This document, converted from a Powerpoint, teaches about a few early church leaders: Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Origen.

An essay assignment for students to identify modern ideas that have their roots in Enlightenment thought.

This document, converted from a Powerpoint, shows the attack of modernism on Christianity, especially in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The fundamentalist movement in America was a strong reaction against modernism.

A short quiz on leaders in the English Reformatioin.

This document, converted from a Powerpoint, follows the Anabaptists in northern Europe after the defeat of the Munsterites in 1535. The last half of the lesson is given to Menno Simons' life and teachings.

A short quiz on Anabaptism following the Reformation, the tolerance and restrictions place upon them, and their assimilation into general society.

This document, converted from a Powerpoint, covers the time of the early church. It begins with Jesus' ascension, and includes the growth of the church from being strictly Jewish to including Gentiles.

A short quiz on Luther's life after nailing his 95 Thesis on the church door.

I once climbed Mt. St. Helens to the rim of its crater. The picture above, taken from the rim that day, should give you an idea of what an exhilarating experience it was. You could print this picture, but if you have an old...

I hate grades. Well, not exactly. I hate the way students (and parents) are conditioned to think about grades in too many cases. A good grade—or at least a passing grade—is often viewed as an entitlement, a ceremonial rite of...

In my experience, each group of history students has at least one Mr. Why-Didn’t-They-Just question. “Why didn’t they just agree to quit fighting?” “Why didn’t they just invent flamethrowers?” “Why didn’t they just change their...

Presentation software is one of my favorite teaching tools. Programs such as PowerPoint, Keynote, and Prezi help teachers to emphasize important points and use visuals in their lessons. Their use is an art well worth mastering....

My last blog post was about the importance of reading. In this post, I’ll suggest some books that you might profitably read this summer. But first I have a few rules for reading. Prioritize books over other reading material....

I know you scarcely have time to even think about reading. Start thinking about reading anyhow. Summer’s coming, and maybe you can make some time then. You need to, and here’s why. 1. You can’t teach unless you know stuff. As...

I used to live near a hardware store that employed a man I’ll call Tom. Tom seemed to be in a foul mood every time I saw him. With a scowl, a quick step, and a loud, curt voice, he gave the impression of wanting to get this over...