Professor of History Dr. John Fry Releases New Book

A Prairie Faith, The Religious Life of Laura Ingalls Wilder was recently released by Professor of History Dr. John Fry.  The project has been an exciting journey for Fry, as he has long had an interest in the life and faith of Ingalls-Wilder.  During his time researching the book, Fry had the opportunity to visit many of the iconic places from her life in Minnesota, Kansas, South Dakota, and beyond.

It has been seven years since the last biography of Ingalls-Wilder was published, and while the book builds on the work of previous scholars, it presents different interpretations of her life and works than others, shining a light on Wilder’s quiet faith. He surveys the Little House books, Pioneer Girl, and Wilder’s lesser-known writings, including her letters, poems, and newspaper columns. He analyzes the sources and reveals how Wilder’s down-to-earth faith and Christian morality influenced her life and work. Interweaving these investigations with Wilder’s perennially interesting life story, A Prairie Faith illustrates the Christian practices of pioneers and rural farmers during this dynamic period of American History.

“I have been working on this project since 2016, so it is a thrill to hold the book in my hands finally,” said Fry. “I could not have completed this book without the support of the Faculty Development Committee at Trinity and the encouragement of my Trinity colleagues.”

Fry was recently featured on a podcast discussing the book, which can be found here.

If you would like to get your copy of A Prairie Faith, stop into the Trinity Christian College Bookstore to grab your copy today.