D. Allen Tennison, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Theology
After living in Los Angeles for 15 years, I decided to move to Minneapolis in order to teach at North Central University. Even in the dead of winter, I am glad I made that move. North Central University is a fantastic community with a mission that I wholeheartedly support.
What are your areas of expertise?
My education is in historical theology, and my specialty is the early development of Pentecostal theology, particularly pneumatology (doctrine of the Spirit). My interests include church history (which I taught for years in other schools), global and ecumenical theology, and the intersection of theology and culture, including the sciences.
What do you love about teaching at North Central?
I have taught at a handful of schools since 2001, and never experienced the camaraderie among my peers that I have at North Central University. The students at NCU are also a pleasure to teach. I especially enjoy watching and guiding their development as some take class after class with me.
What are your favorite classes to teach?
There is not a class that I don’t enjoy teaching, but the classes that I teach the most include “Pentecostal Distinctives” (covering the history and theology of the Pentecostal movement) and “God and the Gospel” which serves as our core theology class. I am excited about a number of classes currently in development that focus on the intersection of theology with the modern world. These classes, known as “worldview theology” classes, will answer significant questions such as “how do I faithfully navigate a world of diverse beliefs?”, “what does it mean to be human and what does that meaning require of me?”, “how can I contribute to and participate in contemporary culture?” and “what does it mean to work meaningfully in the modern world?”
