Tim Kircher, Associate Professor and Chair of Guilford College’s History department, recently published his first book. Entitled “The Poet’s Wisdom: The Humanists, the Church, and the Formation of Philosophy in the Early Renaissance,” the book evaluates two early humanists, Francesco Petrarch (1304-1372) and Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-1375), and places them in the Renaissance tradition.

“I wrote it to challenge other scholars’ ideas about the early Renaissance and how humanists were involved in philosophical issues,” Kircher said. “There are scholars who would argue that the Renaissance did not really begin until the 15th century . and that humanism, especially humanist poetry, has little to offer students of philosophy.” Kircher’s book challenges that view.

“The Poet’s Wisdom” is written primarily for academics, but Kircher hopes that those outside the field can learn from it, also.

“I don’t know who Petrarch or Boccaccio are, but I am very interested in the Renaissance,” said first-year Rebecca Arnold. “I have read the first few chapters, and I think that he [Kircher] supports his claims with solid arguments.”

Kircher wrote his doctoral dissertation on the Reformation and the writings of Martin Luther, in particular.

The genesis of “The Poet’s Wisdom” came in 1996, when Kircher was on a research sabbatical in Italy.

According to Kircher, there is a vital connection between research and teaching. His experience here at Guilford has led him to appreciate the enthusiasm of the entire community to learn.

“One reason I work at Guilford is that students here have the opportunity to advance their understanding of the world and the time they live in by engaging in discussions with professors and fellow students within and outside their classes,” he said.

“They can take advantage of instructors as eager to teach as they are to learn, and can readily move themselves to fulfill Francis Bacon’s maxim that ‘Reading makes a full man, conversation a ready man, and writing an exact man.'”

Kircher’s colleagues are impressed with his accomplishment, and have praised his efforts.

“Here at Guilford it’s difficult for a professor to have time to teach, research and write a book all at the same time,” said Dottie Borei, Professor of History and Intercultural Studies. “We’ve had professors in our department publish books before, but Tim has worked so diligently, and the completion of his book is something to be congratulated.”

Kircher, who studied at Yale, joined Guilford’s history department in 1989.

He believes that by taking heed of the past and its literature we can learn much about ourselves.

“We are all on a great adventure to learn more about ourselves by studying our past, whether we talk about our own lives or the lives of those who lived a long time ago,” Kircher said. “In that sense, I think Petrarch and Boccaccio are writers we can appreciate, for that is what they were trying to do.