I was blessed to have Dr. Harry Groenewold as my mentor when I first entered the service of The King’s [University] College as a novice faculty member in 1991. His wise counsel, incisive Christian insights, and friendship were a tremendous help in orienting me to faithful professional service in the academy. He helped me find my way in the institution, in higher education in general, and in Christian scholarship in particular. Early on, Harry gave me a copy of his photocopied reader — Notes for History 202 — designed to help his students understand the deeper religious and philosophical currents of Western Civilization. This resource proved very helpful in orienting me, as a beginning professor, to the actual practice of Christian Higher Education. The document you find before you now, is Harry’s greatly expanded and updated version of these Notes.” It continues to offer students, scholars, and the general public a golden opportunity to draw water from the deep well of Harry Groenewold’ s carefully formulated, biblically-honed, insights into the history of Western Civilization. This rich resource is now available to his many former students, the broader Christian community, and the scholarly community in general. Enjoy, and be challenged!
-Dr. John Hiemstra Professor of Political Studies
