Randall J. Stephens
Encyclopedia
Randall J. Stephens is a noted author, editor, and historian of American
religion.
, and of Historically Speaking from the Johns Hopkins University Press
, for Boston University
. He is also a member of the Polkinghorne Society at the Eastern Nazarene College
in Quincy
, Massachusetts
, where he currently teaches in the History Department. Stephens has been named a Top Young Historian by the History News Network
(HNN) at George Mason University
and selected as the 2008 Young Scholar of American Religion by Indiana University
.
in American History from the University of Florida
, where his dissertation explored the roots of holiness and Pentecostalism in the American South. It was selected as one of fifteen semifinalists for the Allan Nevins
Prize for best dissertation in American history by the Society of American Historians. It also won the St. George Tucker
Society's prize for best dissertation in Southern Studies and the University of Florida History Department’s Richard Milbauer dissertation award. Stephens also holds a Master's in Theological Studies from Nazarene Theological Seminary
, a Master's in History from Emporia State University
, and a bachelor's degree
from Mid-America Nazarene College.
. This book won Stephens the Smith-Wynkoop Book Award from the Wesleyan Theological Society and was nominated for the 2008 Grawemeyer Award in addition to receiving praise from Books & Culture Magazine and The Atlantic. He is currently under contract with Harvard for another book, co-authored with science-and-religion scholar Karl Giberson
, titled The Anointed: American Evangelical Experts, as well as Recent Trends in Religious History, part of the "Historians in Conversation Series: Understanding the Past," with the University of South Carolina Press
. He has authored chapters for volumes published by the University of Kentucky Press, Columbia University Press
(the Bibliographic editor for The Columbia Guide to Religion in American History), the University of South Carolina Press
, Cambridge University Press
, the University of Florida Press, and the University of Alabama Press
. He was the editor of Tidal Wave Magazine from 2001 to 2004.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
religion.
Career
Stephens is the editor of the Journal of Southern Religion, for Florida State UniversityFlorida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
, and of Historically Speaking from the Johns Hopkins University Press
Johns Hopkins University Press
The Johns Hopkins University Press is the publishing division of the Johns Hopkins University. It was founded in 1878 and holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously running university press in the United States. The Press publishes books, journals, and electronic databases...
, for Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
. He is also a member of the Polkinghorne Society at the Eastern Nazarene College
Eastern Nazarene College
The Eastern Nazarene College is a private, coeducational college of the liberal arts and sciences in Quincy, Massachusetts near Boston, in the New England region of the United States. Known for its strong religious affiliation, distinctive liberal arts core curriculum, and excellence in science...
in Quincy
Quincy, Massachusetts
Quincy is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Its nicknames are "City of Presidents", "City of Legends", and "Birthplace of the American Dream". As a major part of Metropolitan Boston, Quincy is a member of Boston's Inner Core Committee for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, where he currently teaches in the History Department. Stephens has been named a Top Young Historian by the History News Network
History News Network
History News Network is a project of the Center for History and New Media at George Mason University. Although the HNN resides on GMU's server, it operates independently of the university as a non-profit corporation registered in Washington State...
(HNN) at George Mason University
George Mason University
George Mason University is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax. Additional campuses are located nearby in Arlington County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County...
and selected as the 2008 Young Scholar of American Religion by Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
.
Education
He received his Ph.D.Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in American History from the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, where his dissertation explored the roots of holiness and Pentecostalism in the American South. It was selected as one of fifteen semifinalists for the Allan Nevins
Allan Nevins
Allan Nevins was an American historian and journalist, renowned for his extensive work on the history of the Civil War and his biographies of such figures as President Grover Cleveland, Hamilton Fish, Henry Ford, and John D. Rockefeller.-Life:Born in Camp Point, Illinois, Nevins was educated at...
Prize for best dissertation in American history by the Society of American Historians. It also won the St. George Tucker
St. George Tucker
St. George Tucker was a lawyer, professor of law at the College of William and Mary, and judge of Virginia's highest court. In 1813, upon the nomination of President James Madison, he became the United States district judge for Virginia.-Early life:Born in St. George, Bermuda, near Port Royal...
Society's prize for best dissertation in Southern Studies and the University of Florida History Department’s Richard Milbauer dissertation award. Stephens also holds a Master's in Theological Studies from Nazarene Theological Seminary
Nazarene Theological Seminary
Nazarene Theological Seminary is a Christian seminary affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene. It is located in Kansas City, Missouri, which was formerly also the location of the headquarters of the Church of the Nazarene...
, a Master's in History from Emporia State University
Emporia State University
Emporia State University is a university in the city of Emporia in Lyon County, Kansas, just east of the Flint Hills.- History :...
, and a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
from Mid-America Nazarene College.
Published works
Stephens is the author of The Fire Spreads: Holiness and Pentecostalism in the American South, published by Harvard University PressHarvard University Press
Harvard University Press is a publishing house established on January 13, 1913, as a division of Harvard University, and focused on academic publishing. In 2005, it published 220 new titles. It is a member of the Association of American University Presses. Its current director is William P...
. This book won Stephens the Smith-Wynkoop Book Award from the Wesleyan Theological Society and was nominated for the 2008 Grawemeyer Award in addition to receiving praise from Books & Culture Magazine and The Atlantic. He is currently under contract with Harvard for another book, co-authored with science-and-religion scholar Karl Giberson
Karl Giberson
Karl Willard Giberson is a physicist and scholar specializing in the creation-evolution debate . He has held a teaching post since 1984, written several books, and been a member of various academic and scientific organizations.-Education:Giberson holds two Bachelor's degrees from the Eastern...
, titled The Anointed: American Evangelical Experts, as well as Recent Trends in Religious History, part of the "Historians in Conversation Series: Understanding the Past," with the University of South Carolina Press
University of South Carolina Press
The University of South Carolina Press , founded in 1944, is a university press that is part of the University of South Carolina.-External links:*...
. He has authored chapters for volumes published by the University of Kentucky Press, Columbia University Press
Columbia University Press
Columbia University Press is a university press based in New York City, and affiliated with Columbia University. It is currently directed by James D. Jordan and publishes titles in the humanities and sciences, including the fields of literary and cultural studies, history, social work, sociology,...
(the Bibliographic editor for The Columbia Guide to Religion in American History), the University of South Carolina Press
University of South Carolina Press
The University of South Carolina Press , founded in 1944, is a university press that is part of the University of South Carolina.-External links:*...
, Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
, the University of Florida Press, and the University of Alabama Press
University of Alabama Press
The University of Alabama Press was founded in 1945 and is the scholarly publishing arm of the University of Alabama.An Editorial Board composed of representatives from all doctoral degree granting public universities within Alabama oversees the publishing program. Projects are selected that...
. He was the editor of Tidal Wave Magazine from 2001 to 2004.