Dr. Devin Manzullo-Thomas, interdisciplinary studies and American religious history professor and director of The Sider Institute for Anabaptist, Pietist, and Wesleyan Studies at Messiah University, will present on his recent book “Exhibiting Evangelicalism” on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 2 p.m. at the Winona History Center, 105 9th St., Winona Lake. The event is organized by the Winona History Center and co-sponsored by the Department of Humanities and the History and Political Science Program. The public is welcome to attend the free event.
“We are thrilled to welcome Devin to Winona Lake,” said Dr. Jared Burkholder, history professor and the program director for History and Political Science at Grace College. “He used the Grace College and Seminary archives as well as the historical materials at the Winona History Center and Sunday Home as part of his research for his book. We organized this event to highlight his work and the important contributions of the book.”
Manzullo-Thomas will focus on the importance of the Billy Sunday Historic Home as one of several historical sites for the American evangelical movement. Manzullo-Thomas’ talk will center around Helen Sunday and her curation and tours of the Sunday home as a “house museum” after Billy’s death. He will connect her work to the larger themes in his book.
“I hope that this talk will help the audience appreciate the significance of the Sunday Home as a historical site of commemoration,” said Manzullo-Thomas.
Likewise, Burkholder hopes that the event will help the community remember its past and form its future.
“Historical memory is something that is shaped and constructed within social and cultural contexts, often through commemoration and public historical spaces,” said Burkholder. “It is no different for American evangelicals who see themselves in light of past events and figures, such as Billy Sunday. I’m really glad Devin Manzullo-Thomas has delved into this topic and that he included the Sunday Home as a case study.”
Those who attend the event will be treated to an ice cream “sunday” bar and special tours of the Sunday Historic Home that will highlight recent repairs and renovations. Autographed copies of the book will also be available.
To learn more about the Winona History Center at Grace, visit https://www.grace.edu/about/community/winona-history-center/. Learn more about the history and political science program at https://www.grace.edu/programs/history/.
Photo Attached: Dr. Devin Manzullo-Thomas, interdisciplinary studies and American religious history professor and director of The Sider Institute for Anabaptist, Pietist, and Wesleyan Studies at Messiah University, will present on his recent book “Exhibiting Evangelicalism” at the Winona History Center.