The following student comments are almost entirely taken from anonymous student evaluations of courses taught between Fall 2014- Fall 2015. Most are from non-majors in general education courses.
1. Enthusiasm and Approachability
It really stimulates me to learn when my professors are excited about what they are teaching me. Dr. Larsen is very enthusiastic and enjoyable to learn from. The way he explains things really helps me understand what we are reading and responding about.
He genuinely liked the material he was teaching which in turn spread to the students.
Excellent class. The professor makes it very thought provoking yet approachable at the same time.
Dr. Larsen is a very rigorous professor. He has high expectations for each of his students despite the fact that for most of his class this is a general education requirement. Upon arrival to class Dr. Larsen expects us to have read all readings for the class and prepared to take a short quiz recalling our knowledge. Each lecture is in direct correlation to the readings we had done the night before. His lectures provide further understanding of the material while providing students with extensive sources including other theologians, essays, and videos corresponding to the subject matter. Dr. Larsen strives to help us understand the subject with deeper meaning and clarity, going beyond simply memorizing Bible stories. He tries to understand the background behind each student along with our hobbies and other campus involvements in order to make parallels of the lecture content with something in our lives we can relate to. He gives ample time for the review and due dates of essays to provide comments of his own as well as time to meet with the Writing Center or schedule office hours. Dr. Larsen does his best to be available to talk to students after and outside of class. He has an SI and tutors to help if he is not available. Because Dr. Larsen holds his class with such high expectations I have, in turn, held high expectations of his class. This is the most informative general education requirement I have taken (and I have taken all but one). Dr. Larsen is a fantastic professor.
This isn’t a class where my grade affected how much I learned. I learned a LOT from this course but will likely end up with a C+ or a B-. Dr. Larsen is a really nice guy, even though I registered for this class dreading it, I’m glad I took it and it ended up being my favorite course this entire year.
Dr. Larsen… engages students to challenge themselves to think beyond traditional ideals and beliefs in Christianity. He also shows much enthusiasm for his subject matter which helps us students feel inspired in learning new theologies. He has also made me feel more confident in my writing. Overall, Dr. Larsen is a great instructor and makes me interested in taking more of his courses in the future.
2. Skills Development and Group Learning
In a senior exit interview published on the University’s website, one student named me his “most impactful mentor,” because “Dr. Sean Larsen has taught me how to identify the essential questions when working to solve problems, and equipped me with the skills to exercise an empathetic imagination.”
While this course was very heavy on reading and class discussion, it is definitely true that what you put in equals what you get out of the class. The professor was very engaging during class and offered several opportunities for discussion, both in groups and among the whole class.
One of the things I appreciate the most about this professor is his willingness to push his students academically. This has been my third class with this professor, and each class I have taken with him makes me a better student in all of my other classes. The professor engages in meaningful discussion throughout the course and is willing to allow the students to direct discussions based on their questions from the reading material.
Learned more than I could ever expected about writing, reading deeply, and careful interpretation. Discussion based – which is great – very challenging to push students to grow in our skills…
During this class I learned how to make and look for connections between different ideas and beliefs.
Really helped with critical thinking and having to connect all themes together.
I learned a LOT in this class. I entered the class thinking I would be entering an easy introduction course and I honestly ended up learning so much more than I expected… I think this is a really rewarding class and I really would recommend it to students who actually want to learn… I am really glad that this course wasn’t an easy A because the topics covered in class really got to some of the questions and concerns I have faced within my life.
I like the class discussions. They are based on the readings from the previous night we were tested on that day in class. I found that really helpful in studying the material. It was very challenging for me and my writing skills have really improved…. I have seen my reading skills improve immensely
3. Atmosphere Conducive to Diversity
This course challenged me… to view the world and society through a lens other than my own.
The classroom atmosphere allowed intense discussion on difficult topics.
I thought this class was excellent and I thoroughly enjoyed the material. Dr. Larsen did an excellent job of explaining the material while challenging us to think critically. He also was hilarious and engaging, which allowed us as students to be more open with our opinions and thoughts.
