Flashback
Professor B.K. Kuiper
By Richard Harms, College Archivist

Professor of historoy B. K. Kuiper, while a doctoral student in the Netherlands, 1903-1907

Although the college has had and continues to have able, dedicated and creative faculty members, perhaps one of the more quixotic of these was Barend Klaas Kuiper, known by his initials rather than full name, except to Calvin students who affectionately called him “Barney.” B.K. joined the faculty in 1900 to teach history and social studies.

As an instructor Kuiper could be inspiring, imaginative, dynamic and effective. He was also absentminded and could come to class late or unprepared when answers to student questions filled the class period. According to students, these later classes could be the most interesting and exciting, though most had little to do with the subject of the class. John Timmerman later wrote that Kuiper had a gift for both managing and mismanaging his talents. All of these traits endeared him to students.

Outside of the classroom he was an outspoken champion of what would be Calvin College beginning with his 1903 pamphlet, The Proposed Calvinistic College at Grand Rapids. In 1918, just before the college’s four-year curriculum began, B.K. quit, complaining of the workload and low pay. But he continued to support the college, and in 1922 he carried on a caustic exchange with Rev. H.J. Kuiper (no direct family relationship), who had complained of the worldliness and modernism that seemed to be influencing the new college.

In 1926 the governing body of the Christian Reformed Church appointed B.K. to teach historical theology in the seminary. It was the same year this body concluded that church members should not dance, play cards or go to movie theaters. In the seminary Kuiper’s teaching skills again shone until a local church complained that he had been seen entering the Wealthy Theater. Initially Kuiper claimed he had simply stepped into the theater’s lobby to adjust his new dentures, but later admitted he had gone in to watch a film.

At the meeting of the 1928 synod he was called to defend himself and spent almost three hours explaining that films were one of the means for better understanding American society, which facilitated Christians following the biblical instruction to go into the world. But he did not apologize for his action nor did he ask for forgiveness, which was what the members of synod wanted. Consequently synod voted overwhelmingly to remove him from the faculty for patronizing a movie theater.

After this, Kuiper worked at various jobs including writing. His biography of Martin Luther was published in 1933 and The Church in History in 1951 (republished as late as 2002). Kuiper died in 1961, five days after his 84th birthday.