Timothy L. Smith
Encyclopedia
Timothy Lawrence Smith was a noted historian
and educator, known as the first American evangelical
historian to gain notability in research and higher education.
, the son of Nazarene
ministers. He earned his bachelor's
and master's degree
s from the University of Virginia
, where he was a Thomas Jefferson Scholar and Phi Beta Kappa student, and his doctoral degree in history from Harvard University
under Arthur M. Schlesinger, Sr.
Smith began his teaching career at the Eastern Nazarene College
(ENC) in 1949 and left in 1954 to take a position at East Texas State University. During his time at ENC, he was the first director of Quincy School Department-sponsored College Courses, Inc., after which fellow Eastern Nazarene history professor Charles W. Akers
transformed it into Quincy Junior College and served as its first full-time director. He later went on the teach at the University of Minnesota
before becoming director of the American Religious History doctoral program and Chair of the Education Department at the Johns Hopkins University
, where he taught for 25 years.
Smith received numerous awards and honors, and served as president of both the American Society of Church History
, and the Society of Religious Historians. He was also an ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene
, and pastored churches in Massachusetts
, Maine
, and Colorado
.
, Called Unto Holiness, which Smith considered his most outstanding accomplishment.
but died at age 72 in West Palm Beach, Florida
on January 20, 1997 after several stroke
s.
The Wesleyan Theological Society at Northwest Nazarene University
established a book award in honor of Smith and Mildred Bangs Wynkoop
in 1999, and presents an award annually. The 2008 recipient of the award, Randall J. Stephens
, currently teaches at the Eastern Nazarene College
, as well.
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and educator, known as the first American evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
historian to gain notability in research and higher education.
Early life and education
Smith was born April 13, 1924 in Central, South CarolinaCentral, South Carolina
Central is a town in Pickens County, South Carolina, United States, along SC Highway 93. Contrary to its name, it is not near the central area of South Carolina...
, the son of Nazarene
Church of the Nazarene
The Church of the Nazarene is an evangelical Christian denomination that emerged from the 19th century Holiness movement in North America with its members colloquially referred to as Nazarenes. It is the largest Wesleyan-holiness denomination in the world. At the end of 2010, the Church of the...
ministers. He earned his bachelor's
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...
and master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
s from the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
, where he was a Thomas Jefferson Scholar and Phi Beta Kappa student, and his doctoral degree in history from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
under Arthur M. Schlesinger, Sr.
Arthur M. Schlesinger, Sr.
Arthur Meier Schlesinger, Sr. was an American historian. His son, Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. was also a noted historian.-Life and career:...
Career
He has been described as "the first evangelical historian in the U.S. to make it in the secular research university."Smith began his teaching career 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...
(ENC) in 1949 and left in 1954 to take a position at East Texas State University. During his time at ENC, he was the first director of Quincy School Department-sponsored College Courses, Inc., after which fellow Eastern Nazarene history professor Charles W. Akers
Charles W. Akers
Charles Wesley Akers was an historian, author, and educator.-Early life and education:Charles was born in Indianapolis, Indiana to Ira and Mary Bird Akers. Akers received his Bachelor's degree in History from the Eastern Nazarene College in 1947. He received his Master's degree and Ph.D. from...
transformed it into Quincy Junior College and served as its first full-time director. He later went on the teach at the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
before becoming director of the American Religious History doctoral program and Chair of the Education Department at the Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
, where he taught for 25 years.
Smith received numerous awards and honors, and served as president of both the American Society of Church History
American Society of Church History
The American Society of Church History was founded in 1888 with the disciplines of Christian denominational and ecclesiastical history as its focus. Today the society's interests include the broad range of the critical scholarly perspectives, as applied to the history of Christianity and its...
, and the Society of Religious Historians. He was also an ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene
Church of the Nazarene
The Church of the Nazarene is an evangelical Christian denomination that emerged from the 19th century Holiness movement in North America with its members colloquially referred to as Nazarenes. It is the largest Wesleyan-holiness denomination in the world. At the end of 2010, the Church of the...
, and pastored churches in 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...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, and Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
.
Published works
A prolific author who published in nearly every historical journal, Smith's best-known and most-praised work is his 1957 book Revivalism and Social Reform, formed from his dissertation from Harvard, which received the Brewer prize from the American Society of Church History. Smith also wrote a history of the Church of the NazareneChurch of the Nazarene
The Church of the Nazarene is an evangelical Christian denomination that emerged from the 19th century Holiness movement in North America with its members colloquially referred to as Nazarenes. It is the largest Wesleyan-holiness denomination in the world. At the end of 2010, the Church of the...
, Called Unto Holiness, which Smith considered his most outstanding accomplishment.
Legacy
Smith retired to Burke, VirginiaBurke, Virginia
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 57,737 people, 19,215 households, and 15,756 families residing in the community. Burke is the largest community in Virginia recognized by the Census Bureau, other than counties and incorporated cities . The population density was 5,008.0 people per...
but died at age 72 in West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
on January 20, 1997 after several stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
s.
The Wesleyan Theological Society at Northwest Nazarene University
Northwest Nazarene University
Northwest Nazarene University is a private Christian liberal arts college located in Nampa, Idaho.-History:Eugene Emerson organized a combination grade school and Bible school in 1913 as Idaho Holiness School...
established a book award in honor of Smith and Mildred Bangs Wynkoop
Mildred Bangs Wynkoop
Mildred Olive Bangs Wynkoop was an ordained minister in the Church of the Nazarene, who served as an educator, missionary and theologian, and the author of several books...
in 1999, and presents an award annually. The 2008 recipient of the award, Randall J. Stephens
Randall J. Stephens
Randall J. Stephens is a noted author, editor, and historian of American religion.-Career:Stephens is the editor of the Journal of Southern Religion, for Florida State University, and of Historically Speaking from the Johns Hopkins University Press, for Boston University...
, currently teaches 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...
, as well.