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Glenn F. Chesnut ~ Résumé
Ancient history, historical theology, the history of ideas, and (since 1993) research in modern alcoholism studies October 2009 |
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Fields of publication
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Ancient history, late Roman Empire. Early Christianity (second-sixth centuries) and its Greco-Roman background (including the history of Romano-Hellenistic philosophy and political theory, and Greek and Roman historiography and philosophy of history). Early medieval historiography and philosophy of history, later medieval philosophical theology. And more recently: the history, theory, and spirituality of alcoholism treatment and the Twelve Step program in the twentieth century. |
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Degrees
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D.Phil. B.D. B.S. |
1971 1964 1960-61 1960 |
Oxford University Southern Methodist University (Perkins School of Theology) magna cum laude Iowa State University, doctoral program in chemistry and atomic physics University of Louisville summa cum laude |
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Experience
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Director of the Hindsfoot Foundation, founded in 1993 for publishing works on the history and theory of alcoholism treatment and the moral and spiritual dimensions of recovery Professor, History Department, Indiana University South Bend, 1970-2003 (dept. chairman 1982-4) Professor of History and Professor of Theology (Visiting), Boston University, 1984-5 Co-director of the American branch of the French scholarly press Editions Beauchesne, 1977-80 Acting Assistant Professor, Department of Religion, University of Virginia, 1968-70 Preceptor in Greek and Philosophy, graduate theology program, Southern Methodist University, 1964-65 Ordained United Methodist minister, 1964-present |
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Awards
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Herman Frederic Lieber Award for excellence in teaching (eight-campus IU system): 1988 Rome Prize (Prix de Rome) in Classics: 1978, Fellow of the American Academy in Rome 1978-9 American Society of Church History biennial Philip Schaff Prize competition for 1978-9: special award for the best book on church history written by a North American historian Fulbright Fellowship to Oxford University: 1965-6, 1966-7 Dempster Fellowship: 1966-7 Rockefeller Doctoral Fellowship: 1967-8 |
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Books
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Glenn F. Chesnut, The First Christian Histories: Eusebius, Socrates, Sozomen, Theodoret, and Evagrius (Paris: Editions Beauchesne, 1977). The historiographical principles and historical theories of the great ecclesiastical historians of the period from Constantine to Justinian, together with the alternative theories of Augustine, which provided the foundations of medieval historiography for the next thousand years. The spirituality of divine grace, the powers of evil, and human decision-making.
Second edition, revised and enlarged ( Macon GA: Mercer University Press, 1986). It has become one of the three classic works in its field (until a recent reprinting by Mercer, book dealers were selling the few still-available copies for $150 to $170). Glenn F. Chesnut, Images of Christ: An Introduction to Christology (San Francisco: Harper & Row/Seabury Press, 1984). Sections of it are still being used for anthologies for courses at universities in other parts of the country. Glenn C., The Factory Owner & the Convict (South Bend IN: Hindsfoot Foundation, 1996). A historical account of the beginnings of the A.A. movement in South Bend and Elkhart, Indiana, during the 1940's and 1950's, based on the autobiographical memoirs and speeches of the South Bend factory owner and author Kenneth Merrill, the ex-convict Nicholas Kowalski, and other early local leaders. 2nd printing 1997. Glenn F. Chesnut, The Higher Power of the Twelve-Step Program: For Believers & Non-Believers, Hindsfoot Foundation Series on Spirituality and Theology (San Jose: Authors Choice/iUniverse, 2001). Sgt. Bill S. with Glenn F. Chesnut, On the Military Firing Line in the Alcoholism Treatment Program: The Air Force Sergeant Who Beat Alcoholism and Taught Others to Do the Same, Hindsfoot Foundation Series on the History of Alcoholism Treatment (New York: iUniverse, 2003).
