
Richard T. Hughes received a bachelor's degree in Bible and history from Harding University in Arkansas, followed by a master's degree from Abilene Christian University in Texas, and a doctorate in the history of Christianity since 1500 from the University of Iowa. In 1971, he became professor of religion at Pepperdine University in California, where he founded and directed the Pepperdine Center for Faith and Learning. In 1976, he taught at Southwest Missouri State University, and in 1982 he taught at Abilene Christian University. In 2006, he became distinguished professor and senior Boyer fellow at Messiah College in Grantham, Pennsylvania. He has has published several works about the significance of Christian higher education for contemporary society.

Reviving the Ancient Faith: The Story of Churches of Christ in America
1995
ISBN 9780802877291
The American quest for the primitive church
1988
ISBN 9780252060298
The primitive church in the modern world
1995
ISBN 9780252064920