Explore the roots of Christianity and how it intersects with modern culture through the interdisciplinary study of Greco-Roman culture and language.

Dive into the ancient world through classical languages, literatures, archaeology and ancient history. The classics department at Calvin University has taken on the task of teaching and interpreting the ancient world for students who wish to understand the context in which Christianity developed.

Study classics at Calvin

Study the ancient world to gain an in-depth understanding of the gospel in history.

The Princeton Review ranks classics as an excellent major for medical school and law school, and notes that classics majors "consistently have some of the highest scores on GREs of all undergraduates." Read more here.

Classics offers you a valuable foundation for advanced studies in:
  • Archaeology
  • Art history
  • Biblical studies
  • History
  • Law & medicine
  • Linguistics
  • Literature
  • Philosophy
  • Theology

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Featured book

A Clear and Simple Treatise on the Lord's Supper

by David Noe

Theodore Beza's A Clear and Simple Treatise Respecting the Lord's Supper (1559) advances a tireless defense of the Reformed perspective on the Lord's Supper, responding chapter by chapter to specific arguments raised against John Calvin by his Lutheran opponent, Joachim Westphal. Beza makes great use of the concept of metonymy, or a figure of speech, in his interpretation of the words of institution, yet he equally champions the position that the Lord's Supper is not a bare symbol and that in it we have true communion with the risen Christ. And like Calvin, Beza refers extensively to the church fathers, especially Augustine, in defense of his position.

This often-overlooked treatise marks some of the major differences between the Reformed and the Lutheran movements during the so-called second generation of the Reformation. A critical issue at the time, sacramental theology was at the forefront of the original break with Rome and prevented the various Protestant movements from uniting. Its translation into English from the original Latin provides a wider opportunity for those interested in these movements to learn more about some of the substantial issues of the period.

Appended to the book are two smaller treatises of Beza: A System of Doctrine on the Sacramental Substance and The Law of God in Various Classes.

Explore classics at Calvin
Majors and minors

Majors and minors
Explore the department’s majors and minors and discover the multildimensional nature of the classics department.

Interim

Classics interim
Take a look at the annual classics interim and plan ahead for the studies you will complete and sites you will see.

Events

Events
Explore the many ways to get involved on Calvin’s campus, including those specifically oriented towards classics majors.