Whitworth Names David Henreckson as Director of Weyerhaeuser Center for Christian Faith & Learning
Henreckson comes to Whitworth from Valparaiso University where he is the Raquet Endowed Director’s Chair for the Institute of Leadership and Service. He also teaches in the university’s honors program.
Before his employment at Valparaiso, Henreckson was a visiting assistant professor of religion at Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter, Minn., and an assistant professor of theology and director of the Andreas Center for Reformed Scholarship and Service at Dordt University in Sioux Center, Iowa.
Henreckson earned his doctor of philosophy and master of arts degree in religion from Princeton University, his master of theological studies in moral theology from the University of Notre Dame, and his bachelor of arts degree in liberal arts and culture from New Saint Andrews College.
His research and teaching interests include Christian theology and political thought.
Whitworth Provost & Executive Vice President Gregor Thuswaldner says he is confident Henreckson’s experience and leadership will ensure that the activities of the Weyerhaeuser Center are consistent with the mission of Whitworth and will advance faculty success and position Whitworth nationally in the area of faith-learning integration.
“We are excited that Dr. David Henreckson will be joining us this fall to succeed Dr. Dale Soden, who has spearheaded the Weyerhaeuser Center for Christian Faith & Learning for over two decades,” Thuswaldner says. “Thanks to Dale’s leadership, the Weyerhaeuser Center is an important intellectual engine on our campus that has been fueling our discussions on faith and learning integration at Whitworth. Now that the director does not have the same teaching obligations as before, David will also help the center become an important resource for Christian scholars nationally.”
Henreckson’s book, The Immortal Commonwealth: Covenant, Community, and Political Resistance in Early Reformed Thought, was a recipient of the Manfred Lautenschlaeger Award for Theological Promise. His next book will focus on the ethics of Christian friendship. He’s also contributed to numerous journals and publications including Christianity Today, Comment magazine and Fare Forward.
Henreckson loves the Chicago White Sox and enjoys home roasting coffee, long distance running and British mystery novels. He has three children, David, Will and Emma. His first day at Whitworth will be July 1.
About the Weyerhaeuser Center for Christian Faith & Learning:
The Weyerhaeuser Center for Christian Faith & Learning was established in 1998 with the support of an initial gift from The Stewardship Foundation, established by C. Davis Weyerhaeuser, who served on the then-college’s board of trustees for more than 30 years. The center has focused on providing funding for Christian scholarship among Whitworth faculty, offering programs designed to help faculty understand Whitworth’s Christian mission as well as the college’s relationship to the Presbyterian church. The center sponsors reading groups, summer seminars and occasional workshops on various aspects of the integration of faith and learning.
About Whitworth University:
Located in Spokane, Wash., Whitworth is a private liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian church. The university, which has an enrollment of nearly 3,000 students, offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Contacts:
Trisha Coder, media relations manager, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4703 or tcoder@whitworth.edu.
