The January Series of Calvin University

Scott Sauls, senior pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church of Nashville discusses themes from his latest book, A Gentle Answer: Our ‘Secret Weapon' in an Age of Us Against Them.

Katharine Hayhoe is an atmospheric scientist who studies climate change and an evangelical Christian. She is passionate about bridging the broad, deep gap between scientists and Christians and says the key to having a real discussion is to connect over shared values like family, community, and faith.

Peter O'Connor, director of the Centre for Arts and Social Transformation at the University of Auckland, New Zealand and an internationally recognized expert in making and researching applied theatre and drama education shares the important role the arts play in healing trauma.

Jeffrey Rosen, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Constitution Center, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization whose mission is to educate the public about the U.S. Constitution speaks on the Future of the Supreme Court.

Ambassador William Garvelink is an American diplomat and former U.S. Ambassador to The Democratic Republic of the Congo. In this episode, he discusses the current COVID crisis, lessons learned from Ebola, his experience as a senior diplomat and shares why he believes pandemics will continue to be a part of our future.

President of the World Communion of Reformed Churches and ordained minister in the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon, Najla Kassab discusses the Reformed church in the Middle East today.

An immigrant from Guatemala now living in Baltimore, Maryland, Karen Gonzalez shares her immigration story and the work she does for immigrants and refugees through World Relief, as well as the stories of immigrants found in the Bible.

Founder of the Texas Hunger Initiative, Jeremy Everett discusses his two decades of experience dealing with the hunger disparities in the United States.

Born and raised in China, Bob Fu and his wife fled to the United States in 1997 when their illegal underground church was discovered by Chinese officials. As the founder of ChinaAid, Fu brings international attention to China's human rights violations and continues to fight for religious freedom for Christians in China.

Sandra Postel, leading authority on global water issues, discusses her approach to promoting the preservation and sustainable use of freshwater in her talk: "Replenish: The Virtuous Cycle of Water and Prosperity."

Todd Charles Wood and Darrel R. Falk are two respected scientists who hold opposing views on the topic of origins, share a common faith in Jesus Christ, and began a sometimes-painful journey to explore how they can remain in Christian fellowship when each thinks the other is harming the church. This conversation was moderated by Rob Barrett, Chief Programming and Innovation Officer at The Colossian Forum, whose mission is to equip leaders to transform cultural conflicts into opportunities for spiritual growth and witness with a vision of a Christian community that acts Christian, especially in the face of conflict.

In her 18 years at Calvin, Coach Amber Warners has won three national volleyball championships and has learned many leadership lessons along the way, including the fierce humility in winning.

A devout Christian, lawyer and teacher, Rachael has clearly and graciously challenged Christian institutions to live more faithfully as communities resistant to abuse and safe for survivors.

Why has Christianity, a religion premised upon neighborly love, failed in its attempts to heal social divisions? Jennings exposes how the loss of land and the supersessionist ideas behind the Christian missionary movement are both deeply implicated in the invention of race.

What does it really mean to belong and how might churches welcome and weave people with disabilities and their families more fully into the life of the community? In moving from barriers to belonging, we discover the power of life lived together and how those at the margins are indispensable to the flourishing of everyone.

A third-generation New Yorker, Powers has spent two decades exploring the American culture of speed and its alternatives in some fifty countries around the world.

Thanks to social media, adolescents are often forced to grow up in public at earlier ages and stages. They are embarking upon an ancient challenge, to know thyself, while broadcasting each awkward step along the way. We must reach back to our genesis, to the radical notion that we are created in the image and likeness of God, the imago Dei.

In the midst of the discouraging reports about the aging and decline of churches today, what steps do savvy churches take that help them best love and serve teenagers and young adults? Through a landmark investigation of more than 250 diverse congregations, the Fuller Youth Institute uncovered the core commitments that are key to reaching and retaining young people.

Drawing on history, social psychology, behavioral economics, and the counsel of ancient wisdom, Arthur Brooks addresses the divisions that plague America, and finds a set of strategies to help us disagree better, forge a new model of aspirational leadership, and unite the country.

Created in 2016 through a partnership between Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary, the Calvin Prison Initiative is a unique program that provides a Christian liberal arts education to inmates at Handlon prison in Ionia, Michigan and results in a Bachelor of Arts degree from Calvin College.

