By: Anna Bailey, senior reporter
Photograph: from Redeemer faculty list
Dr. Drake is a new history professor at Redeemer this year. He specializes in history prior to the French revolution, particularly church history.
Did anything about Redeemer surprise you?
Nothing really surprised me; I knew about Redeemer before I got here because I’d read works by former faculty. Southern Ontario is very much like the Midwest, where I spent most of my life; people are very polite. I grew up in Nebraska, which has an intense climate—much like here.
Is this your first time living in Canada?
I’m from the States but I lived in Toronto one summer studying Latin.
What did you write your dissertation on?
I wrote my dissertation on 16th century Reformed Christology: the relationship between Jesus’ human and divine nature. There was a discussion between the Lutherans and Reformed church over the nature of the Lord’s Supper. I traced the development of the doctrine known as extra calvinisticum. That’s the short answer; the long answer is 400 pages long.
If you could live in an era of history, what would it be?
Now would be the best answer! The ancient world fascinates me—if I was also able to have modern amenities and medicine, that is. I’d like to visit Reformation Switzerland.
If you could invent and teach a class, what would it be?
I’d teach a class on 16th century Reformation history. That’s what I primarily study, and the more I look at it, the more I find interesting stories and features to dig into. I’ve worked on that period for five years and I’m not bored with it yet.
What are the best and worst parts of teaching?
I really love to engage with students. I love it when people are excited, when I see the spark of realization when they understand something.
I don’t love marking.