Photo by Brookelyn Davis
Article by Madeline Teeter
NEWBERG, Ore. – This year, the Honors Program at George Fox University (GFU) has added a new member to its faculty: Alyssa Lehr Evans, assistant professor of History and Theology.
“The Honors Program has been growing in enrollment in recent years,” said Isaac Choi, director of the Honors Program. “This is good news for us, but it has resulted in challenges in finding enough instructors to teach all of the new students.”
Last year, Honors faculty presented statistics to university administration to show their need for an additional professor, of which they were approved.
“Out of a large number of applicants, we chose a short list to interview over Zoom, and from that list, we chose two to bring onto campus for in-person interviews, a lecture and a teaching demo with current students,” Choi said. “Dr. Evans was the one who faculty, staff and students all agreed was the top candidate, and we're thankful that she has joined us this fall.”
Evans’ interest in theology and philosophy was sparked during her own college years. History came into her interests more as she progressed through graduate school, further realizing the connections between theology, history and philosophy.
“I was planning on going to graduate school and I was thinking philosophy at first. I took a church history course my senior year and just fell in love with it. The further I went in my graduate studies, the more historical I got. I learned and recognized that theology is very contextual,” she said.
History appealed to Evans because of its broad field of study and. “If you’re studying the history of Christianity you have to know scripture and philosophy, you need to know languages, you need to understand how to investigate historical context and how to work well with sources,” Evans said.
Evans also sees history as a way to encompass many of her interests. “As somebody who’s always had a lot of interests, I liked history because I could do a little bit of everything,” she said.
Before coming to GFU, Evans taught at the University of Göttingen, a research institution in Germany. “My specialty is Reformation history and Germany is a fabulous place to do that,” Evans said. “This is where [the Reformation] happened, this is where a lot of sources are. It was a really special experience and I was able to soak in a lot.”
One of Evans’ research projects she undertook while at Göttingen was studying various 16th century European translations of Martin Luther. “Translations aren’t just about language; it’s also about the transfer of ideas and how they change in a different language and historical context,” Evans said.
While she worked on her research, Evans was also a lecturer who helped to develop the Bachelors of intercultural theology.
“I taught a lot of introductory classes to the international students,” Evans said. “We had international students from all over: primarily Asia and Africa. Part of my job was helping them to adjust to German academia.”
Evans had heard of GFU even before seeing the job opening. “My very first academic paper I gave at GFU,” Evans said. “They were hosting a conference on faith and history. I came and gave a paper on Augustine and really liked the school and was impressed. I liked my experience there, so it’s kind of a fun connection.”
Evans said that many of her former colleagues had worked at GFU and it was through a colleague that she learned of the Honors Program’s search for a professor. These connections influenced her decision to apply.
“When you know people, you trust them, and you know that they’re thriving in a particular place. It helps you think ‘Okay, maybe I can see myself there too if so-and-so is happy there,’” Evans said.
One reason the Honors Program appealed to Evans was its unique style of education. “In Germany this kind of education doesn’t exist,” Evans said. “[Honors] emphasizes the humanist and liberal arts principles that I personally highly value. These are skills that are so needed in society today, so being a part of that is really meaningful.”
Evans also admired how the Honors Program welcomes students from all fields of study, not just the humanities. “As someone who has a lot of interests, I’ve appreciated that the Honors Program saw that as a strength. They value interdisciplinary thinkers,” Evans said.
“Frankly, this is the kind of position I went into grad school hoping I would land,” Evans said. “I was formed by my own Christian liberal arts education so I’m a believer in this.”
Upon coming to campus for her job interview, Evans felt assured by her interactions with both students and professors, ultimately feeling called to GFU.
“During my interview I was impressed with my colleagues in the Honors Program,” Evans said. “I just felt like we’d have really good conversations together. And the students were impressive too. During the interview it just felt right, like this is what I was supposed to do next.”
However, that call does not mean the choice to leave Göttingen was simple.“It was not an easy decision to leave Germany after five years building a life there,” Evans said.
Evans is also understanding this change’s challenges. “[GFU] is a very different place than Göttingen, so it’s an adjustment. The way that it’s different is part of the reason why I wanted to come. But any kind of major transition like this is difficult and takes time,” she said.
During the first few weeks of school, Evans sustained a knee injury, adding struggle to her adjustment. Yet in this, she found support in her surrounding faculty.
“I think the highlight really is my colleagues, even with the knee injury, I was able to see how supportive and understanding they are,” Evans said. “Pretty much the only good thing that came from this injury is seeing how great this community can be and that’s encouraging.”
As Evans thinks forward to the rest of her year, she encourages students to reach out and get connected.
“I am looking forward to diving in and getting involved here. That takes a little bit of time but I’m excited,” Evans said. “I’m happy to connect with students. Feel free to connect with me. This is part of why I’m here and I’m looking forward to getting to know students.”