John Swinton is a Scottish theologian and former psychiatric nurse. He is professor in Practical Theology and Pastoral Care and Chair in Divinity and Religious Studies at the University of Aberdeen. He is also founder of the university's Centre for Spirituality, Health and Disability. John is a major figure in the development of disability theology. In 2016, he was awarded the Michael Ramsey Prize for theological writing for his book Dementia: Living in the Memories of God. In 2017, his most recent book Becoming Friends of Time: Time, Disability and the Art of Gentle Discipleship won the award of merit for theology and ethics in the Christianity Today book awards.

Kevin Palau, son of international evangelist Luis Palau, joined the family business in 1985 and began directing the day-to-day operation of the ministry in the late 1990s. Under his leadership, the Luis Palau Association has produced some of the largest Christian events ever staged, created a worldwide network of hundreds of partner evangelists, and developed new models for citywide outreach that integrate major community service initiatives with open-air evangelistic gatherings. Kevin is also the founding editor of GospelMovements.org, a place for leaders to connect and share ideas on how to transform their cities by meeting needs and sharing the love of Jesus Christ.

Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum is a psychologist, administrator, and educator who has conducted research and written books on the topic of race, focusing specifically on race in education, racial identity development in teenagers, and assimilation of black families and youth in white neighborhoods. Tatum served from 2002 to 2015 as the ninth president of Spelman College, the oldest historically black women's college in the United States. Tatum's important book Why Do All the Black Kids Sit Together in the Cafeteria is being re-released for its 20th anniversary this fall.

Rev. Laura Sumner Truax is the senior pastor of LaSalle Street Church, a non-denominational church in downtown Chicago. She holds degrees in divinity, pastoral studies, and spirituality from Loyola University Divinity School and is currently working toward her Doctor of Ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary. She also serves as a teaching pastor for World Vision and for the University of Chicago Divinity School and is the author of two books. In Love Let Go she shares how her church community was transformed by the startling truth that money can buy happiness – when you give it away – and explores the connection of human flourishing to generosity.

John Inazu is the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis and a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture at the University of Virginia. He teaches courses in criminal law, the First Amendment, and religion and law. His scholarship focuses on the First Amendment freedoms of speech, assembly, and religion, and related issues of political and legal theory. John's book, Confident Pluralism, argues that we can and must live together peaceably in spite of deep and sometimes irresolvable differences over politics, religion, sexuality, and other important matters.

Pashon Murray has an unrelenting drive for waste reduction, recycling, and reuse of materials. She is helping to change the carbon footprint of Detroit through revitalizing neighborhoods, finding solutions for everyday waste, and eliminating trips to the landfill. In 2010 Murray co-founded Detroit Dirt, a local composting and biomass collection company that specializes in providing compost and biomass solutions for the metro Detroit community. In May of 2014, Newsweek named Murray as one of its “13 Women in Business to Bet On” and in 2015 she was invited to present her innovative business plan at the White House.

Shane Claiborne is a prominent speaker, activist, and best-selling author who worked with Mother Teresa in Calcutta and founded The Simple Way, a faith community in inner-city Philadelphia that has helped birth and connect radical faith communities around the world. He heads up Red Letter Christians, a movement of folks who are committed to living "as if Jesus meant the things he said." Shane is a champion for grace, which has led him to jail advocating for the homeless, and to places like Iraq and Afghanistan to stand against war. And now grace fuels his passion to end the death penalty.

Randy Lewis bet his career that he could create an inclusive workplace at one of America's biggest corporations where people with disabilities could not just succeed, but thrive. No Greatness without Goodness is the story of a corporate executive who, after watching the world through the eyes of his own child with autism, realized that we all have a greater responsibility to make the world a better place for everyone, including those with disabilities. As the Senior Vice President of Walgreens, Randy created thousands of full-time jobs for people with disabilities and has created a model to follow for other employers in the United States and around the world. He gives a firsthand account of what it takes to lead with courage in order to change people's lives for the better.

David Williams is the Norman Professor of Public Health at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health and professor of African and African American Studies at Harvard University. His research has helped us understand the ways in which race, racism, socioeconomic status, stress, health behaviors, and religious involvement can affect physical and mental health. In 2014, Thomas Reuters ranked Williams as one of the World's Most Influential Scientific Minds.

