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Summer Schools

Gain international experience.

Make the most of your summer., meet new people and make new friends..

Summer Schools run by select overseas partners offer University of Reading students an exciting opportunity to gain international experience without prolonging their degree. Don’t just take our word for it – hear from past participants !

Lasting approximately four weeks in the summer months, these short-term programmes serve as an excellent alternative to a semester or full academic year abroad.

Explore this webpage to learn more about the destinations available to you what is included, and how to apply.

NB: These will appear in the list of possible overseas partners for each subject in the ‘ Where’ page -preceded by “Summer” in front of the partner’s name (e.g. “Summer: Aarhus Universitet”). Inclusion of the partner for summer school opportunities does not necessarily mean that they will be an option for more traditional semester / yearlong study abroad.

Where could you go?

Summer Schools options are offered by the following partner universities:

• Aarhus University (Denmark)
• EM Strasbourg (France)
• The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Hong Kong)
• Sophia University (Japan)
• Sungkyunkwan University (South Korea)
• Linköping University (Sweden)

Spending my summer in Aarhus was the best decision I’ve ever made, hands down. I will never forget my time in Aarhus, and I think I might have left a piece of my heart there.

Blaise Moten-Mills Summer 2022

What is included?

Through our partnership with a select few institutions, University of Reading students can participate in Summer School programmes without paying any programme tuition fees .

Additional costs that you may incur, however, are not covered by the University of Reading, nor your host institution. These include but are not limited to:

• Travel expenses (flights, visas, daily commuting etc.)
• Accommodation (halls or private)
• Extracurricular activities (visits, independent excursions)
• Subsistence (meals, drinks etc.)

Unlike semester or full year study abroad programmes, modules undertaken through a Summer School programme are not recognised by your academic school and are not noted on your University of Reading academic transcript.

However, many host institutions are able to present you with an academic transcript (a document demonstrating the grades achieved) and/or a certificate of completion.

While participating on a Summer School programme, you do not have to take modules in the same subject area as your degree programme at Reading. Exploring different academic disciplines and learning about the language and culture of your destination country are both strongly encouraged.

Students who participate in a Summer School will be supported by the Study Abroad Office at every stage of their journey – prior to departure, while abroad, and upon returning to the UK.

Those going abroad for a period of 4 weeks or longer may be eligible to receive funding through the UK Government’s Turing Scheme. The Study Abroad Office will contact successful Summer School applicants directly with further information.

Further opportunities can be found on our Funding page .

Get Notified!

Complete our Expression of Interest form to receive an email as soon as applications open!

Eligibility

Unless otherwise stated, too participate in a Summer School programme you must be:

• Currently enrolled at the University of Reading.
• An undergraduate student in your first or interim year of study.
• In good academic standing.

Unfortunately, Summer School programmes are not open to final year undergraduates or postgraduate students.

Ready to apply?

Round 1: January

Round 2: March / April

Summer School applications typically open alongside main study abroad applications in early January, and usually close within one month of opening. You can learn more about the study abroad application process on the ‘ Apply ‘ section of our website.

On occasion, we may hold a second application round in March / May where places are still available.

Useful Links

Key information.

Cycling to the University

Hire a bike with unicycle click here for more details, free cycle training available click here for details or contact [email protected], dr bike checks & repairs palmer quad weds 12-2pm.

Cycling is a great way to get fit and save money at the same time. The Whiteknights campus offers an ideal green environment for cyclists to explore the natural beauty the campus has to offer. We welcome responsible cyclists who follow our guidelines for sharing the space safely with other cyclists, pedestrians and drivers.

On this page...

This page outlines all the facilities and offers available to cyclists and those considering cycling to and around the University. Scroll down to find out:

• how to get yourself a bike
• how to keep yourself safe
• how to keep your bike secure
• how to keep your bike in top condition
• where to find our showers

Important Links

Cycle Safety

To keep up to date with the latest information on cycling at the University, follow us on

Dr. Bike sessions: Spring Term (2024)

We have regular Dr Bike sessions on campus where a mechanic will check and fix your bicycle for free, charging only for any parts that might be needed. To keep your bike in top condition come along to one of our regular Dr. Bike sessions.

The following sessions will take place  every Wednesday  in the  Palmer Quad . We are located in the area directly outside the Palmer Building.

