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-----Explore what some view as the jarringdisjuncture between graduate

school training in history and the quest to develop aChristian

framework for understanding thepast. (Although Christians as

Christians are widely accepted and embracedin most graduate

programs in history, theyreceive little by way of encouragement

toward developing aChristian conceptual framework for doing their

work while they are in graduate school);

-----Invite historians fromnon-Christian traditions to grapple with issues

parallel to those being raised in this meetingusing resources available

to their respective communities of faith;

-----Take traditional conference papersand ask how Christian perspectives

have informed or shaped the researchthat stands behind them and

their overall interpretations;

-----Analyze the categories of race, class, and/or genderusing confessional or

other Christian resources;

-----Assess the prospects forhistorical writing that assumes or depends on a

"Grand Narrative" that unites all disparate parts of any given historical

story into a coherent whole;

-----Explore the uniquechallenges of historical writing (from term papers to

monographs).

First Biennial Undergraduate History Conference

by Jay Green & Tom Mach, co-chairs

In an effortto attract a new generation of historians to our ranks, we

would also like to propose an undergraduate researchconference, October 9-

10, to precede ourmain meeting at Huntington College. We would invite

Christian undergraduates to submit papers to be read andcommented on by

cooperating professors. This gathering will be fairly traditional in its

encouragement of students to prepare standard research papersand

presentations.

It will provide such students with a chance to present their

own work in aformal setting with respondents (from among the

membership of the CFH),opportunities to meet fellow Christian

undergraduate majors,discussions about graduate school options in history,

and a good way to attract students to our main meeting. We also solicit your

reactions to this proposal:eMail me at: jdgreen@covenant.edu.