约瑟夫·加纳博士.D.

My name is Joseph Garner III and I am originally from the state of Louisiana in the deep south. My wife Rebekah and I have been married twenty years and we have five children. My academic passion is history of nearly all sorts, but especially Baptist history and theology. When I can find some spare time I enjoy reading old and dusty epics, 历史小说, 以及C中的任何东西.S. 刘易斯和J.R.R. 托尔金. I also enjoy computer games, trading card games, and table top gaming.

One of the many things I love about HLGU is its commitment to the integration of a Christian Worldview with all of our academic disciplines. Christ is Lord of all and his kingdom extends to every corner of creation. 无论是微积分, 乔叟, or 1 Corinthians all knowledge rests under the created order of Jesus and here at HLGU that is front and center.

The Christian worldview provides not only the root (biblical authority) but also the fruit of education, 精神的形成. I strive to educate not just so my students will have more knowledge, or to make them more efficient employees for the marketplace, 而是为了让他们成为更好的人. 教育不仅仅是职业教育, 但也必须是个人的, developing and growing the whole person into a particular image, 即耶稣基督. A Christian worldview mandates this because people are made into the image of God; they have an inherent value beyond simply proper job training. Their humanity itself is valued and a Christian education must strive to develop the whole person in the image of Christ. 换句话说, a Christian worldview strives not merely for better lawyers, 医生, 工程师, 和艺术家, but rather for more Christ-like men and women who fulfill their God given vocations “as unto the Lord.”

It is my vocational goal to serve HLGU students through teaching History, 教会历史, 和历史神学. To this end I have developed a teaching philosophy founded on three key pillars. 第一个支柱是把历史当作崇拜来教导. Ultimately the history of Christ’s church and its doctrines is not about humanity, 而是教会的领袖, 耶稣基督. The study of history should highlight the sovereignty and grace that God has extended to Christians throughout history, inspiring the student to worship His sovereignty and grace. 通过阅读来吸引学生, 课堂讲座, 指导讨论小组, it will be my task to draw out a spirit of worship from the study of those long dead.

The Second pillar is teaching history for 精神的形成. 通过阅读, 分析, and application of historical and theological biography; through assigned imitation of ancient spiritual disciplines; and with particular study and practice of historical prayers, 我希望教的不仅仅是名字和日期, but also Christ-likeness as championed by the “great cloud of witnesses” that have gone before us (Heb. 12:1).

Finally, I strive to teach history for healthy churches. It is my hope that those who I teach will go from my classroom to be a part of local churches throughout the world. Whether in vocational ministry or a lay-leader capacity there is much that can be learned to strengthen local churches from a study of the development of doctrine. I hope these pillars will guide my teaching of history so that my students become more fruitful worshippers being formed spiritually for the good of local churches.