Church History Figures to be Studied: Part 1

by R.A. Miller
Published July 18th, 2022

I asked several church history professors and lecturers this question (technically, it is two questions): In your opinion, what figure from church history should be studied more than they currently are? And why?

Our first response is from Dr. Michael A. G. Haykin. He is the Chair and Professor of Church History & Director of The Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is also a Professor of Church History at Heritage Theological Seminary. However, I always think of him as the series editor of “Bitesize Biographies,” which is a series of biographies which I’ve really enjoyed. His response to my question was this:

Andrew Fuller (1754-1815)
His theological work successfully responded on a number of levels to the early Enlightenment, which introduced new challenges for Christian apologetics. His passion for mission led him to craft a theology also that provided the foundation for the ministry of William Carey, which, in turn inspired the modern missionary movement and the globalization of the Gospel. And he had a "knack," as it were, for developing deep, abiding friendships that remind us of the vital truth that major theological work is always done in community.

I’d like to thank Dr. Haykin for his response and I’ll post more responses as they come in!