Amy Hughes

During my undergraduate studies I fell in love with the early church. Once I realized that what got me up in the morning was the intricacies of Trinitarian discussions, legendary martyrs, and questions about the experience of early Christian women, I knew I had found my life's work. I began what would lead into my dissertation work during my time at Wheaton pursuing at M.A. in History of Christianity. It was a natural fit to continue that work with George Kalantzis who greatly supported me and challenged me. The Wheaton Center for Early Christian Studies was central to my growth as a scholar while pursuing my PhD at Wheaton. The Center's vision closely aligns with mine: to help address the lack of a deep connection with historic Christianity in Evangelicalism. Through the Center, I was afforded the space to discover and relish the texts, as well as the resources to gain a picture of the context of the world of the earliest Christians. My favorite moments from my involvement with the Center happened during the times spent around scheduled lectures sharing meals and cups of coffee with the many magnificent scholars who have visited. It's a very particular joy to meet with other minds who spend time in the nuances and whose expertise broadens one's theological imagination. As a scholar at the beginning of her career, I take with me those formative experiences I had at Wheaton, the tools of scholarship I learned in classes to read ancient texts, the discipline it takes to learn ancient languages, the relationships I built with colleagues, and, most of all, the ability to share the compelling story of Christianity in Late Antiquity.