Glenn C., The St. Louis Gambler & the Railroad Man, Vol. 2 of Lives and Teachings of the A.A. Old Timers, 2nd ed., Hindsfoot Foundation Series on Alcoholics Anonymous History (New York: iUniverse, 2005). Glenn F. Chesnut, Changed by Grace: V. C. Kitchen, the Oxford Group, and A.A., Hindsfoot Foundation Series on Spirituality and Theology (New York: iUniverse, 2006). On Bishop's list of the Top Fifty Books published over the last century which are recommended in order to understand the history of the Alcoholics Anonymous movement. Glenn F. Chesnut, God and Spirituality: Philosophical Essays, Hindsfoot Foundation Series on Spirituality and Theology (New York: iUniverse, to appear in early 2010). William E. Swegan with Glenn F. Chesnut, Ph.D., The Psychology of Alcoholism, Hindsfoot Foundation Series on the History of Alcoholism Treatment (New York: iUniverse, to appear in 2010) -- a second edition of the Sgt. Bill book which first appeared in 2003. |
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Edited
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Nancy Olson, With a Lot of Help from Our Friends: The Politics of Alcoholism, ed. Glenn F. Chesnut, Hindsfoot Foundation Series on the History of Alcoholism Treatment (New York: Writers Club/iUniverse, 2003).
Richard M. Dubiel, The Road to Fellowship: The Role of the Emmanuel Movement and the Jacoby Club in the Development of Alcoholics Anonymous, ed. Glenn F. Chesnut, Hindsfoot Foundation Series on the History of Alcoholism Treatment (New York: iUniverse, 2004). Annette R. Smith, Ph.D., The Social World of Alcoholics Anonymous: How It Works, introd. by Linda Farris Kurtz, DPA (Professor at Eastern Michigan University School of Social Work, author of Self-Help and Support Groups: A Handbook for Practitioners), ed. Glenn F. Chesnut, Hindsfoot Foundation Series on Treatment and Recovery (New York: iUniverse, 2007). Editor of The Northern Indiana Archival Bulletin 1998-2001 |
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Fifty Books Tracing AA's History
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Charles Bishop, Jr., the noted antiquarian book dealer and bibliographer who assembled the collection of 15,000 books, pamphlets, and other printed materials published by and about the A.A. movement, which became the nucleus of the world famous Chester H. Kirk Collection on Alcoholism and Alcoholics Anonymous at Brown University, prepared a list of what he believed to be the fifty best books to read for a good understanding of A.A. history, ranging from William James's The Varieties of Religious Experience (1902) to the present.
Glenn F. Chesnut authored one of those books, co-authored a second book, and edited two others on Bishop's Top Fifty List, so that he is reckoned as having had a hand in producing four of the best fifty books written in this field during the past century. |
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Articles
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Numerous articles published in Church History, Anglican Theological Review, Vigiliae Christianae, Second Century: Journal of Early Christian Studies, and Religious Studies Review; in encyclopedias such as the Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible and the Anchor Bible Dictionary; and in volumes such as Our Common History as Christians, Aufstieg und Niedergang der Römischen Welt, A Century of Church History: The Legacy of Philip Schaff 1888-1988, and Eusebius, Christianity, and Judaism.
In the late 1980's and early 1990's, I spent my time working, not on book-length publications, but on shorter projects:
Glenn Chesnut, "The Names of God," STEPS: A Magazine of Hope and Healing for Christians in Recovery (pub. by The National Association of Christians in Recovery, Brea, California), Vol. 16, No. 4 (2007): 14-18. 28-page "Foreword" by Glenn F. Chesnut, September 27, 2008, to the new online edition of the Oxford Group author Philip Leon's The Philosophy of Courage (originally published in 1939 by Oxford University Press), pages 2-29 at http://stepstudy.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/philosophyofcourage.pdf Glenn F. Chesnut, "Fr. Ralph Pfau," 38 pages, to appear shortly as Chapter 4 of Recovery Through Catholic Eyes: Important Catholic Figures in the History of the Recovery Movement: Essays in Honor of Ernest Kurtz, edited by Oliver J. Morgan, Ph.D., Professor and Chair of the Department of Counseling and Human Services at the University of Scranton (to be published by Sacred Heart University Press and Guest House Institute).