This class helped me to think differently and see new perspectives
His approach is very interesting to me and makes it very easy for me to learn and ask questions. Also, he never laughs at questions or makes you feel bad for asking silly questions. I thoroughly enjoy his classes, this is my second one. I would most definitely take another one of his classes.
The professor’s ability to explain difficult concepts and foster a diversity of thought in the classroom.
4. Student Perception of Growth
This course had me frustrated and confused and my mind was racing during every single class. I feel that I have learned so much during this semester from this class not just information wise, but I have also grown as a student.
Dr. Larsen is a phenomenal professor. I have taken two classes with him in my four years, and I almost feel as though that I have learned as much in those two classes than I have in total from all of my other classes.
I believe I have learned more in this course than others, content-wise. It has given me the opportunity to acquire new knowledge and new skills… It has helped me think critically and to draw conclusions from all the readings… This course helps you learn to read critically and to try and understand what you are reading. To absorb the information and truly learn what you are reading.
This course was able to challenge me on a deeper level than any class I have taken so far.
5. Quizzes
The quizzes help you prepare for the midterm and final.
The strengths of this class were the reading journals and lectures that helped to illuminate information that was learned in class. The quizzes were also helpful. There were no weaknesses
Professor Larsen assigned quizzes every Thursday on our reading homework that truly helped students do well on the midterm and hopefully the final also.
The weekly quizzes are a great help in understanding the content of the course and in helping your grade.
Professor Larsen assigned quizzes every Thursday on our reading homework that truly helped students do well on the midterm and hopefully the final also…. Overall this course “broadened my horizons” and taught me how to manage my time.
The making of weekly quizzes has really helped me with my grade in this class. Additionally, they have been a great help when I studied for my midterm.
6. Caring, Listening, and Availability
Dr. Larsen put a lot of effort into caring for the students and making sure they are reaching their goals for the class and doing as well as they’d like. He was available outside of class when students needed it and stayed positive and helpful when students were struggling.
After learning many of the students were having difficulties in the course, the instructor made many efforts to improve the course. Instructor seemed to genuinely want students to do well and excel in the course.
The teacher is very accommodating to his students and wants them all to succeed.
Dr. Larsen is very good at making sure the students understand the readings and are doing well in his class. He always asks us questions in regards to how he can help us and how he can make the class more interesting.
Dr. Larsen is a great professor. He is very understanding and likes to get feedback from his students. Also, he always tries new techniques to help his students succeed in his class.
It is very clear the teacher cares about his students and that is a very important trait needed in a person in order for them to be a good teacher. He did a very good job.
Dr. Larsen was very willing and offered much availability to meet with us. Dr. Larsen also wrote tons and tons of comments on our papers for us to re-write them.
Dr. Larsen always asked us what else he could do to make sure we all received high grades. If we didn’t understand something, he would take the time to explain it until everyone understood. While he helped us to the best of his ability, he gave us the grades we deserved.
He has always done above and beyond to help me with my work and keep me motivated when I can’t seem to grasp an idea
He’s a great teacher that interacts with the students and tries to get us to engage in the topic of the lecture. He is very clear and very specific. He obviously cares about his class and wants us to understand the material. I recommend his class to others because I enjoyed the course so much.
I began this class with a large struggle, but with extra help and support from my professor I was able to figure it out.
7. Course Design
I think the course is set up very well. It leaves a good balance of information for us to learn in class itself, as well as information to learn outside of class and on our own. The lectures are solid and well set up. The quizzes are fair. I feel like the class is extremely well set up with minimal weaknesses.
I really liked how the course was split up into focusing on the Bible stories in the first half and then going over the creeds and other aspects of the church that are based off of those stories. It made it easier to connect certain Christian rituals to the appropriate stories. The fact that the quizzes were open-ended helped when it came to making sure that I actually knew the material.
Throughout this entire semester and this course, I feel that the material that was presented and the information that was taught was useful and made me think. I also feel that Dr. Larsen was always prepared in his lesson and made class interesting and questioned us and made us think. I feel that the way the class is structured was very helpful and it made it easier to understand the material
Was very detailed in what he was expecting throughout his class, was thorough with his responses in class, held extra help sessions outside of class to answer any questions about papers, offered office hours and was willing to help, has a passion for religion and it was obvious in his teaching style.