*Dates subject to occasional change so please check the latest update before attending.

Acquiring a bike

There are lots of options for getting going on two wheels at the University, for both our staff and students.

HIRE a bike with Unicycle

If you want to use a bicycle while you are in Reading but do not want to buy one, you can take advantage of the Unicycle scheme run by RUSU and loan recycled bicycles by the term or year.

Enquire quickly, as they only have a limited number of bicycles available! To find out more information, contact [email protected].

More information

BUY a second hand bike

A great method of re-use and saving money at the same time. Online community pages and second hand stores such as Reading Bicycle Kitchen can be useful places to find a used bicycle.

While a great way to reuse old equipment, ALWAYS BE CAREFUL when purchasing from somebody you don't know. Follow these tips to stay safe and ensure you aren't getting ripped off:

• Ask for the frame number and check it online with a database such as www.bikeregister.com/bike-checker to confirm it hasn't been reported stolen.
• Check the average price for the model and brand online before purchasing to gauge an idea of market value, or else consult a local bicycle store to ask their opinion.

LOAN a bike with Easit

If you only need a bike for a short period of time, or want to have a trial with one in Reading before committing to buy, then you can loan a bike for a month with Easit first. This offer includes fixed frame, electric and folding bikes - perfect to see if cycling to work is right for you!

You can sign-up/log in  to Easit to take advantage of this offer.

CYCLE2WORK scheme (for staff)

University staff can use salary sacrifice to make considerable savings on new bicycles. Our scheme is run by Halfords but your bicycles can be purchased from any participating retailer. You can choose a bike and accessories up to the value of £2,500 and you can make savings of up to 42%! (For an accurate quote, use the Savings Calculator on  www.cycle2work.info/bikes/savings-calculator ).

For more information, see the HR benefits+ website at Cycle2Work .

Keeping yourself (and others) safe

Improve your cycling skills and cycle responsibly with these tips you can find our security service's 'safe cycling' page here., improve your cycling skills.

We want to ensure that all cyclists at the University have the right skills to keep both themselves and other road users safe on the roads and paths. We offer fun, free cycle courses for complete beginner to more advanced commuting tips" on Wednesday afternoons, 12.00 - 18.00.

To book your space or find out more information, contact [email protected].

• Cyclists from overseas to brush up on local rules and laws.
• Those looking for improved confidence to cycle on the roads
• Training addicts
• Experienced cyclists looking to train as ride leaders

Email [email protected] if you’re interested and we will forward your name and contact email address to our training providers * to arrange a session.

KNOW your route and SHARE the road

The paths on campus can be extremely busy at times so please be careful and considerate of other users and do not speed. We have made significant investments in making more space for cyclists and pedestrians to share pathways safely

Reading Travel Info provide useful information on cycling routes around the town, to help you plan your journey to and from campus.

USE a helmet and lights at night!

Having the correct equipment is vital to safe cycling. Wearing a helmet is not a legal requirement in the UK, but is highly recommended by us in all instances of cycling, not just to and around our campuses.

It is also important to use front and rear lights when cycling at night. This is a legal requirement in the UK and you could be fined for not having them. These are available to buy from Security Services online or else in Whiteknights House.

Protecting your bike from theft

Unfortunately cycle thieves operate everywhere, including at the university. help us to protect you and others by looking after your bike for tips from our security services, you can access their website here., lock your bicycle securely.

Make sure you lock your bicycle securely to a solid object, using a solid D-lock, or even better using two locks. Make sure you are locking you bike securely by following these tips.

Decent locks are available to purchase from the Security Window in Whiteknights House - you can pay online here and then collect .

SECURE your cycle in our compounds

Any staff or student wishing to use the gated bicycle compounds available on Whiteknights can do so by visiting the Security Window in Whiteknights House. You just need to bring along your Campus ID card.

(Conditions of use include using a secure D-lock to lock your bicycle, and having a Security sticker on the bike). To access the compounds you will also need to know the PIN number for your personal campus card (unique for everyone). You can obtain this number by visiting the campus card pages and signing in, using your University of Reading username and password.

Gated secure cycle parking compounds are located at Whiteknights beside the following buildings:

• Chemistry (Car Park 10)
• At the rear of RUSU (Car Park 4)
• Earley Gate, near Agriculture building

These locations can be seen on the  map of Whiteknights cycle racks and secure cycle compounds .

