Faculty Profiles

Dr. David Setran is the author of The College “Y:” Student Religion in the Era of Secularization, and co-author with Chris Kiesling of Spiritual Formation in Emerging Adulthood: A Practical Theology for College and Young Adult Ministry. His areas of research interest include college student development and formation, the history of Christian education, philosophy of Christian education, and the history of Christian parenting in the United States. He earned a Ph.D. in History of Education from Indiana University in 2000.

Indiana University, Bloomington
Ph.D., History of Education, 2000

Wheaton College
M.A., Educational Ministries, 1994

Wheaton College
B.S., Biology, 1992

Setran CV

 

• History of Christian Education
• Philosophy of Christian Education
• College Student Development
• Character Formation
• History of Educational Thought
• Ministry
• Philosophy
• Emerging Adults
• College Students
• Young Adults
• Young Adult Ministry
• Vocational Discernment
• Calling and Career
• Launching Young Adults
• Church and Young Adults
• Mentoring
• History of Christian Parenting

Spiritual Formation in Emerging Adulthood
College Transition Initiative

Is it taking longer for young people to “grow up” in today’s world? I hear this question often. Two of the stated goals for the College Transition Initiative are to provide information on emerging adulthood and resources for developing lasting faith. In order to help young people develop a lasting faith, the church needs to have an understanding of the cultural conditions in which young people live...

view more

My research areas of interest include the history of Christian education, the philosophy of Christian education, college student development and formation, and the theory and practice of character formation.

• CE 233 Discipleship
• CE 421 History and Philosophy of Christian Education
• CFM 513 History and Philosophy of Ministry
• CFM 641 College and Young Adult Ministry
• CFM 681 Integrative Seminar
• CORE 305 Spiritual Formation in Young Adulthood

Setran, David P. "Sowing the Story: Narrative Identity and Emerging Adult Formation," Christian Education Journal vol. 17, no. 1 (spring 2020): 92-109. 

Setran, David P. "Philosophy of Christian Education." Book chapter in Christian Education: Twenty-First Century Ministry, ed. Freddy Cardoza. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2019. 

Setran, David. "From Worldview to Way of Life: 'Forming Student Dispositions Toward Human Flourishing," Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care, vol. 11, no. 1 (May 2018) 53-73. 

Setran, David P. "Conquering the ‘Tyrannical Commander:’ Richard Baxter on the Perils of Pride in Christian Ministry." Christian Education Journal 13, no. 1 (Spring 2016): 103-126.

Setran, David P. "Declension Comes Home: Cotton Mather, Male Youth Rebellion, and the Hope of Providential Affliction in Puritan New England." Religion and American Culture 26, no. 1 (Spring 2016): 31-73.

Setran, David P. "Priests and Prophets in the Home: Cotton Mather and Parental Prayer." Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care 8, no. 1 (Spring 2015): 28-52.

Setran, David P. and Nathan Ramler. "Reimagining Frankena: Toward a Holistic Model for Philosophy of Ministry." Christian Education Journal 9, no. 1 (Spring 2012): 7-26. 

Setran, David P. "Getting a Life: Vocational Discernment in the Post-Christian World." Christian Education Journal 8, no. 2 (Fall 2011): 345-363.

• Spiritual Formation in Emerging Adulthood
• The College "Y"

 

 

 

My office is located in the Billy Graham Center (BGC) 236.

My Wheaton College email is david.setran@wheaton.edu. 

Please use this link to schedule office hour appointments: https://calendly.com/setran/office-hours.