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CFH GOALS

Tom Askew (Gordon College) and Bill Trollinger havedeveloped a set

of proposed goal statements for the Conference on Faith andHistory. The

four basic emphases are:

To extend the dialogue on the relationship betweenhistorical

scholarship and the faith commitments ofhistorians from various Christian

traditions, focusing on both theoretical and practical issues;

To enable scholars (especially those younger in theprofession)

to present and publish research findings ;

To enhance the quality of history teaching by providing a venue

for evaluating instructional strategies and interaction between newer and

veteran professors; and,

To encourage personal networking and fellowship between

historians of various backgrounds and traditions.

It is our intention this fall at theCFH 2002 meetingto have a possible

plenary session discussion of thesegoal statements with a view toward

eventual adoption ofa clearer "mission statement" for the CFH in the 21st

century. In the meantime, ifyou have comments, reservations, additions, or

what have you, please send them toBill Trollinger, eMail=trolling@

checkov.hm.udayton.edu.

It will be observed that these goals includea number of possible

emphases:

that the CFH engage a broader participation of Christian

historians in its discussions, such as thosefrom the Orthodox tradition; that a

greater effort be made to engage younger historians, beginningwith

undergraduates and graduate students; that the CFH devote someeffort to

more mundane, "practical" matters related to our craft;and that one of our

current strengths, networking and fellowship, be preservedand extended.

There may be other desirable or feasible goals omitted above; certainly you

would be invited to suggest them for our consideration at Huntington 2002.