Mary Hulst has served as the Calvin College Chaplain since 2009 where she integrates her love for scripture with her love for college students. She preaches for students weekly on Sunday evenings at the Calvin LOFT services (Living Our Faith Together). Known as “Pastor Mary” on campus, she loves to meet with any student to talk about life, faith, or anything else. When her schedule allows, Dr. Hulst also lectures around the country on preaching, teaches workshops for preachers, and consults with churches and search committees on how to listen to sermons.

Nicholas Thomas Wright taught New Testament studies for 20 years at Cambridge, McGill, and Oxford Universities and served as the Bishop of Durham from 2003 until his retirement in 2010. He now serves as chair of New Testament and Early Christianity at the School of Divinity at the University of St. Andrews. Considered one of the world's leading Bible scholars, he has been featured on ABC News, The Colbert Report, Dateline, and Fresh Air. Wright is the award-winning author of Simply Good News, Simply Jesus, Simply Christian, Surprised by Hope, How God Became King, Scripture and the Authority of God, Surprised by Scripture, and The Case for the Psalms, as well as the recent translation of the New Testament The Kingdom New Testament and the much heralded series Christian Origins and the Question of God. He has authored nearly 50 books including his most recent The Day the Revolution Began: Reconsidering the Meaning of Jesus's Crucifixion.

In the heart of conflict, there is only one kind of love big enough to change a nation: a love that strikes first. Jeremy Courtney is the founder of Preemptive Love Coalition, a development organization that works across Iraq providing lifesaving surgeries for children and more recently responds to the daily needs of those living in the shadow of ISIS. He is also the author of Preemptive Love, a book that invites you to walk along the front lines of the struggle for peace with Jeremy in a firsthand account of his team's quest to mend hearts and save lives in the world's most notorious war-torn country. Jeremy hosts conversations about peacemaking and Muslim-Christian relations and shares stories of love and hope from the front lines of Syria and Iraq, where he has lived for over a decade with his wife and two children.

Bryan Dik is Associate Professor of Psychology at Colorado State University and Co-founder and Chief Science Officer of jobZology. Bryan has published extensively on topics related to meaningful work and perceptions of work as a calling. He is co-author of Make Your Job Your Calling: How the Psychology of Vocation Can Change Your Life at Work, and co-editor of two other books: Psychology of Religion and Workplace Spirituality and Purpose and Meaning in the Workplace. Bryan earned his B.A. in psychology from Calvin College and his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota.

Eugene Cho is the founder and lead pastor of Quest Church - an urban, multi-cultural and multi-generational church in Seattle, Washington. He is also the founder and visionary of One Day's Wages, "a grassroots movement of people, stories, and actions to alleviate extreme global poverty" which has been featured in the New York Times, The Seattle Times, NPR and numerous other media outlets. For his entrepreneurial work and spirit, Eugene was honored as one of "50 Everyday American Heroes". Eugene recently released his first book, Overrated: Are We More in Love with the Idea of Changing the World Than Actually Changing the World?

From Ferguson to New York to Germany, Lisa has been leading trainings and helping mobilize clergy and community leaders around shared values for the common good as Sojourners Chief Church Engagement Officer. Prior to joining Sojourners, Lisa was the founding executive director of New York Faith & Justice - an organization at the hub of a new ecumenical movement to end poverty in New York City. She also organized faith leaders to speak out for immigration reform and organized the South Bronx Conversations for Change, a dialogue-to-change project between police and the community. Harper's faith-rooted approach to advocacy and organizing has activated people across the U.S. and around the world to address structural and political injustice as an outward demonstration of their personal faith. Harper was recognized in 2015 as one of "50 Powerful Women Religious Leaders to Celebrate on International Women's Day" by Huffington Post. She earned her master's in human rights from Columbia University and is currently in the process of ordination in the Evangelical Covenant Church.