PROTECT your bike with a security label

A security label is a unique and unremovable ID tag that you can attach to your bike. It acts as a strong deterrent to thieves, as it helps tracking stolen goods and allows police to prove a bike does not belong to the thief. Free labels and advice available from the Security Window in Whiteknights House. For more information, read the Security Services page here. 

Keeping your bike in top condition

There are a lot of options for maintaining your bike at the university..

We regularly run Dr Bike sessions on the Palmer Quad, Whiteknights campus. A professional mechanic will check and fix your bicycle for free, charging only for any parts that might be needed.

Check the top of this page for latest dates (dates subject to occasional change so please check the latest update here and on social media before attending).

Reading Bicycle Kitchen

Reading Bicycle Kitchen is a volunteer run, not-for-profit organisation founded to encourage cycling by making low cost bicycle maintenance available to all in Reading. They run regular sessions on our campuses and around Reading that will give you the skills to fix your own bike, so you can repair pesky punctures or bothersome bars wherever you are!

Tools for cycle maintenance

Basic cycle maintenance tools are available to borrow from the Chaplaincy on Whiteknights Campus. If you need to pump up a tyre or make a few minor adjustments, just pop along to the Chaplaincy which is located on the path between the Palmer Quad and the JJT building.

Showers and further information

Showers at reading.

To ensure you can be comfortable and hygienic following your cycle to campus, we have a number of available showers to use. Follow our links to see the locations across our Whiteknights and London Road campuses.

If you have any issues with access, or general feedback, please let us know at [email protected]

Abandoned bicycle policy

If you spot a bike that you think has been abandoned on campus please alert our Security Service on ext7799. They can begin the process of labelling to free the parking space and recycling the abandoned bike for our bike recycling scheme.

We are constantly working to improve facilities for cyclists on campus. If there is a particular improvement that you'd like to see please let us know at [email protected] .

Overseas Staff Travel Form

If you are travelling overseas on the 'business of the University' or undertaking research or teaching, which is within your contract of employment and with the authority of your School or Directorate, then you must let the University know; please complete this form before you travel.

If you do not complete this form you may not be covered by the University of Reading's travel insurance policy.

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Guest logon.

Login using this Guest feature if you do not have University Account or if you are completing this form on behalf of a colleague:

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ESL Travel Reading

ESL travel reading comprehension passages and exercises are good ways to learn travel vocabulary. Doing them will help you remember the words and how to use them.

This page has an ESL travel reading comprehension passage that you should read and understand. Then after it there are some questions about the passage that that you should answer. Once you have finished the questions click on the get answers button to show your score and the correct answers.

If you cannot understand any of the vocabulary used you can go to the ESL travel vocabulary page that has an extensive travel vocabulary list for you to consult.

ESL Travel Reading Comprehension Passage

Travel is something which people do every day. It is very difficult to avoid the need to travel. It may be a trip to school, university or to work. Travelling can often take a long time, especially when great distances need to be covered. People often enjoy travelling abroad for holidays. But for some people travelling is not fun at all. Some people suffer from travel sickness. This means that they will become very unwell each time they travel. 

Travelling can be either affordable or costly. It often depends on how far you want to travel and the choice of transport. Using a bicycle will not cost anything as you power it by using your legs. However, the use of a bicycle can be hard work and can take a lot of time to travel long distances. Cars and motorcycles are faster modes of transport, but are more expensive to use as gasoline is needed for them to work. It can usually be assumed that the longer you wish to travel, the more expensive and time consuming it will be.

The use of a plane is necessary for people wanting to travel very long distances. A pilot will fly a plane from an airport for many thousands of miles to take people to places far away. Although traffic is rarely a problem for airplanes, it can take a lot of preparation to travel by plane. People often need to arrive at the airport three hours prior to departure. 

A train is another mode of transport which is ideal for travelling long distances within the same country, or between countries which are connected by land. A train driver will stop at train stations on route to allow passengers wishing to proceed to the scheduled destination to board the train.

A number of destinations can be travelled to by using the sea. People often depart from a harbour in a ferry which is driven by a captain. If the journey is a long distance, people may choose to sleep on the ferry while they wait to arrive at their destination. Some people choose to go on a cruise for their holiday, which would involve stopping at many different city ports for a short amount of time. People who need to travel short distances may choose not to use any transport at all. People often rely on their legs to take them to places nearby. This is often encouraged as certain modes of transport have been said to produce harmful emissions and damage the environment. 