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Moderator of the AAHL
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Chesnut is the Moderator of the AAHL (AA History Lovers) online group at http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/AAHistoryLovers/, which has become the most important international clearing house for new information on the history of Alcoholics Anonymous. It has over 2,100 members and many more regular readers from all around the world (U.S., Canada, U.K., Ireland, Mexico, India, Denmark, Belgium, Finland, etc.). The majority of the best historians in the field are members and contribute to its postings.
The group was started in 2000 by Nancy Moyer Olson, who served as moderator until her death in 2005, when Glenn F. Chesnut (who along with Ernest Kurtz, the leading A.A. historian, had been serving as an advisor) replaced her as moderator. Olson had played an important role in the U.S. Senate in passing and implementing the Hughes Act during the 1970's, the most important piece of alcoholism legislation in the twentieth century after the Prohibition era. |
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Speeches and addresses
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Invited speeches and addresses at numerous national and international conferences, and at universities such as the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and Southern Methodist University.
Some of the more recent include: "The Higher Power of the Twelve-Step Program: For Believers & Non-Believers," Northern Indiana Counselors Association, October 21, 1999, South Bend, Indiana. "The Golden Books: A.A. author Ralph Pfau (Father John Doe)," 6th National Archives Workshop, Louisville, Kentucky, September 29, 2001. "Richmond Walker, Author of the Twenty-Four Hour Book," 8th National Archives Workshop, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, September 27, 2003. Lecture on alcoholism to the medical students in the Family Practice Program at Indiana University's Memorial Hospital program in South Bend, September 24, 2003. "Writing Local A.A. History: Stories as the Vessels of Wisdom and Grace," at the Eastern Pennsylvania History & Archives Conference on June 24, 2006. |
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Current
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| Research on Richmond Walker, author of Twenty-Four Hours a Day, and Ralph Pfau ("Father John Doe"), author of the Golden Books. These two writers, together with Bill Wilson and Ed Webster, author of The Little Red Book, were "the big four," the most published A.A. authors during the early years of the movement. |
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Courses taught
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Indiana University South Bend (1970-2003): Western Culture 1: Ancient, Greek, and Roman Western Culture 2: Italian Renaissance, Reformation, 18th-century Enlightenment Ancient Civilization Medieval Civilization Religion of Ancient Israel Introduction to the New Testament Greek History Roman History Plus occasional seminars on a variety of topics, including God and Christ in Early Christianity, Greek and Roman Mythology, the Fall of the Roman Empire, and the Dark Ages Also reading courses on first year Greek, advanced medieval Latin, the medieval Byzantine world, the philosophers Aristotle and Kant, and medieval art history Boston University (1984-85): Graduate course on Patristics (the Christian theology and philosophical theology of the first six centuries A.D.) Seminar on St. Augustine for doctoral students Advanced undergraduate Roman history Advanced graduate reading course on Greek grammar and syntax in first-century texts University of Virginia (1968-70): History of Christian Thought: patristic, medieval, reformation, and modern (both undergraduate and graduate students) St. Augustine Introduction to modern theology and ethics The twentieth-century debate over history and faith The Rise of Western Atheism (Feuerbach, Marx, Dostoyevski, Camus, Sartre, Heidegger, ennui in Baudelaire, etc.) Southern Methodist University (1964-65): First year graduate Greek language First year graduate history of philosophy |
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Photographs
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ON SEPARATE PAGES (click on each link): Parents, grandparents, and baby pictures Childhood, high school, and college years Seminary at Southern Methodist University 1961-1965 Doctorate at Oxford University 1965-1968 Teaching at Indiana University 1970-2003 Part 1: the early years Part 2: the later years Retirement from Indiana University in May 2003 Some recent photos (through Summer 2005) INDEX to these and other photos |