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Tom Schwanda
Associate Professor of Christian Formation & Ministry
On faculty since 2006

Phone: (630) 752-7958
E-Mail: Tom.Schwanda@wheaton.edu



Education

  • Ph.D. Studies, University of Durham. Historical and practical theology. I am currently completing a dissertation on the contemplative-mystical piety of the Puritans.
  • D. Min. Fuller Theological Seminary, 1992-spirituality and worship.
  • Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, 1972-1974.
  • B.A. Moravian College, 1972.
 
Professional and Personal Interests
I was born and raised in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. I was a pastor for over eighteen years serving in three Reformed Church in America (RCA) congregations. I met my wife, Grace, who was the minister of music, while serving in the first congregation. I have also been an editor for Baker Books and Zondervan and served my denomination as Associate for Spiritual Formation. Over the years I have been privileged to teach various courses in Christian spirituality and worship at numerous seminaries. I am also adjunct associate professor of Christian Spirituality at Fuller Seminar and teach a doctor of ministry course each summer. I also find great joy in leading retreats, teaching adult classes and offering spiritual direction.

Grace and I have two grown children, Rebecca Joy who lives in Grand Rapids, MI and Steve who lives in Mount Pleasant, MI. We enjoy attending concerts, canoeing and kayaking. I begin my day with prayer, reading Scripture, and journaling followed by a three mile run. I am proud of my Czech heritage and cheer for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Bernard of Clairvaux wisely diagnosed a major problem of education in the twelfth century. He noted, “Unless it (e.g. knowledge) has been cooked on the fire of love, and thoroughly digested by the disciplines of the soul, it will also be damaging, instead of being nutritious.” I fear the same can be true today. One of my great challenges and joys as a professor is to guide students into discovering the rich treasures of Christian formation and worship. Too often we separate the mind and experience as if they are unrelated. However, truth that is removed from experience is always left in doubt. Over the centuries the greatest Christian leaders and educators have all grasped the importance of cooking knowledge on the fire of love. My commitment to creating an experiential foundation for learning invites us to keep company with Jesus through the guidance of the Holy Spirit to the glory of God, the Father.

Courses Taught

Membership in Professional Societies
  • Who’s Who In America, 1995-present.
  • American Academy of Religion
  • Calvin Studies Society
  • Czechoslovak History Conference
  • Czechoslovak Society for Arts and Science
  • Evangelical Theological Society
  • Society for the Study of Christian Spirituality
  • Spiritual Directors International

Research
Current research interests include Puritan mysticism and contemplative Reformed spirituality, history of Christian spirituality, spirituality of education, contemplative teaching, and spirituality of worship.

Papers Published and/or Presented

Select Publications:

  • “Companions with the Spirit: The Ministry of Spiritual Direction“ Reformation and Revival 13, no. 3 (Summer 2004): 11-26.
  • “A Select Annotated Bibliography [on Spiritual Formation]” Reformation and Revival 13, no. 3 (Summer 2004): 167-172.
  • The Upper Room Dictionary Of Christian Spiritual Formation, Keith Beasley-Topliffe, ed. Nashville: Upper Room Books, 2003 (7 entries: John Amos Comenius, Philip Doddridge, John Hus, John Newton, Charles Spurgeon, A.W. Tozer, and Nicholas Von Zinzendorf).
  • “Gazing at God: Some Preliminary Observations on Contemplative Reformed Spirituality” Reformed Review 56, no. 2 (Winter 2002/2003): 101-121.
  • “Growing in Christ: Glorifying and Enjoying God through Reformed Spiritual Disciplines” Reformation and Revival 10, no. 1 (Winter 2001): 19-45.
  • “Jan Hus” and “Hussites” Encyclopedia of Christianity. vol. 2. Eerdmans-Brill, 2001.
  • “Maturing in Christ: The Dynamic Process of Pilgrimage” Reformed Review 53, no. 3 (Spring 2000): 196-211.
  • “The Transforming Power of Silence in Personal Prayer and Public Worship” Reformed Liturgy & Music 33, no. 4 (1999): 21-25.
  • Introductions and devotional study notes for Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Hebrews, and the Epistles of John in the Upper Room Spiritual Formation Bible. Zondervan, 1999.
  • “Praying the Scriptures with Head and Heart: Rediscovering Lectio Divina,” Banner 133, no. 23 (Nov 9, 1998): 24-26.
  • “Seeking Family Wellness” The Church Herald 53, no. 5 (May 1996): 30-34.
  • “The Unforced Rhythms of Grace, A Reformed Perspective on Sabbath” Perspectives 11, no. 3 (March 1996): 14-17.
  • “Closing the Gap: Recovering the Experiential Nature of Reformed Spirituality” Reformed Review 49, no. 2 (Winter 1995-96): 109-25.
  • Celebrating God’s Presence: The Transforming Power of Public Worship. CRC Publications, 1995.
  • Reformed Spirituality. CRC Publications, 1995.
  • “Improving Our Baptism” Reformed Worship 34 (Dec 1994): 25-27.
  • 13 articles in The Complete Library of Christian Worship. Robert E. Webber, ed. 7 vol. Nashville: Star Song Publishing, 1994.
  • “Amazing Grace, A Paradigm for Piety” Perspectives 9, no. 1 (Jan 1994): 11-14.

Select Academic Presentations:

  • “Spiritual Formation through Worship” Mini-Forum, Spiritual Formation Forum, Long Beach, CA, May 2006.
  • Assorted worship and spirituality of worship presentations at the Calvin Symposium on Worship and the Arts (January 2006, 2002, 1996, and 1991) and COLAM (Conference on Liturgy and Music) Grand Rapids, MI 1995.
  • “Soul Recreation: Recovering a Contemplative Spirituality for Today” University of Glasgow, Centre for Advanced Studies in Christian Ministry, May 2004.
  • “The Life and Times of Isaac Ambrose” and “Spiritual Marriage and the Enjoyment of God” Oak Hill Theological College, London-May 2004.
  • “Spiritual Formation Inside the Heart of the Faculty” co-presentation with Jim Wilhoit and “Spiritual Marriage: Cultivating Our Union and Communion with Christ” Spiritual Formation Forum, Los Angeles, May 2004.
  • “Learning to Pray with Jesus” Spiritual Formation Forum, Dallas, May 2001.
  • “Learning to Tell Time: Using the Christian Year as a Means of Spiritual Formation in Worship” Evangelical Theological Society Midwestern Conference, March 2001.


Faculty continued: Dr. Jerry Root