Letters to the Editor 2011 Summer
How Christian is Calvin?
I could not disagree more with the poetswho wrote you last Christmas (“Rhymesand Reasons,” Director’s Desk, spring 2011)if their intent was to convey that Calvin hascompromised its Christian foundation. TheChristian perspective has been woven intoevery one of my daughter’s classes, includingcalculus, physics and biochemistry. Shehas been required to identify, acknowledgeand prepare herself well to address theapparent contradictions that exist betweenthe natural sciences and religion. Herrequired theology classes have preparedher to explain and defend her Christianfaith. There has been zero tolerance forimmoral behavior on campus and attitudesthat diminish one’s Christian witness.
My daughter is now a senior at Calvin.She has received an outstanding educationfrom absolutely wonderful professors whohave given her more than just a generalliberal arts education and scientific understanding.They served as examples that aperson can be highly intelligent, well educatedand a Christian—a person the worldclaims cannot exist.
My daughter has matured into a womanthat both her father and I are very proudof. Her Christian faith has been challenged,has grown and is more grounded becauseof her Calvin experience.
Jackie Sterling
Grand Ledge, Mich.
Thank you most sincerely for the beautifulmanner in which you disarmed critics ofour beloved college. Having been a pastorfor 52 years I can understand some of thehurts you experience in a public position.Every time something arises about the collegeI know that administrators of Calvinare going to hear from those who love tofind fault and stir up controversy.
My parents discouraged me fromattending Calvin as they said they couldnot help me financially. After attendinganother school for three semesters I knewthat I was going to Calvin even if I hadto work my way through. Attending thecollege is one of the greatest blessings theLord has ever bestowed upon me.
Garret Stoutmeyer ’55
Haines City, Fla.
Your protestations notwithstanding, Ithink you must agree with the premise orthrow objectivity out the window. At somepoint several years ago I became increasinglydisappointed by the stories I wouldread in The Grand Rapids Press aboutthings that were going on at Calvin. Youhave challenged readers to be specific intheir criticisms, and I have to admit that ithas been a while since I made my decisionto support Hillsdale College so I wouldhave to be general, but my issues wouldparallel the writers of the poem. The ChristianReformed Church has drifted left andtaken Calvin with it.
The other problem is that you havepriced yourself out of the market. Thatyour enrollment has not declined moreis directly attributable to Sallie Mae andstudent loans for all comers. You folksare going to have to figure out how to doit for less, or just 100 less students thanyou would like for enrollment is going toend up as a goal to be desired. Your coreconstituency is made up of people like me,and we can’t afford to send our kids to yourschool, especially when your values don’tseem to reflect mine any longer.
Ray Bruiniusz
Ada, Mich.
You were far too kind to call that criticalpoem “clever.” As a loyal supporter andalum of Dear Alma Mater, I could easilyrespond with equal “cleverness” about howCalvin has “lost its way” from a reverse perspective(too Republican, too conservative).In so doing, I’d be equally wrong.
Your invitation to “come-and-see” is thebest defense and challenge to such critics,and is also important for loyal supportersas well, to support a place with knowledgeabout its mission, status, programs andpeople. The poem also ignores the obvious—ask any private college, any private school—that the economic downturn has a factor inenrollment, and I’m sure in support as well.
What I do know is that Calvin bothwrestles with and embraces cultural/theological/educational issues, and thoseclinch-holds resemble each other, if notbeing simultaneous. To me that’s the placeto be, wrestling and embracing. “‘Reformed’really should be ‘reforming,’” according toDr. Clarence Vos, as I recall from a ’70sCalvin religion class—it’s ongoing, not pastor perfect tense, already accomplished.
Thanks for putting the issue in front ofalums.
Jeffrey Carpenter ’77
Palos Heights, Ill.
I was amused by the poem “What is thetrue problem?” I attended Calvin from1963 to 1967 and my son, Dan, attendedCalvin from 1998 to 2003. Calvin certainlyhas changed, in my opinion, for the better.
In the ’60s The Christian Laymen’sLeague denounced Calvin as liberal andThe Banner editor used his position to critiquethe faculty and student body at everyopportunity (he found many, especially The Bananer spoof). What truly Reformedperson could ever direct satire at his magazine!A seminary professor almost lost hisposition for paraphrasing Peter the Apostlesaying that God willed the damnation ofno man—a reasonable statement for a manwhose passion was missions. Carl McIntireused his radio show to call us Communists.And the wonderful Dr. Smedes, whowas judged too liberal for the seminary,bailed out for California and became abest-selling author (and, ironically, wonthe seminary’s highest honor the year afterhis death).
