George Marsden facts for kids

George Mish Marsden, born on February 25, 1939, is an American historian. He studies how Christianity and American culture have influenced each other. He also writes about Christianity in colleges and universities, and about evangelicalism in the United States. Marsden is famous for his award-winning book about Jonathan Edwards. Edwards was an important religious leader from early American history.

Who is George Marsden?

George Marsden was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on February 25, 1939. He went to several colleges and universities. These included Haverford College, Westminster Theological Seminary, and Yale University. At Yale, he earned a special degree called a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in American history. His teacher there was Sydney E. Ahlstrom.

Marsden's Teaching Career

Marsden taught history at different universities for many years.

• From 1965 to 1986, he taught at Calvin College.
• Then, from 1986 to 1992, he taught at Duke Divinity School.
• After that, he became a professor at the University of Notre Dame. He taught there from 1992 until 2008.

As of 2025, Marsden is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Notre Dame. This means he has retired but is still honored by the university. Many students who studied for their PhDs with him have become important historians themselves. Some of his former students include Diana Butler Bass, Matthew Grow, Thomas S. Kidd, and Steven Nolt.

Awards and Recognition

George Marsden has received several important awards for his historical writing.

• In 2004, he won the Bancroft Prize for his book Jonathan Edwards: A Life. This is a very respected award for books about American history.
• He also received the Merle Curti Award in 2004. This award is for excellent books in American intellectual history.
• In 2005, he was given the Grawemeyer Award in Religion. This award recognizes great ideas in the field of religion.

In 2014, a special book was created to honor him. It was called American Evangelicalism: George Marsden and the State of American Religious History. This book was put together by Darren Dochuk, Thomas S. Kidd, and Kurt W. Peterson.