Sociology at Calvin
At Calvin, we take a good look at things—all things, in fact. In the sociology department, we take a good look at people and the groups they form. And with classes like "Death, Dying and Bereavement," "Sociology of Deviance" and "Diversity and Inequality," we aren't afraid to look into some of the darker corners of the human experience.
A simple question—a complex answer
The real question is, why do we study these things at Calvin? The answer is simple and complex all at once. We believe that God created all things good, including human beings and the relationships they form. But sin entered the world through human beings, bringing tension and disorder into these social relationships.
That isn't the end of the story.
God doesn't allow this social disorder to prevail—he allowed his Son, Jesus Christ, to be a sacrifice for the sake of human disobedience, thus offering the hope of ongoing renewal in creation.
Discovering ways to heal and renew social relationships
And so here we are, living in a fallen world where we see suffering and injustice in society, in intergroup relationships and in ourselves. We study sociology to better understand human relationships and the way in which sin affects them. But we don't stop there.
As we learn, we also dream up creative ideas for how to answer the pressings needs of our society. Through classes, off-campus study programs, internships and events like the Faith and International Development conference, we discover ways in which God is calling us to be agents of renewal—working for social change here in the United States and in all the world.