The instructor was well organized on the syllabus and had everything laid out. The instructor was also good about having office hours and meeting with students.
Comments on other courses where Sean was main instructor or co-instructor (used with permission):
“Thanks again for putting together a great seminar. I imagine you’ll teach a similar version of it on your own someday, and I’m glad we got to be the beta testers. It was probably the most fun class I had in divinity school.”
–Stewart Clem, 2013 MDiv, PhD student in Moral Theology at Notre Dame, from Philosophical Theology, Spring 2013
“In our many conversations and in the course he offered last fall, “Theology and Political Theory,” I have found Sean Larsen a consistently outstanding teacher. His theological knowledge is encyclopedic, his preparation thorough, and his intellectual disposition inviting, democratic and sincere. It is easy to learn from him and alongside him. Possessing scholarly brilliance (as Sean does) does not always translate into strong teaching, but, as I have explained to students interested in studying under him, Sean is brilliant in that rare way which is a resource rather than a liability for his students. For example, ask Sean a question about eschatology in Augustine’s political theology or the relation between the metaphysics of Aristotle and Aquinas, and you will receive not a sprawling discourse of technical jargon (though Sean is certainly capable of a book-length treatise on either), but three or four carefully organized verbal “paragraphs,” succinct and incisive, tailored to his hearer’s level of understanding. This ability to teach through student questions, to help students ask better questions, to respond in a way both accessible and demanding reflects someone who approaches teaching and pedagogy carefully and with great seriousness. He provokes, cajoles, interrogates and affirms as necessary. I cannot speak highly enough of Sean’s integrity, his genuine care for his students and his profound abilities as a theological teacher. I have often encouraged others to take his courses and would certainly do so myself.”
–Matt Elia, 2013 MDiv, PhD Student in Theology and Ethics at Duke, from Theology and Political Theory, Fall 2012
“It is difficult to capture how crucial Sean Larsen’s Political Theory and Theology directed study became to my theological education at Duke Divinity School. In hindsight, it would not be overstating it much to say my studies at DDS, and certainly the quality of my work, can be divided temporally into two categories: pre-Political Theory and Theology and post-Political Theory and Theology. After spending a semester with Larsen and Hauerwas as our instructors, I handled difficult texts with more confidence and wrote academic papers with more precision. Larsen’s syllabus presented a challenging, tightly argued, and endlessly interesting course trajectory that sustained lively dialogue through the semester and beyond. In classes that followed, I frequently returned to course readings and discussions to help make sense of new material, which consistently reminded me of the enduring quality of Larsen’s course. As an instructor, Larsen displayed conceptual mastery over major works in political theory and Christian political thought, translating complex arguments in ways that kept us engrossed in the text without losing the richness of the author’s work. Rigorous intellectual work became not an occasion to stay distant from the ‘real world’, moreover, but an invitation to give and receive serious thought together around pressing contemporary questions of real significance. Toward all his students, Larsen both demands much and encourages much, which communicates his significant confidence in us to achieve excellence in the classroom. Without losing sight of intellectual humility, Larsen thinks rigorously because he knows there is much at stake. That is, he knows the grammar we speak to one another shapes the world we can see, which shapes the limits and possibilities of our action. Larsen modeled faithful intellectual engagement with the world. Being shaped by his example has meant a deeper understanding of what it looks like to think critically within a well of generosity, which for Larsen is always a form of charity. At a divinity school that has no shortage of wise, accomplished, and world-renowned professors, Larsen’s impact on me remains equal to, and in many cases, deeper, than teachers with many years more experience. Indeed, Political Theory and Theology was the kind of course that sets you on a path, and I can only hope to remain on it for many years to come.”-
–Scott Schomburg, MDiv 2013
Anonymous Student Comments from Philosophical Theology: Truthfulness, Rhetoric, and Irony (main instructor, with Stanley Hauerwas)
“This class was the highlight of my semester. The work was challenging and dynamic, exposing me to various theologians, topics, and ways of thinking that I had never read or thought about previously.”
“This course was invaluable in numerous ways, not least of which was the concern both Sean and Dr. Hauerwas shared for shaping better readers.”
