Charles W. Hedrick

Details

Education

• PhD 1977 Claremont Graduate School
• MA 1968 University of Souithern California
• BD 1962 Golden Gate Southern Baptist Seminary
• BA 1952 Mississippi College

Research and professional interests

My research interests should be described as focusing on Christian origins and I teach subjects related to that interest at Missouri State (viz., Jesus of Nazareth, New Testament Introduction, Parables, Gnosticism, etc.). My publications have been primarily in the area of Gospels, Nag Hammadi, Gnosticism, the Graeco-Roman world, and related topics. My book on parables, published in 1994 (Parables as Poetic Fictions. The Creative Voice of Jesus [Hendrickson]) raises, I think, some significant issues for the study of the parables, which is the backbone of the Jesus tradition. My two most recent books (I do not recommend having two books in press at the same time) are The Gospel of the Savior. A New Ancient Gospel (Polebridge, 1999) and When History and Faith Collide: Studying Jesus (Hendrickson, 1999).  The Gospel of the Savior is the first publication of a new gospel manuscript in Coptic whose composition dates before the latter half of the second century C.E. When History and Faith Collide is an inductive study of the problem of attempting to describe Jesus of Nazareth as a historical figure.  It is written for college students, and is intended to help them engage the problem for themselves. If you are interested in more information on my research, publications, or activities look at the curriculum vitae.