Contact Information
David M. Rylaarsdam
Associate Professor of Historical Theology (2001)
A.B. (Dordt College, 1989)
M.Div. (Calvin Theological Seminary, 1993)
M.A., Ph.D. (University of Notre Dame, 1997, 2000)
David Rylaarsdam began his teaching career at Smith Memorial Bible College in Nigeria, and since has taught at the University of Notre Dame, Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa, and now, Calvin Theological Seminary. He has also served a variety of churches as interim pastor and received missionary training in Mexico City. David sees church history as an opportunity to listen to testimonies of older brothers and sisters in the faith.
"As my students and I listen, we respond to these testimonies in our writing and reflection, in our discussions, in what we believe and in how we live. In other words, we are drawn into conversation with these believers spread through all time. We become part of their community. I relish being a leader and participant in this community discussion, a guide and fellow inquirer with my students as our faith seeks understanding, as we seek guidance from our sisters and brothers of all ages in how to read Scripture, how to make disciples, how to discern wisely the spirits of our age, how to avoid the mistakes of the past. I pray that my students will be persuaded to perceive the story of God's people as their story so that they may grow wiser and be drawn into a richer, more intimate union with God, the main actor in their stories."
David is married with three children.
David has contributed to numerous publications and presentations. His dissertation topic was "The Adaptability of Divine Pedagogy: Sugkatabasis in the Theology and Rhetoric of John Chrysostom."
Speaking Topics (show | hide)
- Sacraments:
- Children at the Lord's Supper
- Spiritual Formation:
- Spiritual Formation and the Spiritual Disciplines
- Worship:
- Worship in the Early Church
Curriculum Vitae (show | hide)
| EDUCATION | ||||
| Ph.D. (Theology) | University of Notre Dame | 2000 | ||
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Major: History of Christianity Specialty: Early Church and Ref. Minors: Liturgy, New Test., & Philos. |
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| M.A. (Theology) | University of Notre Dame | 1997 | ||
| M.Div. | Calvin Theological Seminary | 1993 | ||
| B.A. (History) | Dordt College, Sioux Center, IA | 1989 | ||
TEACHING AND RESEARCH EXPERIENCE |
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Associate Professor of Historical Theology, Calvin Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, MI. |
2004- |
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| Courses: | ||||
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“Church History 1: 100-1270 A.D.” “Church History 3: Modern and American” “Augustine” (Ph.D. and M.Div. seminars) “Biblical Interpretation in the Early Church” “History of Christian Worship” “Theological Biographies” “Church Leadership in Historical Perspective” |
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Assistant Professor of Historical Theology, Calvin Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, MI. |
2001-2004 |
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Guest Instructor, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI. |
2004 |
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| Courses: | ||||
| “Christian Worship.” | ||||
Assistant Professor of Theology, Dordt College, Sioux Center, IA. |
1999-2001 |
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| Courses: | ||||
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“Introduction to Theology” “Calvin’s Institutes” “Biblical Greek” “New Testament: Epistles.” |
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Graduate Teaching Fellow, University of Notre Dame. |
1998-1999 |
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| Courses: | ||||
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“First Year Composition” “Seminar: Foundations of Theology.” |
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Instructor, Department of Theology, University of Notre Dame. |
1997 |
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| Courses: | ||||
| two sections of “Foundations of Theology.” | ||||
GRE and SAT Teacher, Stanley Kaplan Educational Center, South Bend, IN. |
1996-1998 |
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| Prepared students to take standardized tests and counseled them regarding applying to colleges and graduate schools. | ||||
Research Assistant for Dr. John Cavadini, University of Notre Dame. |
1997 |
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| Editorial assistant: Miracles in Jewish and Christian Antiquity: Imagining Truth (Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 2000). | ||||
Research Assistant for Dr. J. Massyngbearde Ford, University of Notre Dame. |
1996 |
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| NEH Grant Project: Ancient and Medieval Apocalypse Commentaries. | ||||
Graduate Assistant for Dr. Bradley Malkovsky, University of Notre Dame. |
