History: A Student's Guide

by Nathan A. Finn, David S. Dockery (Editor)

Overview

A robust understanding of the past has the power to shape our perspective on the present and plans for the future. In this introduction to the study of history, a historian helps students grasp what it means to examine and explore history from a distinctly Christian perspective. In addition to opening students' eyes to the riches of the past, this readable guidebook models an approach to history that embraces the fundamental beliefs and convictions that make up the Christian worldview. Part of the acclaimed Reclaiming the Christian Intellectual Tradition series, this volume will be an invaluable tool in the hands of those seeking to engage with the past with God in mind. Includes illustrations, reflection questions, and a list of resources for further study.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781433537660
Publisher:	Crossway
Publication date:	01/31/2016
Series:	Reclaiming the Christian Intellectual Tradition
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	112
File size:	424 KB

About the Author

David S. Dockery (PhD, University of Texas System) serves as president of the International Alliance for Christian Education as well as president and distinguished professor of theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Previously, he served as president of Union University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is a much-sought-after speaker and lecturer, a former consulting editor for Christianity Today, and the author or editor of more than forty books. Dockery and his wife, Lanese, have three married sons and seven grandchildren.

Nathan A. Finn (PhD, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary) is the dean of the School of Theology and Missions and professor of theological studies at Union University. Nathan lives in Jackson, Tennessee, with his wife, Leah, and their four children.

Nathan A. Finn (PhD, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary) is the dean of the School of Theology and Missions and professor of theological studies at Union University. Nathan lives in Jackson, Tennessee, with his wife, Leah, and their four children.

David S. Dockery (PhD, University of Texas System) serves as president of the International Alliance for Christian Education as well as president and distinguished professor of theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Previously, he served as president of Union University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is a much-sought-after speaker and lecturer, a former consulting editor for Christianity Today, and the author or editor of more than forty books. Dockery and his wife, Lanese, have three married sons and seven grandchildren.

Table of Contents

Series Preface 11

Acknowledgments 15

Introduction: History and the Christian Worldview 17

1 Understanding History 25

2 Historical Interpretation 43

3 Faith and the Historian 61

4 History: An Invitation 83

Questions for Reflection 101

Glossary 103

Resources for Further Study 105

General Index 107

Scripture Index 111

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“I heartily recommend Nathan Finn’s brisk and thoughtful History: A Student’s Guide. I do not know of a better introduction to historical studies, or a more cogent assessment of how Christians should think about history.”
—Thomas S. Kidd, Research Professor of Church History, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; author, Thomas Jefferson: A Biography of Spirit and Flesh

“Nathan Finn’s adept introduction to the art and discipline of history and historical scholarship will provide many students, especially those with explicit faith commitments, with the resources needed to participate in the ongoing conversations of the guild.”
—Richard A. Bailey, Associate Professor of History, Canisius College; author, Race and Redemption in Puritan New England

“This mature, thorough, and insightful Christian treatment of history and the historian’s craft will prove to be an indispensable tool for students. In this concise and engaging book, Nathan Finn employs characteristic wit and wisdom as he guides his readers through the essentials of understanding the ‘foreign country’ of the past. Here’s a book every aspiring historian must read.”
—John D. Wilsey, Associate Professor of Church History and Philosophy, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; author, God’s Cold Warrior and American Exceptionalism and Civil Religion

“Nathan Finn has contributed an excellent resource for introducing students to the essential principles and responsible practice of historical studies from a Christian perspective. The text is filled with colorful illustrations from contemporary popular culture that give it a timely relevance while also containing loads of timeless wisdom. History: A Student’s Guide deserves a long tenure as an essential text for Christian reflections on the nature and doing of history.”
—Scott Culpepper, Associate Professor of History, Dordt College