Frans van Liere, Professor, History 
Director, Medieval Studies
(616)526-6535
fvliere@calvin.edu
Office: Hiemenga Hall 485
Weekly Schedule
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Educational background
M.Th., University of Groningen
M.A. in Medieval Studies, University of Groningen
Ph.D. in Medieval Studies, University of Groningen
Research and professional interests
Prof. van Liere's interests include Medieval Europe, Medieval biblical exegesis, Jewish-Christian relations, schools and universities, and the Avignon papacy. His publications include editions of Andrew of Saint Victor's twelfth-century Bible commentaries on Samuel and Kings and the Twelve Prophets. He is currently working on an introduction to medieval biblical exegesis, on contract with Cambridge University Press. In March, a volume of translated text of Victorines on biblical exegesis, co-edited with Franklin Harkins (Fordham University), will be published by Brepols. For the academic year 2012-2013, Frans van Liere has been appointed a fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. Professor Van Liere will use his time at there to do research into a central concept in the history of medieval Christian Hebraism, the idea of the Hebraica Veritas.
Recent activities
Prof. van Liere recently published "Biblical exegesis through the twelfth century," in The Practice of the Bible in the Western Middle Ages, edited by Susan Boynton and Dianne Reilly (Columbia UP, 2011). He also presented the following papers: "Tell me: How Long Did Adam Dwell in Paradise? Traditions of Reading Sacred texts in the Light of Modern Biblical Criticism" at the Human Origins Seminar, Calvin College, in March; "The Vernacular Bible in the Middle Ages" at EMO, Groningen Medieval Society at Groningen in January; and "Methods of Literal Exegesis and Historiography, Or: What the Twelfth and the Sixteenth Century Have in Common" at the Helinand Symposium at Groningen in January.
In September, Prof. van Liere presented "The Christian Myth of Hebrew Truth" at the conference "Von Theodulf zu Raschi: Sondierungen zu den Anfängen der europäischen Bibelwissenschaft" in Heidelberg. In October, he gave the keynote address, "'Total wisdom:' Hugh of Saint Victor (d. 1141) on Christian Education" at the Kuyers Institute conference "Education as Formation: Christian Approaches" at Calvin College. And in November, he presented "Bible Text and Authority in Early Modern Europe" at the International Workshop "Strategies of Catholic Identity Formation in a Period of Religious Confusion (c. 1510-1560)" at Radboud University, Nijmegen.
Life outside of Calvin College
Frans plays the flute, sings in the Bach Chorale of Grand Rapids, and is also an avid woodworker and gardener.
Other information
Prof. van Liere is director of the Medieval Studies program.
See a partial list of Frans van Liere's publications.
For a complete CV, see the linked PDF.
