Dean, School of Missions & Intercultural Ministry, Professor of Intercultural Studies and History of Global Christianity
Ed Smither joined the Columbia International University faculty in 2012. Previously, he taught church history and intercultural studies at Liberty University (2006–2012) and spent fourteen years in intercultural ministry in North Africa, France, and the USA. Smither enjoys studying and teaching theology and history of Christian mission. He serves as Vice President of the Evangelical Missiological Society and editor of the Journal of EMS.
Since 1999, Smither has been married to Shawn and together they parent three wonderful children—Brennan, Emma, and Eve. He enjoys road biking (the kind you pedal) the back roads of northwest Columbia, listening to really old hymns and modern rock, and suffering as a Washington football fan.
Education
PhD, University of Pretoria (South Africa)
PhD, University of Wales-Trinity St. David (United Kingdom)
STM, Nashotah House Theological Seminary
MDiv, Liberty University
MA, Liberty University
BA, North Carolina State University
Selected Publications
Books
Equipping for Global Mission: Theological and Missiological Proposals and Case Studies. Littleton: William Carey, 2024 (edited with Linda Saunders and Gregory Mathias).
Reading 1 Peter Missiologically: The Missionary Motive, Message, and Methods of 1 Peter. Littleton: William Carey, 2024 (edited with Abeneazer Urga and Jessica Udall).
John Stott: A Facilitator of Global Missional Theology. Eugene: Cascade, 2023.
Mission in Praise, Word, and Deed: Reflections on the Past and Future of Global Mission. Littleton: William Carey, 2023 (edited with Jessica Udall).
Reading Hebrews Missiologically: The Missionary Motive, Message, and Methods of Hebrews. Littleton: William Carey, 2023 (edited with Abeneazer Urga and Linda Saunders).
Mission in the Way of Daniel: Empowering Believers to Live into God’s Plan. Littleton: William Carey, 2022.
Mission as Hospitality: Imitating the Hospitable God in Mission. Eugene: Cascade, 2021.
Sixteenth-Century Mission: Explorations in Protestant and Roman Catholic Theology and Practice. Bellingham: Lexham, 2021 (edited with Robert Gallagher).
Christian Martyrdom: A Brief History with Reflections for Today. Eugene: Cascade, 2020.
Christian Mission: A Concise Global History. Bellingham: Lexham, 2019.
Missionary Monks: An Introduction to the History and Theology of Missionary Monasticism. Eugene: Cascade, 2016.
Controversies in Mission: Theology, People, and Practice of Mission in the 21st Century. Pasadena: William Carey, 2016 (edited with Rochelle Cathcart Scheuermann).
Mission in the Early Church. Eugene: Cascade, 2014.
Rethinking Constantine: History, Theology, and Legacy. Eugene: Pickwick, 2014.
Brazilian Evangelical Missions in the Arab World: History, Culture, Practice, and Theology. Eugene: Pickwick, 2012.
François Decret, Early Christianity in North Africa. Eugene: Cascade, 2009 (translator).
Augustine as Mentor: A Model for Preparing Spiritual Leaders. Nashville: B&H Academic, 2008.
Chapters and Articles
“Communicating Catholic and Indigenous Christianity: The Anglican Book of Common Prayer’s Contribution to Global Mission.” Missio Dei: A Journal of Missional Theology and Praxis 13, no. 1 (Winter-Spring 2022).
“Timothy I of Baghdad: A Model for Peaceful Dialogue.” In The History of Apologetics: A Biographical and Methodological Introduction. Edited by Benjamin Forrest et al., 197-209. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2020 (authored with Trevor Castor).
“Sola Scriptura and the Recovery of Bible Translation in the Reformation.” In Celebrating the Legacy of the Reformation. Edited by Benjamin Forrest et al., 273-290. Nashville: B&H Academic, 2019.
“Augustine of Hippo: Agape-Driven, Christocentric Preaching,” In A Legacy of Preaching, Volume 1: Apostles to the Revivalists. Edited by Benjamin Forrest et al., 146-156. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2018.
“Francis of Assisi, Christology, and Mission,” Missiology: An International Review 46, no. 3 (2018): 283-292.
“Explaining the Trinity to Muslims and Jews in Medieval Christian Mission: Lessons from the Life of Cyril,” International Bulletin of Mission Research 41, no. 1 (2017): 1-9.
“When the Church was the Mission Organization: Rethinking Winter's Two Structures of Redemption Paradigm.” In Churches on Mission: God's Grace Abound to the Nations. Edited by Geoffrey Hart, Christopher R. Little, and John Wang, 25-46, Pasadena: William Carey, 2017.
“Augustine, Missionary to Heretics? An Appraisal of Augustine's Missional Engagement with the Donatists.” In A Uniquely African Controversy: Studies on Donatist Christianity. Edited by A. Dupont, M.A. Gaumer, and M. Lamberigts, 269-288, Leuven: Brepols, 2014.
“Lessons from a Tentmaking Ascetic in the Egyptian Desert: The Case of Evagrius of Pontus,” Missiology: An International Review 39, no. 4 (October 2011): 485-496.
“An Unrecognized and Unlikely Influence? The Impact of Valerius of Hippo on Augustine,” Irish Theological Quarterly 72, no. 3 (2007): 251-264.
Awards and Honors
Christianity Today Book Award of Merit (Christian Mission: A Concise Global History), 2020.
Outreach Magazine Book of the Year for Mission (Christian Mission), 2020
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