Published on January 5, 2021 by Sean Flynt  
Faith and History

Two Samford University scholars contributed chapters to a new book that offers unique historical perspectives to enrich readings of Scripture. Beeson Divinity School Dean Douglas A. Sweeney and History Department chair Jonathan Den Hartog are among the 40 Christian historians represented in Faith and History: A Devotional, published in November by Baylor University Press.

The book, edited by Christopher Gehrz and Beth Allison Barr, connects Scripture with transformative historical moments such as the Civil Rights Movement and the Holocaust, and explores the faith of diverse Christian figures, including Frederick Douglass, C.S. Lewis, Aimee Semple McPherson and Billy Graham, among others.

Each biblical passage is paired with a historical reflection, suggested questions for further consideration and discussion, recommended resources for historical study, and a short prayer. Sweeney’s chapter addresses ministry and witness as illuminated by I Peter. Den Hartog’s chapter explores work and vocation through the lens of Ecclesiastes.

According to the publisher, the book is intended to help Christians better understand their relationship to the past at a time when history, memory, and heritage are hotly contested in American politics and society.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 5,791 students from 49 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.