George Marsden facts for kids

George Mish Marsden, born on February 25, 1939, is an American historian. He is famous for writing about how Christianity and American culture have influenced each other. He especially studied how Christianity has shaped colleges and universities in the U.S. He also wrote a lot about American evangelicalism, which is a big part of Protestant Christianity.

His most well-known work is a book about Jonathan Edwards. Edwards was an important religious leader from Colonial America. Marsden's book about Edwards won several awards.

About George Marsden

George Marsden was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on February 25, 1939. He went to several colleges, including Haverford College, Westminster Theological Seminary, and Yale University. At Yale, he earned a special degree called a Doctor of Philosophy in American history. This degree means he became an expert in that field.

He taught history at different universities for many years. He worked at Calvin College from 1965 to 1986. Then, he taught at Duke Divinity School from 1986 to 1992. After that, he became a professor at the University of Notre Dame from 1992 until he retired in 2008. As of 2017, he is an Emeritus Professor at Notre Dame, meaning he is a retired professor who keeps his title.

Awards and Recognition

George Marsden has received many important awards for his books and research. In 2004, he won the Bancroft Prize for his book Jonathan Edwards: A Life. This prize is one of the most respected awards for books about American history. He also received the Merle Curti Award in 2004. In 2005, he was given the Grawemeyer Award in Religion. These awards show how important his work is in understanding American history and religion.