Bestselling author and screenwriter Michael Crichton once said, “If you don’t know history, then you don’t know anything. You are a leaf that doesn’t know it’s part of a tree.”¹

This emphasis on the necessity of studying history is embodied by Sattler’s history classes and the unique culture created by history majors at the College. History classes at Sattler prompt students to think about the ways that historical narratives serve as tools for community-building. The history majors at Sattler College have absorbed this theme and cultivated a unique community that explores the past together and applies that knowledge to the present.

Many people are unclear about what studying history at Sattler looks like. Perhaps this is because the words “studying history” tend to conjure an image of dusty bookshelves and dimly lit rooms crowded with filing cabinets, accented with a few yawning students hunched over books. Happily, this eerie image couldn’t be farther from the truth for history majors at Sattler.

Studying history at Sattler is a journey, intentionally curated to spur the adventurer on to discover the purposes, truth, and love of God stamped across the ages of time. The history program is led by Dr. Hans Leaman, who received his doctorate in history from Yale University. He explains:

In history classes, we are curious about how people living in different times and cultures searched for meaning and God’s purpose for their lives, forged bonds of trust in the midst of social strife, and tried to lead their societies to become more just.  And in the process we get new ideas for how to go about those important tasks in our own times.

With Sattler College being nestled right in the heart of Boston, the history major at Sattler affords students the unique opportunity to study history from multiple vantage points. Students are surrounded by local, international, and Christian history as they walk the streets around campus and the dorms. Local monuments, art museums, and the glorious Boston Public Library all contribute to this immersive journey through history.

Photo of the Boston Public Library by Judith Chambers on Unsplash

Furthermore, Sattler strives for a relationally-focused study of history. Classes are geared towards the personal growth of the student, building a comprehensive framework of cultures and countries they can use to hone in on areas of interest. They understand and empathize with their fellow man, equipping students to serve in Christ’s kingdom. 

While students benefit from Sattler’s unique approach to history, students in the history major also bless the Sattler community through who they are. History majors inspire formative conversations, write and present thought-provoking papers, and encourage others to live deeper, well-rounded lives. They have created a literature group that meets every Sunday at a local Tatte Cafe to discuss excerpts from current favorite books as well as some of their own written pieces. An idea from one history major is often like a spark tossed in dry leaves, igniting the minds and hearts of others and enriching the conversation.

A senior history major, Joshua Stoltzfus, shared, “One of my favorite things about studying history is how it teaches you to understand people more empathetically. In particular, it teaches you to think sympathetically about other cultures because whenever you study people and events from a different time, even if they are from your own country, you are studying another culture because people change so much over time.”

Echoing Michael Crichton’s statement above, Joshua’s comments illustrate the importance of understanding and embracing the fact that we are part of something bigger than ourselves—a leaf that’s part of a tree. Through history, we establish our roots and change the direction of our growth, from the darkness of earth and sin toward the light of Christ’s kingdom. 

1. Michael Crichton, Timeline (New York: Knopf, 1999), 73 ↩︎