1995-1996 |
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| Editorial assistant: New Perspectives on Advaita Vedanta. Studies in the History of Religions, vol. 85 (Leiden/Boston: E.J. Brill, 2000). | ||||
Theological Assistant for Dr. Cornelius Plantinga, Jr., Calvin Theological Seminary. |
1992-1993 |
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| Grading. Research assistant: Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995). Editorial assistant: A Chorus of Witnesses: Model Sermons for Today’s Preacher (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994). | ||||
Instructor of Theology, Smith Memorial Bible College, Nigeria, West Africa. |
1991-1992 |
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| Taught courses in theology, biblical studies, evangelism, and English. | ||||
Ph.D. DISSERTATION: |
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| “The Adaptability of Divine Pedagogy: Sugkata/basij in the Theology and 2000 Rhetoric of John Chrysostom” Directors: Dr. Brian E. Daley, S.J. and Dr. Blake Leyerle. | 2000 | |||
PUBLICATIONS AND PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS: |
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The Adaptability of Divine Pedagogy: John Chrysostom’s Rhetorical Theology. Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of America Press. |
Provisional Acceptance |
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“Painful Preaching: John Chrysostom and the Philosophical Tradition of Guiding Souls.” Studia Patristica, forthcoming. |
Forthcoming |
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“Theological Reflection in Augustine’s Confessions.” For a forthcoming festschrift. |
Forthcoming |
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“Interpretations of Paul in the Early Church.” In Rereading Paul Together. Ed. David Aune. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005. |
Forthcoming |
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“What Really Happened in Worship in the Early Church.” Presentations at “Calvin Symposium on Worship.” Calvin College and Seminary. January 27-29, 2005. |
2005 |
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“Reconnecting Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, Sacraments of the Covenant Community” (4 parts). For CRConnect (www.crconnect.org). October 2004 - January 2005. |
2004-2005 |
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“Characteristics of Theological Reflection in Augustine’s Confessions.” Paper delivered at the “All-Seminary Conference,” Calvin Theological Seminary. September 2004. |
2004 |
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“Christian Reformed Church in North America.” In Encyclopedia of Protestantism, 4 volumes. Ed. Hans Hillerbrand. New York: Routledge, 2004. |
2004 |
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“Preaching as Psychagogy: Chrysostom’s Method of Guiding Souls.” Paper delivered at the “XIV International Conference on Patristic Studies,” Oxford University, August 2003. |
2003 |
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Review of John Chrysostom, Six Books on the Priesthood, trans. Graham Neville (Crestwood, NY: St Vladimir’s Press, 1996). For CRConnect (www.crconnect.org). August 2003. |
2003 |
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“Who Seeks a Spring in the Mud?” Calvin Theological Seminary Forum, Vol. 10.2 (Spring 2003), p. 9. |
2003 |
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“A Convocation Prayer for the Students of Calvin Theological Seminary.” Calvin Theological Seminary Forum, Vol. 9.3 (Fall 2002), p. 10. |
2002 |
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“Interpretations of Paul in the Early Church.” Paper delivered at the Lutheran- Roman Catholic Colloquium, “Rereading Paul Together.” University of Notre Dame, February 1, 2002. |
2002 |
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“A Teachable Teacher: Docilitas and the Vocation of John Calvin.” In Marginal Resistance: Essays in Honor of John C. Vander Stelt. Sioux Center, IA: Dordt College Press, 2001. |
2001 |
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“A Response to John Bolt: ‘On Being Reformed and Being Reformational.’” Paper delivered at an extraordinary meeting of the Dordt College Faculty and Administrative Cabinet, October 31, 2000. |
2000 |
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“Reading the Bible as Literature in Antiquity.” Paper delivered at the Open Book and Scholarship Conference. Redeemer College (Ancaster, Ontario), August 15, 2000. |
2000 |
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“The Adaptability of Divine Pedagogy according to John Chrysostom.” Paper delivered at the Annual Meeting of the North American Patristic Society, Loyola University (Chicago), May 27, 2000. |
2000 |
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“Becoming all things to theater-goers: John Chrysostom’s Imitation of Pauline Rhetoric.” Paper delivered at the Upper Midwest Regional Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, Luther Seminary (St. Paul, MN), April 29, 2000. |