Todd Huizinga is a senior research fellow at the Paul B. Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics at Calvin College. As a U.S. diplomat from 1992-2012, Huizinga served as deputy chief of mission at the U.S. embassy in Luxembourg, political counselor at the U.S. mission to the European Union in Brussels, consul for political and economic affairs at the U.S. consulates in Hamburg and Munich, and consul for public affairs at the U.S. consulate in Monterrey, Mexico. He has also served in Dublin, Frankfort, and Costa Rica, as well as on the European Union Desk at the State Department in Washington, D.C. Todd is the co-founder of the Transatlantic Christian Council, a public policy network dedicated to strengthening the transatlantic alliance. From 2014-2016 he was director of International Outreach for the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty. He is the author of The New Totalitarian Temptation: Global Governance and the Crisis of Democracy in Europe. He holds a B.A. in Music and German from Calvin College and an M.A. in German Language and Literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He speaks German, Dutch, Spanish and French.

In the spring of 2012, Justin Skeesuck asked his best friend of nearly 40 years, Patrick Gray, to tackle the epic 500-mile pilgrimage across northern Spain called the Camino de Santiago. The challenge? Justin lives life in a wheelchair. When asked, Patrick's response was simple and direct, he said, "I'll push you." Two years later, they started their journey and had absolutely no idea how they would make the 500 miles from France to the Cathedral in Santiago, they just knew they had to get there. Justin and Patrick had to rely on the help and strength of friends, acquaintances and even complete strangers in order to navigate the many challenges they faced on their 34-day journey. Since returning from Spain, they have used their heartfelt storytelling to share the comical details of their journey... the joys, the struggles, the beautiful relationships and the lessons they learned in faith, hope, love and friendship. Their goal in sharing their story is that others will walk away recognizing that each life is not defined by its limitations, but is defined by what is accomplished in spite of those limitations.

Gary Haugen is CEO and founder of International Justice Mission. Before founding IJM in 1997, Gary was a human rights attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, where he focused on crimes of police misconduct. In 1994, he served as the Director of the United Nations' investigation in the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide. In this role, he led an international team of lawyers, criminal prosecutors, law enforcement officers, and forensic experts to gather evidence that would eventually be used to bring the perpetrators of the genocide to justice. Gary received a B.A. in Social Studies from Harvard University and a J.D. from the University of Chicago. Gary has been recognized by the U.S. State Department as a Trafficking in Persons "Hero" - the highest honor given by the U.S. government for anti-slavery leadership. His work to protect the poor from violence has been featured by Foreign Affairs, The New York Times, the New Yorker, The Times of India, Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, the Guardian and National Public Radio, among many other outlets. He is the author of several books, including Good News About Injustice; Just Courage; and, most recently, The Locust Effect: Why the End of Poverty Requires the End of Violence.

Abraham Nussbaum is a physician and writer. His memoir, The Finest Traditions of My Calling: One Physician's Search for the Renewal of Medicine, explores how healthcare reform is transforming the practice of medicine, turning physicians into technicians, and hospitals into factories. Dr. Nussbaum practices at Denver Health, an academic safety-net hospital in downtown Denver. He previously directed its adult inpatient psychiatry units, which care for adults throughout Colorado experiencing mental health crises. He currently serves as Chief Education Officer, providing strategic vision, daily direction, and administrative oversight for Denver Health's clinical education programs. Dr. Nussbaum grew up in Colorado, studied literature and religion at Swarthmore, and completed medical school and psychiatry residency at the University of North Carolina. In his practice, he strives to inhabit the roles described in his book, asking how he and his fellow practitioners can restore patients to health through person-centered care.

Mark Charles is a speaker, writer, and consultant who works on issues of race, culture, and faith. He works through the ministry 5 Small Loaves and is a program affiliate with the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship in the area of worship and culture. Mark also works with numerous tribes and indigenous cultures in the United States and around the world on how best to hold onto indigenous cultures, languages, world views and educational models while living in highly Western and assimilated environments. His desire is to build "cross-cultural relationships of forgiveness, repentance, love and hope that result in walking in beauty with one another and God." He regularly writes on his blog Reflections from the Hogan. He is the son of a Dutch American woman and a Navajo man.