As for campus life, chapel was mandatoryand, except for the clever ChaplainPekelder, boring. The administrationenforced attendance by appointing a fewstudents to spy on the rest as “ChapelCheckers.” Two or three misses and a letterwent home and, of course, the parentsdid not understand. Movies were not consideredan artform useful for Christians. Dancing was forbidden although the musicwas at its all-time best. Women’s dormhours were strict; guys could do as theypleased since all the vulnerable ChristianReformed girls were safely locked away.Reformed Doctrine, also mandatory, wasably taught by professors like Primus,Smedes and others. The faculty was generallyintelligent, informed, helpful, kind,considerate and dedicated Christians. Allin all—I loved it; especially after I metKathleen (my future wife)!
It was, in spite of its critics, Reformed.Was it spiritual? Certainly as much as theChristian Reformed Church (CRC) for thattime. It was restrained. Of course, everyonehad their own experience.
My thoughts about Calvin today arethat the school is still very Reformed butmuch more outwardly spiritual. Like theCRC, less concerned with matters trivial. Itis also much more diversified, which maymake it look less Reformed. There seemsto be less interest in the finer points oftheology, which I regret (although I do notsee The Canons of Dort as the high pointof Calvinism and I do not think John Calvinwould either). My son had a very goodexperience at Calvin. The interest thatfaculty, administration and coaches take inthe welfare and spirituality of each student is phenomenal.
Marv Hoekstra ’67
Plainwell, Mich.
Calvinism too narrow
I grew up Calvinist, went to two Calvinistelementary schools (one in Minneapolis,Minn., and one in Seattle, Wash.), aCalvinist high school in Seattle, and then attended both Dordt and Calvin. WhenI read the about Prof. James K.A. Smith’sbook, Letters to a Young Calvinist, (spring2011) I found it quite interesting. While Iabsolutely agree with both Smith and Hansenof Time magazine (whom were mentioned)that Calvinism offers both more“fresh intellectual air” than Evangelicalismtends to and a minor antidote to the“chronological snobbery of our culture,”
I couldn’t help but note the irony ofSmith’s suggestion that that antidoteinvolves “constantly looking back to JonathanEdwards or John Calvin.” In the grandscheme of Christianity, looking to Calvin,who lived only 500 years ago, or Edwards,of only 300 years ago, over today’s theologians,is like preferring the thoughts of acouple teenagers over those of infants. It’sa start, but it’s hardly a counter to the intellectualstuntedness of our times.
If we really want to get serious aboutembracing the entire intellectual and historicaltreasury of Christianity, we needto be willing to acknowledge that Calvin didn’t found the Church, Christ did, “onthe foundation of the Apostles and prophets”(Eph 2:20). The “world- and life-view”of Calvinism is still too narrow whencompared to the richness of the entire2,000-plus-year history of the Church.Read Cyril of Jerusalem, Cyprian of Carthage,Clement of Rome, Athanasius, Irenaeus,Polycarp, Ambrose and Augustine,etc., and you’ll find far more breadth andfreshness than either Calvin or Edwardsdisplay. And if they disagree with Calvin,remember not to give in to “chronologicalsnobbery” since, while Calvin was miredin the antagonism and confusion of histime, many of these men, the true eldersof our faith, still had the teaching of theApostles practically ringing in their ears.Trust them.
Jackford R. Macarius B. Kolk ’06
Ypsilanti, Mich.
James K.A. Smith responds:
Thanks for your interest. I’d encourageyou to read the book, since it clearlyemerges there that the real “hero” of thestory is St. Augustine. So I don’t think I’mguilty of what you’re suggesting. Indeed, Idescribe the Reformation as an “Augustinianrenewal movement within the churchcatholic.”
Cheering on the Knights
Recently our school (Northern Michigan Christian in McBain, Mich.) held alive-streaming “watch party” for the Calvin women’s volleyball team. An alumna of ourschool, Erin VanderPlas, is on the volleyball squad, and several local Calvin fans andfamily members got together to watch the championship game on a big screen here atNorthern Michigan Christian School. We projected the game onto a large screen via ourInternet computer feed. About 30 individuals came to watch, and the athletic departmentprovided free popcorn to the fans. It was great fun to sit, cheer and celebrate together aswe watched the match. Congratulations to the Calvin volleyball team and to Erin on agreat season!
Julie Rottman VanHaitsma ’88
McBain, Mich.