His Ph.D. is from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. At Methodist University, he is the Americanist and teaches most of the courses in American politics (Congress and the Presidency, State and Local Politics, Parties and Interest Groups, etc.). His research focuses on religion and American politics. His published works are on the Social Gospel Movement, Party Politics, and Mormons in American Politics. His most recent research deals with religious leaders as political leaders.