Dear Editor,

I am entirely disheartened by the recent strain of op-ed pieces placed in print in December. I’ve seen glowing articles praising the “bravery” of Calvin alumni for living contrary to not just the CRC position on marriage, but the biblical position on marriage. Do we as a Christian body glorify explicit sin now? I pray that these Christian men see their sin and depart from it. Based on Calvin’s affirmation of the CRC position, it should loudly join me in viewing this as a blight on the reputation of Calvin.

Calvin’s own faculty have written scathing indictments against Calvinism itself as an instigator and basis for systemic racism and nation building. Heaven forbid! If a faculty member has that warped a view about the doctrinal Christian truths taught by Calvinism, why are they allowed to teach at Calvin? How is an anti-Calvinist supposed to represent Calvin College?

I represent a third-generation graduate from Calvin College and am recently resolved to be the last. I pray for a reformation in Calvin College such that the lens of Calvinism, which it’s named for, would again be applied particularly by the faculty and staff. The Calvin experience should be an open one for all students of all backgrounds that meet admission requirements, but the institution needs to stand and provide the worldview lens it purports in namesake John Calvin and the one affirmed through the doctrines of the CRC. Calvin needs to stand on biblical principle and not be battered about by disparate voices of antidisestablishmentarianism, contrived racial guilt or humanism that are seemingly driving the changing culture at Calvin.

Regards,

Jacob VanderWall ’10