Christian History Institute

Christian History Institute is a non-profit organization located in Worcester, Pennsylvania, producer or co-producer of several award-winning films, the Torchlighters: Heroes of the Faith series, and the founder of Christian History magazine.

History

Founded by Dr. A. Kenneth Curtis (1939-2011)[1][2] in 1982,[3] Christian History Institute from its inception issued film and print resources for laity education in Christian history, including supplemental material for Christian films and videos, Christian History magazine, and Glimpses bulletins.[4][5][6]

In 1999, Christian History Institute went on-line with a website which offered stories from church history for each day of the year in three one-year cycles.[7] That material remains online under new ownership[8] and has been heavily referenced on the web and in wikipedia itself.

Current endeavors

Today, Christian History Institute produces study guides on historical subjects, new issues of Christian History magazine, and Christian history videos for DVD and Television. Its major activity, however, is the co-production of the ongoing and highly popular The Torchlighters: Heroes of the Faith series, in cooperation with Voice of the Martyrs and International Films. These animated biographies of Christian heroes for children have won numerous awards at major film festivals such as WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival and ICVM (International Christian Visual Media) and have been favorably reviewed in a number of secular and Christian sources.[9] Its current websites chitorch, torchlighters and 'Christian History magazine' offer studies of Christian history in various formats.

Award Winning TV, DVD, and Film Co-Productions

John Wycliffe: Morningstar. (1984) Best film of the year from Christian Film Distributors Association[10]

From Christ to Constantine: The Trial and Testimony of the Early Church. (1990) • Chris Award from Columbus International Film & Video Festival[11] • Gold Award from Houston International Film & Video Festival;[12] • Silver Angel from Angel Awards;[13] • Golden Eagle Award from CINE;[14] • Best Series from Christian Visual Media International.

Zwingli and Calvin. (1994) Creative Excellence Award from the US International Film and Video Festival[15]

The Reformation Overview. (1995) Individual units within this package won over 30 international film awards.[16]

Candle in the Dark. (1998) • Gold Award at Christian Broadcasting Commission of UK 1998; • Gold Award at WorldFest Houston 1999;[17] • Gold Award at Aurora Awards;[18] • Bronze Plaque at Columbus International Film & Video Festival 1999;[19] • Golden Eagle Award at CINE Golden Eagle Awards 1999;[20] • Silver Angel Award at Angel Awards 2000;[13]• Best Drama at CEVMA Christian European Visual Media Association 2000.[21]

Jesus the New Way. (1998) • Chris Statuette at Columbus International Film & Video Festival 1998;[22] • Gold Award at Worldfest Flagstaff 1998.[23]

Test of Time. (2001) A co-production with the BBC, the full title of this program is Putting the teachings of Jesus to the Test of Time, which it does through contemporary case studies. • Columbus Int’l Film & Video, Honorable Mention 2001; • Worldfest Houston, Gold Special Jury Award—Family Matters for Film and Video Production 2002;[24] • 2002 Crown Awards, Gold Award for Best Documentary, Best Series & Best Curriculum, Bronze Award for Best Youth Film;[25] • 2001 British Academy of Film & Television Arts Festival, Best Young People’s Factual TV Program; • 2002 Cindy Competition, Silver Intl. Cindy Award [26]

The Torchlighters: The Jim Elliot Story. (2005) • Gold Crown Award For Best Children’s Film at the International Christian Visual Media Association;[27] • Gold Remi Award at the 2006 Worldfest Houston.[28]

The Torchlighters: The William Tyndale Story. (2005) • Gold Remi; Children’s Category at 2007 Worldfest Houston International Film Festival;[29] • Silver Crown Award, Best Curriculum at 2007 International Christian Visual Media Crown Awards; • Bronze Crown Award, Best Picture at 2007 International Christian Visual Media Crown Awards; • Silver Crown Award, Best Children’s Film at 2007 International Christian Visual Media Crown Awards; • Silver Crown Award, Best Youth Film at 2007 International Christian Visual Media Crown Awards.[30]

The Torchlighters: The John Bunyan Story. (2006) • 2008 International Christian Visual Media Awards - Gold Crown Award - Best Children’s Film; • 2008 International Christian Visual Media Awards - Gold Crown Award - Best Series.[31]

The Torchlighters: The Eric Liddell Story. (2006) • International Christian Visual Media - Silver Crown Award- Best Series; • International Christian Visual Media - Silver Crown Award- Best Children’s Film; • ICVM - Silver Crown Award- Best Youth Film.[31] • Platinum World Fest Houston 2008.[32]

The Torchlighters: The Gladys Aylward Story. (2006) • WorldFest Houston Remi Gold Award.[33] • 2010 International Christian Visual Media Awards.[34]

Robber of the Cruel Streets; George Müller (2006) Platinum, Biographical/Autobiographical at 2007 Worldfest Houston International Film Festival.[29]

Truth Prevails: The Undying Faith of Jan Hus. (2008) Bronze Award at Worldfest Houston, 2008,[35] Silver DC Peer Award[36]

The Torchlighters: The Perpetua Story. (2009) WorldFest Houston Remi Silver Award.[37]

Wesley: A Heart Transformed Can Change the World. (2009) 2011 WorldFest Houston Remi Silver Award.[38]

KJV: The Making of the King James Bible. (2009) 2011 WorldFest Houston Special Jury Award.[38]

Periodicals

Christian History Nos. 1-21 (No. 9 was a special book edition published by Lion Publishing Inc.), 100+

Glimpses Nos. 1-216

Glimpses for Kids Nos. 1-52

Books

Bewes, Richard. Wesley Country; a Pictorial History Based on John Wesley's Journal. Camp Hill, PA: Christian Publications, Inc.; Worcester, PA: Christian History Institute, 2005.

