Andrew Christian Van Gorder, Ph.D

7 High Street

Tel: 717-766-2511 x7025

Boiling Springs, PA  17007

fax: 717-691-6040

 

email: cvangord@messiah.edu

 

Education

1991-1995. Queen's University of Belfast, Ireland
Doctorate in Philosophy in Comparative World Religions with a concentration in Islamic Studies.
Dissertation:  Islamic Theology and Christianity (634-1258 C.E.)
Course Work:  Islamic Theology,  Islamic History,  Islamic Mysticism,  Qur'anic Studies,  Hadith Studies, Islam in Asia, Buddhism in China and Tibet, Vedic Understandings of Salvation, Confucianism, Taoism, Comparative Studies,  etc.

1994.  Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota
Graduate Courses:  M.F.A. Program in Creative Writing

1991.  Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California
Graduate Courses:  Leadership Theory, Mentoring, Folk Islam, Contemporary Islam

1987-1988.  National University of Singapore
Chinese Language and Research Center
Graduate Courses:  Conversational and Written Chinese, Chinese History, Culture, and Arts

1982 - 1984.  Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, Kentucky
Master of Arts in World Religions 
Graduate Courses: African Traditional Religions, Buddhism, Vedic Traditions, Judaism, Christian Church History, Christianity in India, Biblical Studies, Theology, Teaching Methods, Arabic

1982.   University of Pittsburgh,  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Graduate Courses:  Russian Revolution (1889-1937),  Art History II

1981.  University of Tulsa,   Tulsa,  Oklahoma
Graduate Courses:  Humanities,  Age of Napoleon, Shakespeare

1978-1981.  Oral Roberts University,  Tulsa, Oklahoma
Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies -English Literature, Communications, German, and Biblical Literature

1977 Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
Undergraduate Courses:  Irish Literature,  Irish Culture, Irish History

1976 American Hellenic College, Athens, Greece
Undergraduate Course:  Greek Drama and Classical Thought

Teaching Experience

1997 - Present.   Messiah College,  Grantham, PA
Undergraduate Courses Taught:  Islam, Judaism, World Religions, Religions of China/Japan, Religions of India/Persia,  Religions of Africa,  African-American Theology, Anabaptist Theology, Christianity in the 2/3 World, Christianity in Asia,  Christian Mission,  History of Christian Mission,  Revolutionaries of the Spirit.

1989-1991; 1995-1996.   Yunnan University,  Kunming, Yunnan, Peoples Republic China
Foreign Expert,  Foreign Language Department
Undergraduate/Graduate Courses Taught:   American History, American Literature, English and Irish Literature, Asian-American Literature, American Multiculturalism, Twentieth Century History through Literature, Drama, Composition,  Rhetoric,  Contemporary European Literature in Translation, Thesis Writing

1984-1987.   Judson Christian Academy,  Burton Michigan
Course Taught:  American History

1982.  Wesley Academy,   Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Course Taught:  Reading/Spelling  (Remedial Students)

Travels,  Lectureships,  Fellowships,  Memberships

1975 - 2000:   Ministry/Study Travel:  Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Burma, China, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ethiopia, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Palestine, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Taiwan, Thailand, Tibet, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe. 

2000.  Pew Charitable Trust Scholars in Residence Program, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan.   Topic:  Christianity and the World Religions.  Director:  Lamin Osman Sanneh,  Yale University.

2000.  Presidential Scholars Lecture:  "Creating A Global Community of Scholars:  Ernest L. Boyer in China, 1975-1995.  Boyer Center.  Grantham,  Pennsylvania.

2000.   Asia Network and United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia Conference Discussion Leader:  Contemporary Trends in Global Education.  Chicago,  Illinois.

1999.  Conference Delegate:  Council on the Parliament of the World Religions.  Cape Town, South Africa.

1999.  National Mennonite Student Youth Conference Lecture:  "Contemporary Global Religious Persecution."  Atlanta, Georgia. 

1993-1994.  Visiting Researcher:  Stichting Open Doors, Ermelo, The Netherlands                                    Topic of Research:  Islam and Christianity in Central Asia and Western China.

1986.  Foss Avenue Recreation League Recognition Award for Community Service (coached youth inner-city basketball team), Flint, Michigan.

1981.  Humanities Scholarship, The University of Tulsa Graduate School

1981.  Magna Cum Laude Graduate, Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, Oklahoma

1976.  "Encounter Ireland" Scholarship, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland

Memberships:  American Academy of Religion, NAACP, Amnesty International, Thoreau Society, Kipling Society, Interfaith Roundtable of Central Pennsylvania,  Harambee Church. 

 

Revised:  Summer 2000