An Open Letter to the Board of Trustees of Calvin College from a Recent Alumnus

To the Board of Trustees of Calvin College:

I first visited Calvin College in the Summer of 2004. I was on a trip touring six prospective colleges around the Midwest, only two of which were Christian. In considering colleges, I suspected that I wouldn't have a particularly easy time trying to be both a Christian and a scientist, and I feared that attending a Christian institution could make my task even harder. Even if I would be free of the skepticism that secular scientists often to have towards people of faith, it would be practically impossible to grow as a scholar if I wound up under the watchful, censoring eye of the sorts of Christians who remain suspicious of science.

I was relieved to find in Calvin a place where it seemed this would not be a problem, a place that would warmly accept and encourage my growth in both areas. It was a place that recognized Scripture and Creation as twin pillars of revelation and promoted the natural harmony between the two. It was a school where evolution was embraced and where theology professors would challenge their students to move beyond the faith of their childhood. I didn’t even bother applying anywhere else.

Starting in the Fall of 2005, I spent a fantastic five years at Calvin studying Computer Science and taking electives ranging from Introduction to International Relations to Metaphysics to Abstract Algebra. I found Calvin to be a place that recognized that the best way to spread the Gospel was by engaging the world in a Christlike way. Distinctly Calvin concepts like discernment and renewal, though lovingly mocked by Calvin students, became core to the way I interact with the world.

While many Calvin students come from families that have attended the school for generations, Calvin never seemed like an institution content to simply pass on the same old truths that had served in years past. Instead, Calvin strove to be a legitimate actor in academia, giving students opportunities to do real, meaningful work with a chance to impact the wider world. This isn't always easy. It requires us to ask difficult questions and to discuss and even debate divisive issues both with our neighbors and with ourselves. There is no topic on which human knowledge is complete. Just as Science represents our current best understanding of how God has ordered the Universe, Theology represents only our current best understanding of how God relates to Creation. Neither understanding is fixed, and we need to look at these challenging issues that in order to advance.

Calvin offered, in my eyes at least, a place where we could approach these challenges secure in the knowledge that Scripture and Creation have the same author and cannot be at odds with one another. Under this worldview, we are free to investigate any apparent discrepancies from both ends, trusting that the beauty of God's handiwork will allow us to relieve these tensions in time. At Calvin, Christianity serves not as a barrier to research in controversial fields, but as the driving force behind all scholarship. Years spent surrounded by professors motivated in this way encouraged me to pursue a PhD of my own in order to join in this good work.

Unfortunately, it seems like something is starting to change at Calvin College. With the events leading to and surrounding the resignation of Professor Schneider, it seems that academic freedom is slowly being limited in areas where modernity and tradition collide. If I loved Calvin less I would not care, but Calvin stands for something important to me, and it is painful to see it turn away from the values that make it special.

I understand that evolution and polygenism raise difficult questions about the nature of The Fall and Original Sin, core tenets in any reasonable understanding of God's relationship with humanity. However, we must seriously consider the apparent contradictions between orthodox theology and modern genetics. Who better to grapple with this and other problems than those professors who have served faithfully and proven their commitment to Christianity and its ideals? These are the people we must trust to find a conclusion that stands up to scrutiny from both Special and General Revelation.

Certainly, it is up to Calvin College and its leadership to decide whether or not they are committed to giving their trusted, tenured professors the support necessary to seek out the undiscovered connections between Science and Scripture without fear of reprisal from those who doubt whether the lines will ever meet. If Calvin chooses not to support its professors in this way, they would seem to be betraying the mission I witnessed them champion during my time there, leaving me reluctant to continue supporting an alma mater for which I have such high expectations.

As such, I implore you to reaffirm your commitment to engaging God’s world as it is rather than as we wish it to be. We are all residents of a fallen world, and as Christians, we are called to participate in God’s ultimate plan of restoration. This becomes easier when institutions like Calvin support and celebrate the efforts of their professors, even when the ultimate outcome is unclear. Do not let recent events turn into a trend of attacks on the intellectual freedom of your most valuable resources: the faculty, students, and staff of Calvin College.

Thank you,

Jonathan Walz
Class of 2010