The heritage of the classical languages at Wheaton College apart from their service in the literature of Christianity calls us to reflect once more on their value as the College looks toward a bright and vibrant future in service to Christ and his kingdom.
At the founding of the College in the 1860s, all incoming students were expected to have already achieved proficiency in Greek. If they did not, a preparatory school on the grounds, Wheaton Academy, stood ready to remediate their lack.
At that time, the place of Greek and Latin at Wheaton reflected the value of the classical languages in the life of an educated person of that time and was assumed to be an essential part of the liberal arts curriculum.
In honor of Professor Emeritus Gerald F. Hawthorne, long-time teacher of Greek at Wheaton College (1958-1995), Dr. Karen Jobes and her assistant Charlie Trimm compiled a short history of the role of Greek and Hebrew teaching here at Wheaton from the earliest days of the college up through the present.
"A Brief History of the Place of Greek Language & Literature in the Curriculum of Wheaton College" covers:
- The Early Years (1860-1885)
- The Middle Years (1885-1941)
- The Graduate School
- Hebrew at Wheaton College
- The Rich Heritage of Ancient Languages at Wheaton College
During the summer, professors lead the study of the Old Testament, New Testament and Early Church through travel to Israel, Greece, Turkey, and Rome.