Paul Toews, Ph.D.
Education
Share why you teach at FPU
I came to Fresno Pacific decades ago because of a strong identification with the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition of the college. There are many elements in that tradition that merit the careful scrutiny of students. Observers from other religious traditions frequently suggest it has a special relevance for the modern world. I have stayed all these years because of wonderful students and colleagues. This is a place where one can expand horizons, sympathies and commitments.
Scholarly Interests
The history and experience of Mennonites in Tsarist Russia, Soviet Union, Ukraine and the United States
Professional and Service Experience
I have worked on a variety of denominational boards and committees and on different inter-Mennonite boards, including the Executive Board of Mennonite Central Committee, a world-wide humanitarian agency.
Honors and Awards
- National Endowment for the Humanities, 1975, 1984, 1986
- American Institute for the Study of Evangelicals Research Fellowship, 1993
- Lilly Foundation Research Fellowship, 1995
- Visiting scholar, University of Amsterdam, 1998
- Fulbright Scholar International Exchange Program, Ukraine, 2003-2004
- Distinguished Visiting Professor, Zaporizhzhia State University, Ukraine, 2005
Professional Affiliations
Over the course of years I have had membership in the American Historical Association, American Studies Association, Organization of American Historians, Mennonite Historical Society and other regional associations.
Personal Experiences
I have traveled extensively in Europe, Asia and South America. Most of the trips have been to visit Mennonite communities. I have also led many Mennonite historical tours to Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Russia and Ukraine. Both faculty and students have traveled on these trips. In recent years my work has involved negotiations with many state archival institutions in Russia and Ukraine for the reproduction of archival material related to Mennonites.
Publications and Presentations
- Ethno-Confessions in a Soviet State: Mennonites of Siberia, 1920-1980: Annotated Archival Listing of Documents and Material, book published 2008
- Author or editor of seven books on various aspects of Mennonite History including:
- For Everything a Season: Mennonite Brethren in North America, 1874-2002, book published by Kindred Productions, 2002
- Mennonites in American Society, 1930-1970: Modernity and the Persistence of Religious Community, published by Herald Press, 1996
- Bridging Troubled Waters: The Mennonite Brethren at Mid-Twentieth Century, published by Kindred Productions, 1995
- Mennonites and Baptists: A Continuing Conversation, published by Kindred Productions, 1993
- Over 50 articles in scholarly journals or the religious press