2000 |
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MINISTRY EXPERIENCE: |
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Associate Pastor, Alger Park Christian Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, MI. |
2002- |
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Pulpit supply for Wabash Valley Presbytery, Presbyterian Church U.S.A. |
1996-1999 |
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Pulpit supply and lay evangelist, South Bend Christian Reformed Church. |
1994-1999 |
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Interim Assistant Pastor, Ann Arbor Christian Reformed Church. |
1993-1994 |
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Intern Pastor, West Sayville, NY, Christian Reformed Church. |
1990 (10 wks.) |
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Missionary training and internship: Merida and Mexico City, Mexico. |
1988 (10 wks.) |
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SERVICE: |
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| Ecclesiastical Service | ||||
| Interchurch Relations Committee of the Christian Reformed Church | 2003- | |||
| Teacher, “Two to Five Alive” children’s program, Alger Park CRC | 2003- | |||
| Counselor for the Calvinist Cadet Corps (a club for boys, ages 7-14) | 2002- | |||
| A lecturer for “Facing your Future,” a program for high school students considering ecclesiastical vocations, Calvin Theological Seminary | 2002- | |||
| Discussion Leader for “The Book of the Quarter,” a program for church leaders in West Michigan sponsored by Calvin Theological Seminary | 2002- | |||
| Pulpit Supply, congregations in West Michigan | 2001- | |||
| Adult Sunday School teacher, congregations in West Michigan | 2001- | |||
| Chair, Worship Ministry Team, Alger Park Christian Ref. Church | 2003-2004 | |||
| Participant in the Institute for Reformed Theology Colloquy, “Reformed Worship, Reformed Theology: The Reciprocal Relationship” | 2002-2004 | |||
| Participant in the Faith-Based Institute for Healing Racism, Olivet United Methodist Church, Grand Rapids, MI, February-May, 2002 | 2002 | |||
| Worship Committee, 1st Christian Reformed Church, Sioux Center, IA | 2001 | |||
| Children and Worship, 1st Christian Reformed Church, Sioux Center, IA | 2000-2001 | |||
| Adult Education, First Christian Reformed Church, Sioux Center, IA | 2000-2001 | |||
| Elder, South Bend Christian Reformed Church, South Bend, IN | 1997-1998 | |||
| Elder, Ann Arbor Christian Reformed Church, Ann Arbor, MI | 1993-1994 | |||
| Elder, West Sayville Christian Reformed Church, West Sayville, NY | 1990 | |||
Academic: |
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| Council of the Center for Excellence in Preaching, Calvin Theological Seminary | 2004- | |||
| Calvin Theological Seminary Liaison, International Association for the Promotion of Christian Higher Education | 2004- | |||
| Lilly Connections Implementation Committee, Calvin Theological Seminary | 2004- | |||
| Graduate Studies Committee, Calvin Theological Seminary | 2003- | |||
| Supervisor of Matins (daily morning prayers), Calvin Theological Seminary | 2003- | |||
| Secretary of the Theological Division, Calvin Theological Seminary | 2003- | |||
| Dutch-American Historical Commission | 2001- | |||
| Historical Resources Committee, Calvin Theological Seminary | 2001- | |||
| Freelance theological editor, Zondervan Publishing Company | 2004 | |||
| Lilly Connections Implementation Grant-Writing Committee | 2004 | |||
| Center for Excellence in Preaching subcommittee, Calvin Theological Seminary | 2003-2004 | |||
| Information Services Advisory Committee, Dordt College | 2000-2001 | |||
| Subcommittee on Distance Education, Dordt College | 2000-2001 | |||
| Subcommittee on the General Education Program, Dordt College | 2000-2001 | |||
| Preseminary Program Advisor, Dordt College | 1999-2001 | |||
ACADEMIC HONORS, SCHOLARSHIPS, AND GRANTS: |
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| Lilly Information Technology Faculty Incentive Grant, Calvin Theological Seminary | 2003-2004 | |||
| University of Notre Dame Graduate Teaching Fellowship | 1998-1999 | |||
| University of Notre Dame Summer Dissertation Fellowships | 1998 and 1999 | |||
| High Honors, Ph.D. Candidacy Exams, University of Notre Dame | 1997 | |||
| Pew Younger Scholars Finalist | 1994 | |||
| American Bible Society Award | 1993 | |||
| Tong Theological Scholarship, Calvin Theological Seminary | 1992-1993 | |||
| Calvin Theological Seminary Alumni Scholarship | 1990-1991 | |||
| Essenbager Scholarship, Calvin Theological Seminary | 1989-1990 | |||
| College scholarships | 1985-1989 | |||
PERSONAL DATA: |
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| Birth date: | 15 August 1966 | |||
| Birthplace: | Pella, IA | |||
| Family | Married with 3 children | |||
LANGUAGES (reading): |
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| Greek, Latin, Hebrew, French, Spanish, and German | ||||