Curtis, A. Kenneth. "The Hampton Court Conference." in Translation that Openeth the Window; Reflections on the History and Legacy of the King James Bible. Edited by David G. Burke. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2009.

Curtis, A. Kenneth. and Carsten Peter Thiede, eds. From Christ to Constantine; the Trial and Testimony of the Early Church. Worcester, PA: Christian History Institute, 1991.

Curtis, A. Kenneth and Dan Graves. Great Women in Christian History; 37 women who changed their world. Camp Hill, PA: WingSpread Publications; Worcester, PA: Christian History Institute, 2004.

——— This Day in Christian History. Camp Hill, PA: Christian Publications, Inc., 2005.

Curtis, A. Kenneth, J. Stephen Lang and Randy Petersen. Dates with Destiny: the One Hundred Greatest Events in Church History. Tarrytown, New York: Fleming H. Revell, 1991.

George, Timothy. Faithful Witness; the Life and Mission of William Carey. Worcester, PA: Christian History Institute, 1998.

Langmead, Clive. Robber of the Cruel Streets; the Prayerful Life of George Mueller. Crusade for World Revival; Worcester, PA: Christian History Institute, 2006.

Radcliff, Kaylena. "Torchlighters Biography Series: Corrie ten Boom." Worcester, PA: Christian History Institute, 2014.

References

  1. ↑ "Curtis, Alton Kenneth." Marquis Who's Who, 2008
  2. ↑ http://www.zoominfo.com/search#search/profile/person?personId=18765498&targetid=profile
  3. ↑ Charter filed with the Department of State for the State of Pennsylvania, November, 1982.
  4. ↑ "The Early History of Christian History Institute" Glimpses #213. Worcester, PA: Christian History Institute, 2006
  5. ↑ "The History Behind Christian History." Christian History #36; Vol. XI #4, pp. 43-45.
  6. ↑ "Welcome to the New Glimpses" Glimpses #61.
  7. ↑ The majority of these stories were developed by Ken Curtis, PhD, Diane Severance, PhD, and Dan Graves, MSL, with research assistance by Ann Snyder, PhD.
  8. ↑ http://www.christianhistorytimeline.org Christian History Timeline
  9. ↑ e.g.: School Library Journal (Oct 2006 v52 i10 p551); Church Libraries (Fall 2005 p.40); Howard, Jim Bob. "Missionary Heroism" Homeschooling Today (May/June 2008 p.63); Midwest Book Review (September 2008); Johansson, Lois. "Shelf Help" CE Counselor (1999-8 p.10), etc
  10. ↑ Hess, Brian. "A Brief History of Christian Films: 1918-2002" http://www.avgeeks.com/bhess/christian_film_history.html notes that the Christian Film Distributors' Association (CFDA) was formed in 1974 but declined with the increase of VHS. Records are no longer readily available.
  11. ↑ http://www.chrisawards.org/about/ About + History
  12. ↑ http://www.worldfest.org/downloads/WFH1991.xls
  13. 1 2 Angel Awards are issued by Excellence in Media. Winners are listed online only back to 2006. http://www.angelawards.com/
  14. ↑ http://www.cine.org/archives/winner-archives/pdfs/1992-CINE-Winner-Directory.pdf
  15. ↑ http://www.filmfestawards.com/index.asp Online records do not go back to 1994.
  16. ↑ For instance, The Radicals won the 1990 Columbus International Film & Video Festival Chris Award http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000187/1990 and the Golden Eagle Award from CINE http://www.cine.org/archives/winner-archives/pdfs/1990-CINE-Winner-Directory.pdf
  17. ↑ http://www.worldfest.org/downloads/WFH1999E.xls WorldFest Houston 1999 Awards
  18. ↑ Aurora Awards online listings go back to 2006 http://www.auroraawards.com/
  19. ↑ http://www.chrisawards.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/1999winners.pdf The Chris 1999
  20. ↑ http://www.cine.org/archives/winner-archives/pdfs/1999-CINE-Winner-Directory.pdf
  21. ↑ http://www.cevma.net/
  22. ↑ http://www.chrisawards.org
  23. ↑ http://www.awn.com/news/call-entries/worldfest-flagstaff Worldfest Flagstaff
  24. ↑ http://www.worldfest.org/downloads/WFH2002E.xls
  25. ↑ Online listings of past Crown Awards winners begin with 2006. http://www.icvm.com/crown-awards
  26. ↑ http://www.cindys.com/
  27. ↑ http://www.icvm.com/crown-winners/28-2006-crown-award-winners
  28. ↑ http://www.worldfest.org/downloads/winnerslist2006.xls"
  29. 1 2 http://www.worldfest.org/downloads/winnerslist2007x.pdf Worldfest Houston 2007 Awards
  30. ↑ The 2007 Crown awards have not yet been archived at ICVM.
  31. 1 2 http://www.icvm.com/crown-winners/35-2008-crown-award-winners ICVM 2008 Awards
  32. ↑ http://www.worldfest.org/downloads/winnerslist2008.pdf Worldfest Houston 2008 Awards
  33. ↑ http://www.worldfest.org/downloads/wfh2009rwa.xls Worldfest Houston 2009 Awards
  34. ↑ http://www.icvm.com/crown-winners/43-2010-crown-award-winners ICVM 2010 Awards
  35. ↑ http://www.worldfest.org/downloads/winnerslist2008.pdf
  36. ↑ http://www.tivadc.org/index.php?/2008/2008-peer-award-winners-announced.html 2008 Peer Award Winners Announced
  37. ↑ http://www.worldfest.org/downloads/wfh2010winB.xls Worldfest Houston 2010 Awards
  38. 1 2 http://www.worldfest.org/downloads/WFH2011winweb.xls Worldfest Houston 2011 Awards

External links

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