Dr. Daniel Joslyn-Siemiatkoski


Associate Professor of Church History
510-204-0718

B.A., Gordon College

M.A., Ph.D., Boston College

Dan Joslyn-Siemiatkoski is Associate Professor of Church History at CDSP. He received his PhD from Boston College where he studied the history of Christianity and comparative theology. He has been at CDSP since 2005 and has been  a member of the Graduate Theological Union’s Core Doctoral Faculty since 2009.

Mission Statement: 

The purpose of learning about the past is to engage with difference. The study of history, of other faith traditions, and of one’s own tradition at some point requires one to encounter the gap between oneself and what is studied. The goal of my classes involves not only mastering the traditions and topics presented but also how to account for the diversity of Christian experiences. This extends to my research interests in the history of Jewish-Christian relations in the early and medieval periods, Anglican theologies of religion, and comparative theology. My goal is to foster a stance of both openness to difference and critical reflection on the past that creates better practitioners in ministerial and academic contexts.

Courses Taught: 

Basic Courses

  • History of Christianity I
  • History of Christianity II

Typical Elective Courses

  • History of Jewish-Christian Relations
  • English Reformation
  • Comparative Martyrdom
  • Medieval Christianity
  • Anglican Traditions
  • Martyrs and Saints in Early and Medieval Christianity
  • Undoing Anti-Judaism in the Churches
In Class: 
  • Divinity Students and Certificate Students:
    My goal for students preparing for ministry, whether lay or ordained, is that when they finish my courses they have a grasp of the Christian tradition, specifically Anglicanism. I focus on teaching about the development of the life and thought of Christians from a global perspective in order to better equip students to minister in increasingly diverse local contexts.
  • Master of Arts Students:
    I have worked with MA students on a wide variety of topics in early and medieval Christianity, Jewish-Christian relations, and Anglicanism. I can advise students in the GTU areas of History, Theology, Christian Spirituality, and Cultural and Historical Studies of Religion. Some of the MA students I have worked with have gone on to doctoral programs at the University of Pennsylvania, Drew University, Hebrew University, and the Graduate Theological Union.
  • Doctor of Ministry Students:
    I have worked with D.Min students in the areas of missiology, Episcopal history and polity, and Christian spirituality as these topics intersect with the praxis of ministry.
  • Doctor of Philosophy Students:
    I am a member of the GTU Core Doctoral Faculty in the area of History. There I work primarily in the field of late antique and medieval studies (400-1200 CE), especially concerning the interactions and counter-veiling theologies and practices of Christian and Jewish communities. My current research focuses on late antique and medieval Christian understandings of the Law given at Sinai. I also have worked with students in other areas, especially theology, concerning post-Holocaust theology. I am also an affiliate faculty member in the Joint Doctoral Program in Jewish Studies overseen by the University of California, Berkeley and the GTU.
Publications: 

Dan writes a regular blog, "All Things Necessary," which also has a Facebook fan page.

Speaker's Bureau Topic: 
  • Episcopal Church and Anglicanism
  • Anglican Communion
  • Anglican Covenant
  • History of Christianity (especially early and medieval)
  • Jewish-Christian Relations
  • Interfaith Relations
  • Scripture and Anglicanism
Some Less Obvious Things About Me: 

When not reading all manners of academic and ecclesiastical texts, I enjoy listening to music and watching baseball. The San Francisco Bay Area is a great place to feed my enthusiasm for American folk music, old-time music, and bluegrass. I am a fan of the Boston Red Sox and find that the San Francisco Giants are beginning to grow on me. I do have a considerable collection of baseball essays and especially enjoy reading Roger Angell’s pieces.

Favorites/Book Obsessions/Currently Reading: 

I am reading Caroline Walker Bynum’s latest book, Material Christianity. It is a tremendous journey through the physical artifacts of medieval Christianity and tangible means by which Christians engaged with their faith.

I also have memorized several children’s classics including Goodnight, Moon and Baby Beluga during story time with my two small children.

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