“Sean did a fantastic job of not only illuminating historical theology, but also introducing modern theology conversations, and showing the overlap of the two. Bridging the gap between historic and modern theology was a unique lesson, and it will, no doubt, influence my own work in the future.”
“Almost everything was fantastic. It all flowed so well that I only have a few suggestions from an otherwise impeccable syllabus.”
“Dr. Hauerwas and Dr. Larsen were excellent co-instructors, and they worked well as a team. Dr. Larsen did a great job in crafting this course; he will be a fantastic professor.”
“Great class. I think the contemplation it offered was good for my character, rejuvenated my thought on being an ironic character without being sardonic, mocking, etc. It has made me a little more interested in reapproaching the homosexual topic in TEC which is an otherwise exhausting thing to discuss. The Wallace article also helped me reflect after having sold my tv only a week or two prior. It’s good to see a class suggest Christians be a type of character rather than equipping us with “methods.” I’d take anything Sean Larsen taught in a heart beat.”
“Very nice course. Worked very well with two instructors because of helpful dialogue between the two.”
“It was a joy to be a part of this group and to learn from both Dr. Hauerwas and Sean. Thank you very much for a great semester! For Sean specifically – the small lectures that you prepared for the beginning of the sessions which you led were extremely helpful – these provided a great launching pad for our conversations. It thought that they were especially clear when there were points that you wrote on the board. As I came to this course with relatively little exposure to these thinkers and these questions, I found these pointers extremely helpful. In the future, you might consider using powerpoint or having a print out available with the details of your outlines. These would serve as a great reference (I would have loved to have had such a thing when writing my paper – it seems like I just couldn’t type fast enough with my notes!)”
“Dr. Hauerwas was great. Listening to him and Sean Larsen converse/debate with each other during class was often the most fruitful part of class sessions. Sean did a great job in all aspects. The course flowed well and coherently according to his structuring. Sean’s brief lectures at the beginning of each class helped tremendously in setting up the subsequent discussion. My one suggestion would be to give offer some comments at the end of each class on the following week’s readings. With such a diverse range of readings, most of which new material for me, some introductory comments before reading would have helped. This was done in some weeks but not all.”
“Fantastic. The lectures were often derailed by peripheral dialogue, but this was no fault of the instructor’s. Stimulating assignments and effective pedagogy.”
“Continue to teach this class. Pastors and academics really need to get more training in rhetoric.”
“I was incredibly impressed by Sean’s knowledge of the material, and his ability to communicate it in a way that made sense for those of us who weren’t as familiar with the material. In addition, Sean has a fantastic ability to see through rhetoric and arguments, and he was very helpful in sharing this skill with all of us. Of course, Professor Hauerwas has shown an incredible ability to engage traditional arguments/debates in refreshing, novel ways, and it means more to me than I can probably admit to learn first- hand from him. This course has been, and will be, one of the greatest highlights from my time at Duke. Thank you to you both.”
Anonymous Student Comments from Course of Study 212: Historical Theology: Early and Medieval Christianity (main Instructor)
“Sean was very effective and patient with the class. He seemed very concerned that we understand what he was teaching before we moved on to another area.”
“Sean is without a doubt quite well versed on the subject matter, and has a passion for the teaching of it.”
“He has a lot of knowledge and is a good teacher He could pin point what topics would benefit the part-time pastors.”
“Sean is a great teacher and very knowledgeable. Class was presented in a professional manner with opportunity for feed back and dialogue.”
“Very well done for such a deep and difficult subject. Conveyed church approach to Trinity and person/nature of God in a thorough and effective pedagogy.”
Courses Precepted (Teaching Assistant)
“I wanted to say thanks for giving the lecture yesterday. I really enjoyed it and was interested in what you had to say, and I liked the fact that you brought a new participatory element to the class and actually engaged us with what you had to say. It was a nice change, and I just wanted to say thanks.”
-Duke undergraduate, from an email in Hans Hillerbrand’s Church History Class Spring 2013
Anonymous Student Comments from Early and Medieval Christianity (with Warren Smith):
“Sean Larsen gives me smiles with his deep insights and theological proddings.”
