Gideon M. Gruel grew up in different places around the United States, on both the East and West coasts. Before matriculating at Dartmouth, he served as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Chile and Arizona. He studies Ancient History, Classical Languages, and Philosophy, with a focus on the form, function, and change of ancient Roman religion. As a Hanlon Scholar, he currently studies how Christian bishops, widely and perhaps deceptively known as the movers and shakers of Late Antiquity, came to invoke and wield their ecclesiastical authority as political clout in the face of the emperor's supreme sovereignty, which recently culminated in an article on the free speech (παρρησία) of Christian bishops in letters addressed to Roman emperors. A new strand of his research explores the writings and Late Antique reception of second century CE Christian philosopher-apologists, like Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and Minucius Felix. On campus, Gideon is involved with the Latter-day Saint Students Association, the Tucker Center, and the Mock Trial Society. In 2024, he was selected as a John Robert Lewis Scholar by the Faith and Politics Institute. In addition to his academic and co-curricular activities, Gideon enjoys taking road trips, browsing through thrift stores or antique shops, and drinking yerba mate.
Faculty mentors: Roberta Stewart, CLST and Christopher MacEvitt, REL