ESL Travel Reading Comprehension

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Dec 18, 16 03:17 AM

There are several ESL New Year listening tasks for you to do on this page so you can learn how to listen to the vocabulary.

ESL New Year Writing

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This page has a range of ESL New Year writing exercises for you to do.

ESL New Year Conversation

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There are example ESL New Year conversations on this page as well as some exercises and activities.

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Hotels in Reading

Reading is a busy riverside town packed with historical sights, a large university and some of the most exciting attractions in the UK. A great place to choose if you're looking for hotels in Berkshire, the surrounding area is filled with things to do and see and from here you can also take a day trip to London with ease, making a Reading hotel the ideal base if you want a great range of activities right on your doorstep.

Cheap hotels in Reading

There's so much choice. The Travelodge Reading Central offers all the convenience you'd expect from a city centre hotel. If you're here to visit students, then Travelodge Reading Whitley is perfectly placed close to the University of Reading. Of course, one of the best things about choosing to stay in Reading is that there are hotels near Thorpe Park and Legoland: must-visit attractions for adults and kids alike! For those wanting a quieter stay with a historical flavour, then you'll want to stay by Windsor Castle.

Things to do in Reading

A trip to Reading wouldn't be complete if you didn't go to the elegant Basildon Park. But there are plenty more child-friendly attractions on offer, like the Cole Museum of Zoology and the Museum of Rural Life. For a traditional day out, start with 12th-century Reading Abbey, right in the centre of town. If you like life on the water, you won't want to miss the Reading Rowing Club and Redgrave Pinsent Rowing Lake. While football fans should head to the Madejski Stadium, home of Reading Football Club. So whether you want to focus your stay around sports, strolling in beautiful surroundings or screaming on thrilling rides, Reading is definitely the destination for you.

Nearby attractions

• Reading Train Station
• Reading Town Hall
• Madejski Stadium
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• Trunkwell House Hotel

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At Brown, a Rare Agreement Between Administrators and Protesters

Brown students took down their tents on campus after the university in Rhode Island agreed to discuss their demands for divestment from support for the Israeli military.

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By Jacey Fortin

• April 30, 2024

As pro-Palestinian protests continued to escalate across the country, officials and students at Brown University set a rare example on Tuesday: They made a deal.

Demonstrators agreed to dismantle their encampment at Brown, which had been removed by Tuesday evening, and university leaders said they would discuss, and later vote on, divesting funds from companies connected to the Israeli military campaign in Gaza.

The agreement came even as scenes of chaos continued to overtake U.S. universities, with protesters at Columbia in New York and Portland State in Oregon occupying buildings, and demonstrators at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill replacing an American flag at the center of campus with a Palestinian one.

More than a thousand people have been arrested over the past two weeks after a crackdown on a pro-Palestinian encampment at Columbia in New York resulted in a cascade of student activism across the country.

At Brown, in Providence, R.I., students began pitching tents on the main campus lawn on Wednesday. Many said they would stay until they were forced out, adding that they were concerned about trying to end the violence in Gaza — not about violating university policies.

After discussions with administrators, Brown Divest Coalition, along with other pro-Palestinian organizations including Jewish Voice for Peace, said in a post on Instagram that they had reached an agreement with the university, which “would not have been possible without the hard work of university encampments across the country, whose collective power has forced university administrators to acknowledge the overwhelming support for Palestine on their campuses.”

The agreement lays out a series of steps for the months ahead:

In May, five students will meet with five members of the Corporation of Brown University to argue for divesting funds from companies connected to the Israeli military.

In September, Brown’s advisory committee on resource management will be expected to advise the university on the same issue.

In October, the committee’s recommendation will be brought to the corporation for a vote.

“Although the encampment will end, organizing to ensure that the Brown administration fulfills our calls to act on divestment will continue until the corporation vote in October,” the Brown Divest Coalition said in a statement on Tuesday.

“This feels like a real moment of realizing our collective power,” said Rafi Ash, a sophomore at Brown who participated in the protests. “This is something that demonstrates that the mobilization of the student body can force the university to listen.”

