Christopher S. Celenza
· James B. Knapp Dean and Professor of History and ClassicsJohns Hopkins University · History
Active 1996–2026
About
Professor Christopher S. Celenza is the James B. Knapp Dean of the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences at Johns Hopkins University and a professor in the departments of history and classics. His research interests include Latin literature and philosophy of the Italian Renaissance, late medieval intellectual history, the history of philosophy, the history of books and reading practices, Latin paleography, and the history of the classical tradition. Dr. Celenza holds two doctoral degrees—a doctorate in history from Duke University and a doctorate in classics and neo-Latin literature from the University of Hamburg. He has previously served as Dean of Georgetown College at Georgetown University and as Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs at Johns Hopkins. He first joined the Krieger School faculty in 2005 and has also taught at Michigan State University. Dr. Celenza has received numerous awards and grants, including fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the Fulbright Foundation, and the American Council of Learned Societies. He served as the 21st Director of the American Academy in Rome from 2010 to 2014 and was the founder and first director of JHU’s Singleton Center for the Study of Premodern Europe. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books on the Italian Renaissance and the history of Western thought.
Research topics
- Humanities
- History
- Literature
- Computer Science
- Epistemology
- Theology
- Philosophy
- Art
- Art history
- Classics
- Engineering
- Mathematics
- Mechanical engineering
- Physics
Selected publications
Cambridge University Press eBooks · 2026-02-20
book-chapter1st authorCorrespondingCambridge University Press eBooks · 2026-02-20
book-chapter1st authorCorrespondingCambridge University Press eBooks · 2026-02-20
book-chapter1st authorCorrespondingAugustine, the <i>City of God</i> , and History
Cambridge University Press eBooks · 2026-02-20
book-chapter1st authorCorrespondingCambridge University Press eBooks · 2026-02-20
book-chapter1st authorCorrespondingCambridge University Press eBooks · 2026-02-20
book-chapter1st authorCorrespondingCambridge University Press eBooks · 2026-02-20
book-chapter1st authorCorrespondingThe Evolution of Western Thought
Cambridge University Press eBooks · 2026-02-20
book1st authorCorrespondingA rich and immersive reinterpretation of the history of Western thought, this volume – the first in a major trilogy – explores the transmission and development of philosophical ideas from Plato and Aristotle to Jesus, Paul, Augustine and Gregory the Great. Christopher Celenza recalibrates philosophy's story not as abstract argumentation but rather as lived practice: one aimed at excavating wisdom and shaping life. Emphasizing the importance of textual tradition and elucidation across diverse contexts, the author shows how philosophical and religious ideas were transformed and readjusted over time. By focusing on the centrality of Christianity to Western thought, he reveals how ancient ideas were alchemized within religious frameworks, and how – across the centuries – ethical and intellectual traditions intersected to shape culture, memory, and the pursuit of sagacity. Ever attentive to ongoing conversations between past and present, this expansive intellectual history brings perspectives to the subject that are both nuanced and fresh.
Cambridge University Press eBooks · 2026-02-20
book-chapter1st authorCorrespondingCambridge University Press eBooks · 2026-02-20
book-chapter1st authorCorresponding
Frequent coauthors
- 175 shared
Samuel Cohn
University of Molise
- 175 shared
Isabella Lazzarini
University of Molise
- 175 shared
Andrea Gamberini
Siemens (Denmark)
- 164 shared
Joseph T. Lienhard
Sorbonne Université
- 164 shared
Martin Chase
- 164 shared
Tobias Hoffmann
- 163 shared
Lucy K. Pick
- 146 shared
Nina Rowe
Labs
Awards & honors
- Fellowship from the Guggenheim Foundation
- Fellowship from the Fulbright Foundation
- Fellowship from the American Council of Learned Societies
- Director of the American Academy in Rome (2010-2014)
- Resume-aware match score
- Save to shortlist
- AI-drafted outreach
See your match with Christopher S. Celenza
PhdFit ranks faculty by your research interests, methods, and publications — grounded in their actual work, not templates.
- Free to start
- No credit card
- 30-second signup