MORE THAN YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT ME


I am a Professor of History, Emeritus ("Emeritus" is Latin for "Retired Old Guy") at Northeastern Illinois University, in Chicago, where I began teaching when Moses was a kid. From July 1, 2000, until June 30, 2005, I was Chair of the Department of History. On July 1, 2005, I was morphed into the Acting Dean of the Graduate College, and retired from the University effective January 1, 2006.

Before going over to the Dark Side of Academia (aka "administration"), I spent the first half of my career as a number-crunching social historian and semi-theorist. My most detailed work in this area is Religion in the City of Angels: American Protestant Culture and Urbanization, Los Angeles 1850-1930 (Ann Arbor:UMI Research Press 1979), which has been mercifully remaindered. My most frequently cited work from this quasi-sociological period is "Protestant Voluntary Associations and the Making of Victorian America," American Quarterly (December 1975). I presently define myself as an intellectual historian and semi-theologian, and am currently working on three quite different projects in American religious history. For summaries of these projects, follow this link



EDUCATION: Yeah. I've got some of that. Let's see. There's a piece of paper here just under one of the cats.. Oh yeah. Says I've got one of them Doctor of Philosophy thingies from the University of California at Los Angeles.
(You sports fans probably know it better as

but underneath the hoopla of athletics there is a great university in Westwood, in spite of the fact that they let me in). This photo of Josiah Royce Hall summarizes my memories of those idyllic days, so long ago, filled with intellectual excitement and social engagement, fueled by the energy of youth which is now a fading memory. SIGH! Now, where was I?. . . .Oh, Now I remember.

You can find more detailed and boring stuff in the Curriculum Vitae. My selected publications and papers, however, do not include a record of some of the most exciting scholarly ventures I've encountered. That which easily comes to public attention is but a fraction of a scholar's effort, and I have included a sort of summary of my most frustating and fascinating research project.

Every once in a while somebody thinks I have something worth listening to, and I get to go to Springfield (what a treat!) and sound like a wise old guy before some committee. I've included a summary of my testimony before the Illinois State Senate Education Committee on Cult Activities on Campus. This took place in the Spring of 1994. Yeah, I know; that was a long time ago. I said "once in a while somebody thinks I have something worth listening to." I didn't say "often."

So, tell me about you. If you've made it this far on this home page, you've heard more than enough about me.