Inaugural Kuyper Lecture a Success!

January-February 1996

By Luis E. Lugo

GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan—A capacity crowd of three hundred filled Calvin College's Gezon Auditorium on November 1 to hear Dr. Mark Noll deliver the inaugural Kuyper Lecture. Noll, who is professor of history at Wheaton College, spoke on the theme of Adding Cross to Crown: Religion and Politics in the American Experience. Citing historical examples of Christian political involvement in the United States and elsewhere, Noll explored the difference it could make for Christians to concentrate on the person and work of Christ rather than dwell exclusively on creation when they think about the nature of politics or engage in political activity.

Responding to Noll's address were Max Stackhouse, professor of social ethics at Princeton Theological Seminary, and James Bratt, professor of history at Calvin College. While appreciative of Noll's historical and theological insights, each respondent also raised significant objections. A lively question and answer session involving members of the audience followed the formal presentations. The discussion generated by the lecture carried into the reception, which concluded the evening's activities.

This new lecture series is named after the great Dutch Christian scholar and statesman Abraham Kuyper, whose influence on both the Center and on Calvin College has been considerable. That legacy was gratefully acknowledged by Calvin's new president, Gaylen Byker, in his opening remarks welcoming the Kuyper Lecture Series to Calvin College. It was underscored as well by Center Director James Skillen, who introduced Noll. Everyone in attendance received a copy of the Center's booklet, written by Skillen, introducing the new lecture series and explaining how key themes of the Kuyperian political legacy provide the framework for the range of questions the series seeks to address.

The lecture was preceded by a formal dinner attended by invited friends of the Center and of Calvin College. Joining the speakers and Center staff were administrative and academic leaders of Calvin College, including the president, provost, and deans, representatives of area academic and civic institutions, and several Center board and advisory council members. Preparations for the dinner and the reception were made by the staff of the award-winning January Lecture Series of Calvin College.

The morning following the lecture a roundtable was held involving the speakers, representatives of the Center, and selected Calvin faculty and students. Aside from vigorous discussion of a host of questions raised by Noll's presentation, the group also spent some time exploring the implications of the topic for the future work of the Center and of Calvin College. The responses to the lecture and to the half-day roundtable have been overwhelmingly positive.

The success of this inaugural lecture provides a strong impetus for the Center as it plans for future lectures in this series. Already preparations are well under way for the 1996 Kuyper Lecture, which will be held at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California on October 31. Dr. Calvin DeWitt, Center Associate and professor of environmental studies at the University of Wisconsin, will be the featured speaker.

[Dr. Lugo is Associate Director of the Center for Public Justice.]