Northwestern history professor to participate in Oxford seminar

Dr. Michael Kugler, professor of history at Northwestern College, is one of 25 faculty from around the world selected to participate in a summer seminar in Oxford, England.

Scholarship and Christianity in Oxford (SCIO), in partnership with the UK Centre of the Council for Christian College & Universities (CCCU), hosts a series of seminars aimed at developing interdisciplinary skills in science and religion. The seminars bring together theologians, historians, philosophers, and social and natural scientists, giving them an opportunity to be mentored and taught by eminent scholars in the field.

The 2019 seminar focuses on bridging the two cultures of science and the humanities. During their time in England, participants will take part in one-to-one cross-disciplinary Oxford-style supervisions and conduct research in the university’s Bodleian Library. The seminar includes workshops and excursions to historical sites. Faculty will also receive support for individual research projects intended for publication, along with funding to establish science and religion student clubs at their home institutions.

Academic director of the seminar is Dr. Alister McGrath, the Andreas Idreos Chair in Science and Religion at Oxford University. An eminent theologian and historian, he has written numerous books, including “Science and Religion: A New Introduction,” “Christian Theology: An Introduction” and “Christian Faith and the Discipleship of the Mind.”

Kugler joined Northwestern’s faculty in 1994. He primarily teaches European history from the Reformation through the modern era. His research and writing include the Enlightenment era, historical narrative, and the history of incarnational theology. A member of the Conference on Faith and History, he received Northwestern’s Teaching Excellence Award in 2006. He has a master’s degree in history from Western Washington University and a doctorate in history from the University of Chicago.