Nadya Williams

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Nadya Williams grew up in Russia and Israel, and after thirteen years in Georgia is now a new resident of Ohio. Her first book, Cultural Christians in the Early Church, is forthcoming in November 2023 from Zondervan Academic. Her next book project, Priceless, is under contract with IVP Academic. Along with her husband, Dan, she gets to experience the joys, frustrations, and tribulations of homeschooling their children.

Recent Essays

Responding to Your Email: Better Late Than Never

Nadya Williams - September 19, 2023

It is, I realized, handy to have a proper template handy, ready to use, should my fears come true, and I discover that I really did forget to answer an email for a few months, and then need to send a very thorough and sincere apology. In fact, it is possible that such an email is buried somewhere in one of my three inboxes right now, awaiting this very reply.

Homeschooling and Red Herrings

Nadya Williams - September 6, 2023

Repeatedly, some of the best students I have taught have been homeschooled. What set them apart was precisely the spirit of bold curiosity that I see in my own kids: that bright light in their eyes, an interest in asking questions and in pursuing rabbit trails independently.

In Praise of the Humble Slow Cooker

Nadya Williams - August 10, 2023

One easy solution is the crockpot. Why? You can throw in some basic ingredients in the morning before work or school, and then when you get home in the evening, you have a hot meal waiting. Bonus: the house will smell really good when you walk in. What’s not to love?

Filling Time Filling Minds

Nadya Williams - July 17, 2023

That with which we fill our time, after all, is what ends up filling our minds, hearts, and souls. More than simply responsible scheduling, our very character is on the line, and that has consequences far beyond the present.

Things I Learned in Intermediate Greek Class

Nadya Williams - June 12, 2023

Reading ancient languages requires slow and careful thinking and processing of a sort that we do not normally utilize in our pressure-cooker fast-consumer world.

One Homeschool Year: A Local Story in Four Seasons

Nadya Williams - May 15, 2023

One learning outcome I had in mind for this academic year was to teach all students to close the bathroom door when using the facilities. Alas, we seem to have failed at this. But our Greek curriculum has gone swimmingly.

Updating Homer for Sensitive Modern Readers: A Tongue-in-Cheek Proposal

Nadya Williams - April 5, 2023

As we reflect on the importance of this work in ensuring that Homer remains appropriate and enjoyable for future readers, we can surely agree that it is fully worth it.

Augustine, Vodolazkin, and Christian Visions of Past and Future

Nadya Williams - March 24, 2023

Vodolazkin’s critical vision of the Medieval Russian past is no different in essence from Augustine’s similarly sharp and un-glamorous vision of Roman history.

Call the Midwife: Twenty-First Century Edition

Nadya Williams - January 26, 2023

Having experienced pregnancy and childbirth with both a traditionally trained OB/GYN and with midwives, the philosophical differences are abundantly clear.

A is for Alligator

Nadya Williams - December 15, 2022

But the promise of the coming of the Messiah is that all these animals will be changed from enemies of the human race into its friends, or at least comfortable and tolerant neighbors. This promise sheds, furthermore, a different light on the present discomfort that some of us may feel over the invading much-maligned bugs and wildlife.

The Only Way is Up

Nadya Williams - November 17, 2022

It is a terrifying responsibility every single day, for a preschooler’s capacity to find ever creative ways to put herself in danger does not always match up with the parent’s ability to foresee said dangers. And yet, without the wonder of exploration, how could anyone ever truly learn about the world?

The Cake of Many Layers: Walking a City through Time

Nadya Williams - October 10, 2022

To walk a place is to open the door to the possibility that you will grow to love it. With time, you could get to know it in an intimate way. Streets or roads or wild forest paths that we walk for the first time can be the object of wonder, even if sometimes also mingled with fear and mistrust.