of the National Council of Churches in the USA.

Dr. Childers is the Carmichael-Walling Chair of New Testament and Early Christianity. His work is primarily focused on Oriental Christianity, especially Syriac Studies. Dr. Childers spent 2011 on sabbatical, finishing his four-volume critical edition and translation of the exegetical homilies of John Chrysostom preserved in Syriac, as well as other projects. You can read more about Dr. Childers's manuscript research in the Egyptian desert and his "sojourn in the eternal city" during his sabbatical on the GST Blog.

Studies are also enhanced by adjunct faculty in ACU's Department of Bible, Missions and Ministry as well as visiting faculty from other universities.

Strengths
Students of the History track of the M.A. in History & Theology are encouraged to pursue areas that they find most interesting. In this way, there is a great deal of flexibility for students to focus research in whatever area they choose and would like to continue in Ph.D. work. However, the professors and resources at the GST yield particular strengths in the areas of Early Christianity, Oriental Christianity, and American Christianity.

ACU's GST has a strong legacy in Early Christianity. Because of ACU's Stone-Campbell Movement heritage, there has been a longstanding interest in apostolic and sub-apostolic Christianity among the faculty. That legacy of scholars includes world-renowned church historian Everett Ferguson and New Testament scholars Abraham Malherbe and Carroll D. Osburn. The legacy continues today with a number of highly skilled ACU professors who are conducting research in the Greek, Latin, Syriac, Ethiopic, and Georgian texts of the Bible and the Christian tradition. This group of professors provides an engaging culture of conversation and resources for the study of Early Christianity. With this group of faculty, students gain a unique level of exposure to a wide range of issues, including learning the languages, studying manuscripts, interpreting ancient texts, and synthesizing those discoveries for the sake of expanding our knowledge of historic Christian communities.

Because of Dr. Childers's expertise in the area of Syriac, another substantial strength of the program is in the study of Oriental Christianity. Students can be exposed to ancient and medieval oriental Christianity, learn tools for primary research (such as languages) and also become acquainted with major figures such as Ephrem and Aphrahat. Research students who have graduated under his guidance in the GST have continued their Syriac studies in doctoral programs around the world. 

Another major strength of the program is in the area of American Christianity. Dr. Foster has particular interest in this area because of his expertise in the Stone-Campbell Movement (which historically has its roots in American Christianity). Dr. Foster's research interests lie in the history of American Christianity and the place of the Stone-Campbell Movement in that history, ecumenical ecclesiology, and issues of racial and ethnic diversity (as each of these relates to American Christianity). As such, these areas represent particular strengths, but students are encouraged to find where their own interests might intersect with these areas of expertise.

Preparation for Doctoral Work
The Theology track of the M.A.H.T. has an excellent track record of graduates who have gone on to do doctoral work at prestigious universities. Graduates were accepted to schools such as Princeton, SMU, Harvard, Graduate Theological Union and Loyola-Chicago. 

The success in getting into quality doctoral programs stems from the unique level of preparation that students receive in the program in terms of (a) exposure to scholarly and primary readings and (b) development of academic research and writing. In terms of developing academic research and writing, classes require Position Papers that are expected to resemble the scope and analysis of a journal article. As students move through the program, the Position Papers lay the groundwork for making an original, constructive argument in the thesis project.