Administrators and student activists at Northwestern University struck a similar deal on Monday.

A spokesman for Brown, Brian Clark, said that divestment was not as simple as some students might perceive, though. The university doesn’t invest its endowment directly, he said. Instead, it relies on “external specialist investment managers, all with the highest level of ethics and all whom we believe share the values of the Brown community.”

Administrators said in a statement that it would still hold disciplinary proceedings related to the encampment, which broke the university’s rules. Reports of harassment and discrimination will also be investigated, the statement said.

“The devastation and loss of life in the Middle East has prompted many to call for meaningful change, while also raising real issues about how best to accomplish this,” Christina H. Paxson, Brown’s president, said in the statement, adding that she did not condone the encampment and had been concerned about inflammatory rhetoric.

“I appreciate the sincere efforts on the part of our students to take steps to prevent further escalation,” she said.

Gaya Gupta contributed reporting.

Jacey Fortin covers a wide range of subjects for the National desk of The Times, including extreme weather, court cases and state politics all across the country. More about Jacey Fortin

Our Coverage of the U.S. Campus Protests

News and Analysis

G.W.U. : Hours before the mayor of Washington, D.C., was scheduled to testify on Capitol Hill about the city’s handling of a pro-Palestinian encampment at George Washington University, police moved to break up the encampment .

U.C.L.A. : A police consulting firm will review a violent confrontation  at the University of California, Los Angeles, in which a group of counterprotesters attacked demonstrators  at a pro-Palestinian encampment while security guards and police officers failed to intervene.

UChicago : Police officers removed the pro-Palestinian encampment  at the University of Chicago, a move that was sure to be closely watched because the school has long considered itself a model for free expression on campus .

Remembering the 1968 Protests:  As Chicago prepares to host the Democratic National Convention , it wants to shed memories of chaos from half a century ago even as the campus protests are growing.

Protests in Europe:  In countries across Europe, students have staged their own pro-Palestinian sit-ins and protests  on the lawns of their universities. And in several instances, the authorities are taking a similar approach to their U.S. counterparts: shutting them down.

Outside Agitators:  Officials in New York City have blamed “external actors” for escalating demonstrations at Columbia, but student protesters reject the claim .

A Spotlight on Student Journalists:  Columbia’s radio station and other student-led news outlets have provided some of the most detailed coverage  of the turmoil engulfing campuses.

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Dozens reportedly arrested as police clear George Washington University encampment

The school’s student paper reported arrests as hundreds of Washington DC police dismantled the impromptu tent village

Hundreds of Washington DC police, some deploying pepper spray, cleared a pro-Palestinian encampment at George Washington University early on Wednesday, in the latest clash between law enforcement and protesting students to sweep the US.

The GW Hatchet student paper reported that at least a dozen people had been arrested as the impromptu tent village was dismantled in University Yard. The Metropolitan police department said the arrests had been made for “assault of a police officer” and “unlawful entry”.

The George Washington confrontation follows the clearing of the protest encampment at the University of Chicago on Tuesday. A large police contingent was sent in to remove tents in the university’s Quad, after the school authorities said that negotiations with students had broken down.

Since campus protests first erupted three weeks ago at Columbia University in New York City and spread rapidly across the country, there have been at least 2,600 arrests on 50 campuses, according to the Associated Press.

At George Washington, tension rose on Tuesday night after protesters left the university encampment and marched to the home of the institution’s president, Ellen Granberg. The local TV station Fox 5 reported that they were chanting, “Granberg, Granberg, you can’t hide, you’re complicit in genocide.”

University authorities said in a statement following the removal of the encampment that the protest had “evolved into an unlawful activity, with participants in direct violation of multiple university policies and city regulations”. On Sunday, Granberg went further, claiming the protest had been taken over by outsiders and accusing the demonstrators of a raft of illegal and provocative acts.

“When protesters overrun barriers established to protect the community, vandalize a university statue and flag, surround and intimidate GW students with antisemitic images and hateful rhetoric, chase people out of a public yard based on their perceived beliefs, and ignore, degrade, and push GW police officers and university maintenance staff, the protest ceases to be peaceful or productive,” Granberg said .

Student protesters have called her account of events “deeply misleading” and countered that Granberg had repeatedly refused to meet with them and discuss their demands. They include disclosure by the university of all its investments and endowments, and divestment from academic partnerships in Israel .

