From the Director
Once again our summer has been both busy and fruitful at the Meeter Center.
From June 4 to June 16 we hosted our biennial Genevan paleography course.
At the same time the first of our visiting scholars for the summer were
beginning to arrive. We also welcomed some nonstipen-diary scholars and
former visiting scholars for periods of research throughout the spring
and summer.
Thanks to the zeal and energy of our current student worker, Lauren Colyn,
and the work of Susan Schmurr, our program coordinator, we got two projects
completed over the summer months. The first was to organize and properly
catalog our extensive collection of portraits of John Calvin. For the
first time the portraits and information about each one are now easily
available. The second was to prepare a pictorial record of the history
of the Meeter Center through the years, including former visiting scholars,
lectures, events, and conferences held at the Meeter Center.
By the time this newsletter reaches you, I will have returned from representing
the Meeter Center at the international conference on Theodore Beza held
in Geneva in late September. The Meeter Center will also be featured at
other conferences, since we are once again sponsoring a session at the
Sixteenth Century Studies conference (held in Atlanta this year from October
20 to 23) and one at the 41st International Congress on Medieval Studies
at Kalamazoo, MI, in May 2006. We look forward to seeing many of you at
these events.
Karin Y. Maag
Beliefs in Modern Science, Then and Now
The Meeter Center was proud to welcome Dr. Christopher Kaiser
on October 13th for a lecture entitled, “Science-Fostering Belief,
Then and Now.” Kaiser, professor of historical and systematic theology
at Western Seminary, sought to explicate the relationship that exists
between religious belief and scientific inquiry in the minds of prominent
scientists both past and present. Kaiser first turned to an investigation
of the historical origins of this relationship by referring to the work
of Johannes Kepler (1571-1630). Kepler’s assumption was that science
is grounded in twin beliefs: a). the universe is ordered by God-given
cosmological laws (like those of geometry); b). humans have the God-given
capacity to comprehend those laws. For Kepler, this meant that God must
have ordered the orbiting planets in a discernible fashion. And yet it
also meant that Kepler was working from a belief system that fostered
scientific inquiry.
Kaiser then proceeded to bring us into the present by introducing the
work of the prominent modern scientist Paul Davies, who shares Kepler’s
assumptions, but is struck by the notion that scientists generally take
for granted the twin beliefs of Kepler and others. That is, a certain
system of belief – an ordered, knowable cosmos – underlies
scientific endeavor, which belief itself is a “tantalizing mystery.”
The idea that the universe is essentially comprehensible and rational
was shared not only by Henry Margenau (1901-1997), physicist and philosopher
at Yale, but also by Albert Einstein. It was Einstein who noted that there
is a certainty of conviction in the rationality and intelligibility of
the world which “lies behind all scientific work of a higher order.”
The combined evidence from scientists past and present led Kaiser to
observe that modern science involves implicit assumptions – beliefs
– that give scientists the courage and faith to sustain their endeavors.
From a theological perspective, this suggests a response of heightened
sensitivity and appreciation for the scientific enterprise.
Marcus Johnson, Ph.D. Student
Trinity College, University of Toronto
New Acquisitions
Books
Bèze, Théodore de. Correspondance de Théodore de
Bèze. Vol. 27. Collected by Hippolyte Aubert. Geneva: Librairie
Droz, 2005.
Calvin, John. Ioannis Calvini Scripta didactica et polemica. Edited by
Mirjam van Veen. Geneva: Librairie Droz, 2005.
de Boer, Erik A. and Victor E. d’Assonville, Jr., eds. Ad fontes:
teologiese, historiese en wetenskaps-filosofiese studies binne reformatoriese
kader: Festschrift vir Ludie F. Schulze. Bloemfontein: Redaksiekantoor
van die Universiteit van die Vrystaat, 2004.
Dyrness, William. Reformed Theology and Visual Culture: The Protestant
Imagination from Calvin to Edwards. New York: Cambridge University Press,
2004.
Harding, Thomas, ed. The Decades of Henry Bullinger. Grand Rapids, MI:
Reformation Heritage Books, 2004.
James, Frank A., ed. Peter Martyr Vermigli and the European Reformations:
Semper Reformanda. Leiden: Brill, 2004.
Pils, Holger, Stephan Ruderer and Petra Schaffrodt, eds. Martin Bucer
(1491-1551): Bibliographie. Gütersloh: Gütersloher Verlagshaus,
2005.
Articles
Fontoni, Christian F. “Protestant Preaching in the Renaissance:
The Examples of Calvin and Knox.” In Proceedings of the 11th Annual
Northern Plains Conference on Early British Literature, edited by Michelle
M. Sauer, 56-64. Minot: Minot State University Printing Services, 2003.
Manetsch, Scott. “Historical and Theological Studies. Problems with
the Patriarchs: John Calvin’s Interpretation of Difficult Passages
in Genesis.” The Westminster Theological Journal 67, no. 1, 2005:
1-21.
Olson, Jeannine E. “Calvin, Social Justice and Diakonia, A Comparative
Perspective.” Seminary Ridge Review 7, no. 2, 2005: 32-50.Rosario,
Ruben. “Calvin or Calvinism: Reclaiming Reformed Theology for the
Latin American Context.” Apuntes 23, no. 4, 2003: 124-55.
Slater, Jonathan. “Salvation As Participation in the Humanity of
the Mediator in Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion: A
Reply to Carl Mosser.” Scottish Journal of Theology 58, no. 1, 2005:
39-58.
van den Brink, G. “Focus: De Triniteitsleer van Calvijn.”
