Faculty Profiles

Dr. McGraw has always had an interest in the normative and philosophical aspects of politics and only started learning about political theory in graduate school. He is particularly interested in the ways modern states seek to establish and enforce their own normative visions and how religion plays into that process. He has taught previously at the University of Georgia, Notre Dame, and Pepperdine University. His first book was published by Cambridge University Press, and he has a new book on evangelical natural law. Professor McGraw and his wife Martha, a practicing neurologist, live in Wheaton and have three adult children. They enjoy gardening, all manners of outdoor activities, and perfecting the art of smoked meats.

Harvard University
Ph.D., Political Science, 2005

Brown University
A.M., Political Science, 2001

Georgetown University
M.A., Russian Area Studies, 1995

Vanderbilt University
B.A., Modern European Studies, 1993

• Political Science
• Russian Studies
• Modern European Studies
• Political Philosophy
• Classical Political Thought
• Medieval Political Thought
• Pluralism
• Law and Religion
• American Political Thought
• Christian Political Thought
• Contemporary Political Thought
• Religion and Politics
• Just War Theory
• Political Ethics
• Euthanasia
• Abortion
• War and Violence
• Economic Justice
• Free Speech
• First Amendment
• Civic Virtue
• Definitions of Citizenship
• Citizenship
• Global Justice
• Constitutional Law
• Christianity and Politics
• Evangelicals and Politics
• Political Theology
• Drones
• Terrorism
• Turkey
• European Politics
• Brexit & the Future of the European Union
• Education
• Education and Cultural Diversity
• Education and Vouchers
• Multiculturalism

• American Political Science Association: member
• Christians in Political Science: member
• Association for Political and Legal Philosophy: member
• Association for Political Theory: member

• Civitas Peregrina (Blog)

Opinion Roundup: Should Syria's Christians Be Our Top Priority?
Christianity Today
"If America does nothing, it's quite possible that the civil war will spill over into Lebanon and Iraq—not to mention that thousands more will die," said Bryan McGraw, associate professor of politics at Wheaton College. "If we aid the rebels, it seems likely that we'll end up helping people who might be worse than Assad."...
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• Introduction to Political Philosophy
• Between Athens and Jerusalem: Classical and Medieval
• Political Thought
• Modern Political Thought
• Law and Religion
• American Political Thought
• Christian Political Thought

Professor McGraw's main areas of research are in contemporary political thought and especially how those traditions intersect with religious belief and practice.

Religious Conservatives and the Requirements of Citizenship: Political Autonomy, Perspectives on Politics
Kimberly H. Conger and Bryan T. McGraw, 2008

• Faith in Politics: Religion and Liberal Democracy

The Flourishing Society

In this TowerTalk, Dr. Bryan T. McGraw examines ancient and modern theories on cultivating a flourishing society and proposes a third alternative rooted in the truth of Scripture.