One question looming over the volatile events at George Washington was why the DC police took so long to remove the encampment following days of requests by the university authorities to do so. On Friday the police chief and mayor of DC ordered police officers who had been assembling to dismantle the tents to stand down, saying they were worried about being seen to act against peaceful protesters, the Washington Post reported.

The mayor, Muriel Bowser, and the police chief, Pamela Smith, were set to answer questions from US Congress members on Wednesday about why they failed to respond to the university’s request to clear the campus until now.

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Lipscomb Faculty Reading Room

Keely Hagan | 615-966-6491 |  04/30/2024

With the start of the vacation season, May is a great time to check out recently released, or soon to be released, books by Lipscomb faculty.  The sampling of faculty books listed below by genre provides interesting topics to explore and fill up your summer reading list. All books are available to purchase or preorder on Amazon, or check with your favorite local bookstores for availability.

The Bookroom: Remembrance and Forgiveness–A Memoir

Dr. C. Leonard Allen (Lipscomb Dean of the College of Bible) Leafwood Publishers, 2024, publication date: May 7, 2024

Noted theologian Allen’s memoir begins at age eight in his father’s bookroom—and with an emerging cluster of questions about the faith he inherited. The search for answers led him on a long journey, including a harrowing desert season, then a season of newness he had not imagined.

The characters in this story are easy to relate to—the humor, the joy, the grief. Readers will get glimpses into the rich texture of their lives—the power of memory, the struggles with selfhood, the need for forgiveness and the surprises of grace.

Randy Harris wrote: “Leonard Allen’s moving memoir weaves together personal experience, theological reflection and spiritual pilgrimage… It’s a splendid recounting of his journey and a welcome companion on our journeys. It makes for deeply engaging reading.”

Allen has taught theology, ethics and philosophy at the graduate and undergraduate level for more than 20 years, serving as visiting professor at Biola University, adjunct professor at John Brown University and Fuller Theological Seminary and professor at Abilene Christian University before taking on the deanship at Lipscomb. He has lectured widely on college campuses and in churches over the past 40 years on biblical, historical and theological themes. The central focus of his work has been opening up the riches of the Christian tradition across the ages to believers old and young.

Allen is the author, co-author or editor of 15 books, including In the Great Stream: Imagining Churches of Christ in the Christian Tradition; Poured Out: The Spirit of God Empowering the Mission of God; The Cruciform Church: Becoming a Cross-Shaped People in a Secular World; Distant Voices: Discovering a Forgotten Past for a Changing Church; and Things Unseen: Churches of Christ in (and after) the Modern Age.

Public Policy

Faith in Foreign Aid: Religious Organizations ’  Engagement with USAID

Dr. Susan Turner Haynes (Lipscomb associate professor in political science) Routledge, 2024, publication date: July 12, 2024

The United States contributes more foreign aid than any other state in the world, and it is often recognized as a leader in engaging religious organizations in aid delivery. Faith in Foreign Aid is the first book to closely examine how the relationship between religious organizations and USAID plays out in practice. 

Relying on financial data collected by more than three dozen Lipscomb undergraduate students, Faith in Foreign Aid traces faith-based funding patterns in U.S. foreign aid from 2001-2021. It also relies upon a survey of over 400 humanitarian organizations and interviews with over 40 religious organizations to highlight the voices and experiences of faith-based organizations that have relied exclusively on private funding and those that have received grants from the U.S. government.

Haynes’ research provides new empirical evidence that can help inform and shape USAID’s new Strategic Religious Engagement Policy.

The book will be of interest to researchers across public policy, development, religion and political science, as well as to practitioners at USAID and development organizations.

Haynes is also the author of Chinese Nuclear Proliferation: How Global Politics Is Transforming China's Weapons Buildup and Modernization, which explores why China, the only nuclear weapon state recognized under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty that continues to pursue advancements to its nuclear force.

American History

The Mexican-American War Experiences of Twelve Civil War Generals

Dr. Timothy D. Johnson (Elizabeth Gentry Brown Chair in History) LSU Press, 2004, publication date: October 2024

Johnson’s eighth book focusing on military history is a collection of 12 essays by a dozen noted Civil War scholars examining the lessons 12 generals learned in the Mexican-American War that influenced their later Civil War decision-making.

