Arthur F. Holmes


Arthur Frank Holmes was an English philosopher who served as Professor of Philosophy at Wheaton College in Illinois, U.S., from 1951 to 1994. He built the philosophy department at Wheaton where he taught, wrote about the philosophy of Christian education, and participated in the creation of the Society of Christian Philosophers. Wheaton College President Philip Ryken said "It would be hard to think of anyone who has had a greater impact on Christian higher education than Arthur Holmes." Holmes died in Wheaton, Illinois, on October 8, 2011, at age 87.

Education and career at Wheaton College

A native of Dover, England, Holmes came to the United States in 1947 after serving in the Royal Air Force during World War II. He earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in Bible and theology from Wheaton College and a Ph.D. in philosophy from Northwestern University in Chicago.
Holmes began teaching at his alma mater while still pursuing his graduate degrees and remained there for his entire 43-year career. He was involved in convincing the college to establish a philosophy department independent of the Bible and theology division, and he served as the chair of that department for more than two decades. He started the annual Wheaton Philosophy Conference in 1954, which eventually led to the creation of the Society of Christian Philosophers in 1978. He taught the year-long history of philosophy course for the philosophy major. Holmes retired in 1994 and was named Professor Emeritus; he continued to teach occasionally.

Honors and awards

  • Wheaton College Teacher of the Year, 1966
  • Wheaton College Alumnus of the Year for Distinguished Service to Alma Mater, 1978
  • Wheaton College Teacher of the Year, 1983
  • Illinois Professor of the Year, 1987
  • Professor of the Year with highest honors, 1994
  • Mark O. Hatfield Leadership Award, 1998
In 1998, the Arthur F. Holmes Chair of Faith and Learning was established at Wheaton College, supporting the work of scholars in philosophy, history, or English who gave particular attention to the integration of faith and learning, which had been of particular interest to Holmes.
Holmes also served as a guest lecturer at many colleges, universities, and conferences. He received two honorary doctoral degrees.

Notable students

Holmes' had the "grand vision" for the Wheaton College philosophy department that it would produce 100 graduates who would go on to earn Ph.D.s in philosophy. Several years after Holmes' death, former student Clifford Williams investigated whether that ambition had been achieved; he identified at least 116 of Holmes' former students who had earned doctorates in philosophy. Many of Holmes' former students also pursued advanced study in other fields, such as history, literature, and Biblical studies. Among his notable students are:

Published writings

Holmes wrote or edited 14 books and many articles on topics related to philosophy, including ethics, philosophy applied to Christian higher education, and historical interactions between Christianity and philosophy. His publications include:
As Editor:War and Christian Ethics: Classic and Contemporary Readings on the Morality of War ;
  • ''The Making of a Christian Mind : A Christian World View & the Academic Enterprise''