Perry G. Downs, PhD

Perry G. Downs is professor of educational ministries and associate dean for doctoral education at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He has been at Trinity since 1976.

Prior to coming to Trinity, Dr. Downs taught at Philadelphia College of Bible in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he also served as chair of the department of Christian education. He has taught as an adjunct professor at Canadian Theological Seminary in Saskatchewan and North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Downs has also been interim pastor in ten churches in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Illinois.

Dr. Downs earned the Doctor of Philosophy and the Master of Arts in religious education from New York University, the Bachelor of Science in Bible from Philadelphia College of Bible, and the diploma from Miami Bible College in Miami, Florida.

Dr. Downs's areas of expertise include faith development, moral development, and moral education. He is a member of the National Association of Professors of Christian Education, the Religious Education Association, and the Association of Professors and Researchers in Religious Education.

Dr. Downs's published works include many books, articles, reviews, and audio tapes. Among them is his book Teaching for Spiritual Growth (Zondervan, 1994). His articles have appeared in such publications as Eternity, Journal of Christian Education, Moody Monthly, and Christianity Today. Dr. Downs has written a five-chapter section in The Christian Education of Adults, edited by Gilbert A. Peterson (Moody, 1984), as well as chapters in several other works, including The Complete Book of Youth Ministry (Moody, 1987), edited by Trinity faculty members Warren Benson and Mark Senter. From 1997 to 2003 he served as the editor of Christian Education Journal. Dr. Downs contributed two chapters to Healing the Children of War (MARC).

Dr. Downs and his wife, Sandra, have three children and have been foster parents to more than thirty children. They reside in Wildwood, Illinois. In his spare time, Dr. Downs enjoys fishing.