Johnson, who has written extensively on the war with Mexico, solicited and edited the essays.  The contributing historians are from the University of Virginia, University of North Carolina, Oklahoma State, Arizona State, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, the U.S. Naval Academy and other research institutions. Essay topics consist of six Union generals and six Confederate generals, and the list includes Ulysses S. Grant, Joseph Hooker, Robert E. Lee, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson and James Longstreet.

Johnson, who wrote the introduction, proposes that the earlier war, fought from 1846 to 1848, was a laboratory of experiential learning which helped mold leadership characteristics in the areas of strategy, tactics, logistics and interpersonal relationships played out during the Civil War.

The publication is the first scholarly effort to bridge the two wars, and it is part of LSU’s “Conflicting Worlds: New Dimensions of the American Civil War” series.

Johnson, who joined Lipscomb’s history faculty in 1991, has appeared on The History Channel and C-SPAN’s Book TV. His work has been nominated for various awards including the Lincoln Prize, the Society of Military History Book Award and the Society for Historians of the Early American Republic Book Prize. He was a finalist in 2019 for the Army Historical Foundation’s Distinguished Writing Award. He has also been a research fellow at the Virginia Historical Society and at Yale University.

Johnson’s previous books include: For Duty and Honor: Tennessee’s Mexican War Experience , Memoirs of Lieut. Gen. Winfield Scott, A Gallant Little Army: The Mexico City Campaign and Winfield Scott: The Quest for Military Glory .

Travel Literature

Bible Land Adventures: The Essential Travel Guide for Serious Disciples

Dr. W. Scott Sager ( Vice President for Spiritual Development and Church Services) Marshal Press (2023)

Sager, a faculty member in the College of Bible and Ministry, first walked the old city of Jerusalem as a student more than 30 years ago. Now, he leads Lipscomb students to the Bible Lands to help them grow as disciples.

Traveling to Israel, Palestine, Jordan or Sinai is not a vacation, he says, it’s a pilgrimage. Time in the Holy Lands teaches serious disciples how to read the Bible with their feet, their hands and their hearts. Sager draws on insights from seasoned guides and archaeologists to provide all the essential details at each site as well as the back stories every disciple needs to get the most out of their visit. Filled with maps, charts and archaeological images, the travel guide gives readers tools unavailable at most sites. In addition, key Scripture references, space for notes and notes on special site features enable users to make this book a treasured keepsake combining site details with personal experiences, insights and meditations. Since July 2011, Sager has strategically reached out to and served numerous churches as Lipscomb’s vice president for church services  and currently serves as teaching minister at the Green Hills Church of Christ. Previously, he served for 15 years as senior minister of the Preston Road Church of Christ and was the campus minister at the University of Texas in Austin.

Sager serves on the board of the Christian Relief Fund where his focus is on supporting AIDS orphans in Africa. In Dallas, he serves on the board of Christ’s Family Ministries, a fully functioning health clinic he founded that serves the working poor.

Sager’s other books include Jesus in Isolation: Lazarus, Viruses and Us and Disciple Making: The Core Mission of the Church .

Christian History

Reviving the Ancient Faith, 3rd ed.: The Story of Churches of Christ in America

Dr. Richard T. Hughes (scholar in residence at Lipscomb since 2015) and James L. Gorman Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

In this balanced, well-documented history of the Churches of Christ in America, readers will be challenged to learn the historical basis of the Church of Christ identity and beliefs. Students of the history of the Church of Christ and American religion will derive from its pages a more holistic and informed understanding of the tradition. 

New to the third edition, the final chapters bring the history of Churches of Christ from the 1960s up to 2022, analyzing the growing diversity of the movement amid intradenominational “culture wars.”

The Churches of Christ is a denomination defined by not being a denomination. These communities intended to restore a primitive Christianity, undivided by historical quarrels. 

Despite this ideal, the Churches of Christ in America have a surprisingly complex history dating back to the nineteenth century. Gorman’s fresh edition of Hughes’s classic work, Reviving the Ancient Faith, illuminates the movement started by Barton Stone and Alexander Campbell.

The authors trace the movement’s sociological transformation into a denomination from the 1830s into the twentieth century. Four developments forged this new identity: the premillennialist controversy, the divide over institutions, the racial segregation of congregations and schools, and the fight over liberalism in the 1960s.

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