“Sean, you were the man. I appreciated the depth of comments you gave on papers, and how approachable you were about our concerns. This may be your first precept, but you did an outstanding job.”
“Incredibly comfortable and interactive precept. Very well versed in the content. Fantastic.”
“Mr. Larsen was engaging, straight forward, and fair. He made every effort to insure we understood and that all were given opportunity to add to and ask questions. Even if your response was some off base, he did not embarrass the student but encouraged clarification and add on!”
“Thanks you for everything Sean. I’m grateful for your insights, fair grading, and personal approach to assisting the lecture.”
“Thank you for taking the time to meet with me about my papers. The feedback gave me a great chance to improve my writing skills. You were always available and I appreciate that.”
“Sean was a great preceptor. He was incredibly thorough in his grading and really made an effort to meet each of us where we were and encouraged improvement depending on our ability. I’m sure that took time and effort and I really appreciated it. He obviously knows the subject well and really enjoys it, which makes it much more fun for us.”
“Sean Larsen is one of the best preceptors I have had at Duke. He is dedicated to the precept, within his means works to help us and is understanding but firm.”
“Sean- I am thankful for your instruction, guidance and leadership this semester. Your command of the material is certainly there, but more importantly your ability and willingness to engage our session in the ways and concepts that we needed each week is most appreciated. You are able to flexibly present the material and were an important part of CH13.I am thankful for your time with me on assignments. The comments and suggestions given in feedback are some of the best I’ve received in the sense of empowering me to do better. I am particularly grateful for the insight provided as I was preparing assignments which was instructional and encouraging. The Aquinas paper, in particular, I wish to thank you for. Aside from meeting with me over the Thanksgiving break, which I considered above and beyond, your proper reading of my specific interests and invitation to go a bit off-prompt was an incredible help.I am thankful to have had you for a preceptor and would be glad to have you as one again sometime.”
“Sean, I appreciated that you knew when we could have legitimate discussions of the reading, and when you just needed to lecture for a while when the subject matter was more difficult. Your humor and ease made precept enjoyable, and the knowledge and lucidity with which you explained the material made reading and writing for the class go more smoothly.”
“Sean — nice precepting skills you have. You always knew what you were talking about and you did not scare me at all. Thank you.”
“Sean, I appreciated this precept. You brought a lot of expertise to the table and did a good job of balancing our participation with your teaching. Thanks for a good semester.”
Anonymous Student Comment from Happiness, the Life of Virtue, and Friendship (with Stanley Hauerwas):
“The depth and breadth of Sean’s reading at this stage in his theological development is astonishing. Unlike any other preceptor I have had, Sean seems ready to take the classroom by storm already! He really does possess extraordinary gifts.”
Anonymous Student Comments from Modern European Christianity (with Suijin Pak):
“Sean’s concern for the students in his precept sections was consistently evident, especially in his respect for our time and efforts outside of lecture and discussion. Sean’s grading and comments were consistently helpful, as was his thorough grasp of the material we covered (in that he was able to both answer our questions and facilitate discussion of the issues at hand). His willingness to take what we were most concerned about in the class into consideration when planning and running our discussion section was also a great gift that has been greatly appreciated.”
“Sean- you were great. Thanks for being available to chat about church history. You were approachable in class and knowledgeable of the material. Your feedback on my papers helped me to improve significantly over the semester.”
“Sean is a wonderful preceptor. He is incredibly knowledgeable and has a pragmatic but profound approach. He comes highly recommended!”
“Sean Larsen is one of the best preceptors I’ve had, and I’ve liked the others. He’s always prepared, he goes out of his way to encourage us and to guide us through the material, and he challenges us to read the material with openness to new ideas and perspectives. I enthusiastically endorse him as a preceptor and know he will do well in his career.”
“The comments on the papers were the most helpful I’ve had yet!”
“Sean- I am very glad for the opportunity to have been in your precept. Your demeanor is welcoming in our sessions and you invite us to engage. I also sincerely appreciate the many unique ways you present and invite us to consider the material each week in precept, but also seem completely comfortable allowing it to go as the group “needs” to discuss it. Also, thank you for the ways in which you have helped improve my writing, through your comments on returned papers and instruction during our sessions.”
