I’m an Associate Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences at Liberty University, teaching online graduate courses in American history, a position I have occupied for over a decade. I also serve as a Dissertation Chair, Thesis Director, and SME of our American Colonial history graduate course. Prior to this, I served as a senior pastor for 20 years. I completed my M.Div. and Th.M. degrees from Capital Bible Seminary, majoring in New Testament language and literature and a D.Min. in preaching from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Following my work in biblical studies, I earned the PhD in American history from the University of Rochester. My revised dissertation, The Sacred Text: Biblical Authority in Nineteenth-Century America, was published in 2007, the cover of which is the logo for my blog site.
To my mind, both the Bible and history are invaluable as they both illuminate our quest for truth. Each enlightens us regarding our past, our present, and our future. They tell us some hard truths, too. As I often remind our Liberty students, unvarnished history is sometimes surprising, disturbing, and even shocking. Even so, we are wise to listen. And, we are still wiser to learn. No wonder sanitized, mythologized history is so enticing. But it’s a sedative upon which we dare not overdose–especially if our goal is the truth.
While exegetical analysis and historical inquiry can sometimes concentrate on minute details, I look forward to addressing some big ideas in this blog as well. For instance, does Design make better sense than Darwinian evolution? Is there any evidence for the historicity of Jesus? What is the good news of the gospel? What does it mean to be a Christian? Does the Bible have a core claim? If so, what is it? Is the Bible inspired? What does that mean precisely? Why should anyone believe such a thing? I will consider every visitor as a colleague of the human race–a fellow traveler. I don’t expect everyone to agree with everything I write. But, I do hope my ideas will foster greater reflection, awareness, and understanding. So, welcome! May your quest for the truth be fruitful and productive.
Best wishes,
RFS, PhD