Theologia Reformata 48, no. 2, 2005: 138-42.
Witte, John, Jr. “Moderate Religionsfreiheit in der Theologie Calvins.”
In Zeitschrift der Savigny-Stiftung für Rechtsgeschichte, edited
by R. Knütel et al., 401-48. Wien: Böhlau, 1997.
Dissertations
Langley, Karine. “John Calvin’s Preaching on the Devil.”
Ph.D. diss., University of Ottawa, 1999.
Witt, Jared L. “Worship, Politics, and Identity in Calvin’s
Theology.” Ph.D. diss., Yale University, 2004.
Genevan Paleography Course
From June 4 to June 16, the Meeter Center welcomed seven participants
in our biennial Genevan paleography course. We were particularly pleased
about the participation of five younger scholars, all either current graduate
students or about to begin graduate work over the next few years. Dr.
Thomas Lambert’s instruction in reading handwritten 16th-century
sources and in making the best possible use of archives will be invaluable
to them. The course was supported by a $1,000 grant from the Sixteenth
Century Studies society and by contributions from Friends of the Meeter
Center earmarked for the paleography scholarships.
In Memoriam
The Meeter Center was saddened to learn of the death of Dr. Dewey Hoitenga,
who taught in the philosophy department at Grand Valley State University
from 1965 to 2001. He was the author of John Calvin and the Will: A Critique
and Corrective (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1997) and of Faith and Reason
from Plato to Plantinga: An Introduction to Reformed Epistemology (Albany:
State University of New York Press, 1991). Dr. Hoitenga was highly knowledgeable
about Calvin and his thought and was the epitome of a humane educator.
Meeter Center Colloquium Series
October 13, 2005 Dr. Christopher Kaiser, professor of historical
and systematic theology at Western Theological Seminary, spoke at the
Meeter Center’s fall colloquium. His topic was “Beliefs in
Modern Science, Then and Now.”
March 16, 2006 The Meeter Center’s spring colloquium will
feature Rev. Joel Beeke, pastor of the Heritage Netherlands Reformed church.
His topic will be “The Puritan Art of Meditation.”
Second Summer at the Meeter Center
Last summer I took part in an NEH seminar hosted by the Meeter Center,
and immedi-ately after departing I began making plans to return as soon
as possible. My research centers on the English reformation (in which
Calvin’s influence played a large role), and the Meeter Center provides
an ideal setting in which to research the background of ideas on which
my studies focus.
In addition to the Center’s collection of primary and secondary
sources, three aspects of my Meeter Center experience have been particularly
valuable. First is the staff of the Center, whose friendliness and expertise
are invaluable aids to providing a fertile research environment. Second
is Hekman Library. Because my field of study ranges beyond Calvin, some
texts that I need are not housed in the Center collection. But this is
not a problem. Texts that at my home institution I would have gotten (if
at all) through interlibrary loan are on the shelves of Hekman Library,
making my research far more productive. Finally, spending summers at Calvin
is a pleasure. My family has accompanied me both summers, and each time
we have thoroughly enjoyed exploring the Grand Rapids area and making
new friends.
Personally and professionally my second summer at the Meeter Center has
been as rewarding as I anticipated thanks to the fine facilities and the
many people who make them work.
Daniel Eppley, Ph.D.
McMurry University
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Classes at the Meeter Center
Every fall and spring semester the curator and director of the Meeter
Center coteach sessions on various aspects of printing and the Reformation
to college and seminary classes. The students come to the Center for a
fifty-minute session, during which they get to see several of the items
from our rare book collection up close.
Although many of the requests for these sessions come from professors
in history and religion, we have also welcomed classes from communication
arts and sciences, economics, geography, music, English, French, German,
to name but a few, as well as classes from local seminaries, high schools,
and churches. On average we run ten to twelve such sessions a semester.
If you live locally and would like to sit in on such a session, let us
know and we will provide you the schedule of our upcoming classes. If
you wish to get a group together from your school or church for a session
tailored specially for you, simply get in touch with us and we will help
make arrangements.
A Farewell and Welcome
On October 14, 2005, Susan Schmurr completed ten years of service to
the Meeter Center as its program coordinator and began the next phase
of her life, since she retired from Calvin College at that point. We thank
her for her many years of cheerful service and her gifts of hospitality,
especially to the visiting scholars and their families. We wish her all
the best as she spends more time with her family and friends.
After an extensive search this summer, we have selected Ryan Noppen to
be the new program coordinator. Ryan is a graduate of Calvin College and
has a master’s degree in history from Purdue University. While his
own research interests are in transportation history, he brings archival
and instructional experience to the position. We are delighted to welcome
him to the Meeter Center.
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Friends of the Meeter Center
We welcome members to the Friends of the Meeter Center.
Friends’ donations help provide funding for special programs, including
the Friends of the Meeter Center Fellowships and the CD Music of the Genevan
Psalter. Checks may be made out to Friends of the Meeter Center and sent
to the Center’s address. Thank you for your support! Annual membership
fees are:
Student $20; Supporter $40; Donor $75;
Associate $100; Partner $200; Benefactor $500
Hugh and Eve Meeter Calvinism Awards
to High School Seniors
The topic for 2006 is “John Calvin and the Visual Arts.”
Contact the Meeter Center to receive an informative brochure about the
contest. Papers should be received by January 15, 2006.
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