“Enjoyed your sense of humor. Thanks for always coming to precept with an objective and plan.”
Anonymous Student Comments from Life and Thought of Augustine of Hippo (with Paul Griffiths)
“I thought Sean provided two excellent lectures that offered a lot of insight into Augustine’s thought and the material. Sean is clearly very knowledgeable in the work of Augustine and I felt he was able to present it in a way that was articulate and helpful. I greatly appreciated his participation in the class discussions and his willingness to push back on some of Paul’s comments. It was refreshing to see a thoughtful debate take place between professor and preceptor.”
“Thank you for your lectures this semester, Sean. They were all very thoughtful and aided in my understanding of the texts and the consequences of their arguments… Your aid in thinking through the organization and thesis for my paper was very helpful and appreciated.”
“Good Job Sean! And best of luck as you pursue a full-time position. You will be a very good teacher.”
“Sean, deeply grateful for your work and concern for students in this class. I learned a lot from both you and Paul.”
“Sean made himself very available to students. His lectures and contributions to Paul’s lectures were interesting and at times provided necessary background or clarification.”
“Sean was always available to answer questions outside of class, and he gave very valuable feedback on student ideas for assignments. He demonstrated great knowledge of the material.”
“Sean, I appreciate your willingness to help with the course. It was good that you brought a somewhat different perspective than Paul to the table. Thanks for a great semester!”
“Sean, you did a great job. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us – and with me particularly – in lecture and conversation. It was obvious you spent time crafting a presentation which would help us envision your insights into Augustine’s texts. Slow down your lecture style just a tad though – my hands couldn’t keep up with your words, and as it was obvious every word was intentionally selected for its significance, I needed to get them all down. (that, by the way, IS a complement)”
“Sean, you’re great. You know your stuff, you lecture well, you are understandable, and you have great promise for the academy and ministry.”
Anonymous Student Comments from Christian Ethics (with Stanley Hauerwas)
“Great job, Sean. Without your knowledge and your giftedness for teaching I would not have made it through this course.”
“Great preceptor. I had had him before, and he was good, but this Christian Ethics precept was particularly outstanding. I appreciated the way he help frame the lectures as it pertained to the course readings — very helpful. The only suggestion is to, somehow, encourage participation from those people who seldom speak in class. Overhearing comments by some of our classmates, it seems like they could have, well, learned more from the course. I have absolutely no idea how to do this, so I say it as something to think about when framing your future courses. Best of luck Lean Sarsen!”
“Sean did a great job of communicating complex ideas in ways that were understandable. It’s obvious that he has a high level of knowledge as well as passion for this subject area. He responded well to difficult questions and helped guide us to the key points of the lecture and course. I was glad to have the opportunity to learn from Sean.”
“Thanks for creating a safe and encouraging space to ask questions and explore hard issues in Christian Ethics.”
“As you know, you are a genius! You among the most widely read preceptors that I’ve had here. Thank you for always suggesting resources to help us gain greater clarity about Christian Ethics, and theology in general. Thank you for your intentional preparation for exams, including your office hours!”
Anonymous Student Comments from World Christianity, Faith-Based Organizations, and Christian Responses to Poverty (with Luke Bretherton)
“I appreciated Sean’s willingness to answer my somewhat basic questions without making me feel totally incompetent. He’s a good teacher and was able to explain things to me well.”
“Sean, I know that you devoted a great deal of time to students in the course outside of class time. Your commitment to guiding students through what was (for many) a new form of interdisciplinary engagement was thorough, faithful, and effective.”
Anonymous Student Comments from American Christianity (with Kate Bolwer)
“Very knowledgeable of the course material; made each precept session challenging; solid job – helped us to thing about the broad themes of our readings- shaped us to things about arguments of each author- well done. – incorporated our material to the parish setting.”
“I really enjoyed this precept and felt that you did a excellent job of pulling the readings and the course material and draw out questions to push and challenge us with the material so that we are forced to think critically about what this means for pastors.”
“Thanks for making the material engaging and helping us think through connections and broad themes. The challenge is, once we’ve typed as fast as we could during class, to think critically about the material and make connections. You helped us do that, so thanks!”
Sean C. Larsen 