Karin Maag is the director of the H. Henry Meeter Center for Calvin Studies at Calvin College, one of the world's foremost collections of works on or by John Calvin. She is also a member of Calvin's History department, having begun her work at Calvin in 1997. She obtained her PhD from the University of Saint Andrews in Scotland and is the author, editor, or translator of nine books including Seminary or University? The Genevan Academy and Reformed Higher Education, 1560-1620; Worship in Medieval and Early Modern Europe: Change and Continuity; and most recently Lifting Hearts to the Lord: Worship with John Calvin in Sixteenth-Century Geneva. She has obtained five major grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities to direct summer seminars and institutes at Calvin College. The most recent of these, "Teaching the Reformation after 500 Years," brought 25 faculty and graduate students from across the United States to Calvin College for an intensive three-week institute in July 2016.

President of Diyar Consortium and of Dar al-Kalima University College in Bethlehem and president of the Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb also serves as the senior pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, Palestine. The most widely published Palestinian theologian to date, Dr. Raheb is the author of 16 books including: I am a Palestinian Christian and Faith in the Face of Empire. His books and numerous articles have been translated into eleven languages. Recipient of many prestigious awards, his work has received wide media attention from major international media outlets and networks including CNN, ABC, CBS, 60 Minutes, BBC, ARD, ZDF, DW, BR, Premiere, Raiuno, Stern, The Economist, Newsweek, and Vanity Fair.

Dr. Kurt Alan VerBeek directs Calvin College's Justice Studies semester in Honduras. He has lived and worked on development and justice issues in Central America for more than 25 years. Kurt has conducted research on the role of faith in development, the effects of short-term missions, and the impact of the maquila industry on Honduras. He is also a co-founder and board member of the Association for a More Just Society (AJS), a Christian justice organization with a specific focus on Honduras. By standing up for victims of violence, labor and land-rights abuse and government corruption in Honduras, organizations around the world, including Transparency International and the United Nations, are increasingly recognizing AJS as a pioneer in achieving justice for the poor. AJS has faithfully worked in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Tegucigalpa and in the last eight years has witnessed a drop of over 75% in the neighborhood's crime rate. In addition to fighting against soaring crime in Honduran neighborhoods, AJS works towards peace and public security reforms on a national level. Recently, these efforts have included the signing of an agreement between AJS and the president of Honduras that makes AJS an official monitor of the president's anti-corruption plan.

The Salgueros are co-lead pastors of the multiethnic Lamb's Church in NYC which worships in three languages – English, Spanish, and Mandarin. They have ministered extensively in Europe, Latin America, and Africa. The Rev. Gabriel Salguero is also president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition (NaLEC) and is a powerful voice on issues that affect Latino communities in the United States. Focusing on poverty, immigration, and education, Gabriel's leadership of the NaLEC offers an important voice for growing diversity and changing demographics in our country. He has been named one of the most prominent Latino evangelical leaders by the Huffington Post, the Center for American Progress, El Diario, and Jorge Ramos' Al Punto. In addition to her leadership at Lamb's Church, the Rev. Jeanette Salguero provides leadership with Urban Strategies' efforts to promote national health and wellness initiatives that empower Hispanic communities. She is recognized for her work on multiethnic outreach and Hispanic women's leadership empowerment.

Jere Krakow recently completed a public service career with the National Park Service and previously was a college professor in American history. Krakow served as superintendent of nine National Historic Trails, including the Oregon, Santa Fe, Pony Express, and Trail of Tears National Historic Trails. He has a long-standing goal of connecting the historic sites of the nation with students and citizens alike. Krakow is a fellowship recipient from the National Endowment for the Humanities and holder of awards from several historic trail friend groups. He is a member of the Western History Association and a consultant on the administration of historic trails, commemorative events, and the activities associated with them. Currently serving as a Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellow, Krakow's presentation will help us celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service.

Leroy Barber has dedicated more than 25 years to eradicating poverty, confronting homelessness, restoring local neighborhoods, healing racism, and living what Dr. King called “the beloved community.” He is the Co-Founder and Director of the Voices Project and College Pastor at Kilns College. Rev. Barber is on the boards of The Simple Way, Missio Alliance, The Evangelical Environmental Network (EEN), and the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA). He is author of New Neighbor: An Invitation to Join Beloved Community and Everyday Missions: How Ordinary People Can Change the World. He was a contributor to Tending to Eden and the groundbreaking book UnChristian. His third book was just released this spring, Red, Brown, Yellow, Black and White: Who's More Precious in God's Sight? A call for diversity in Christian missions and ministry.

An expert on Russia and the former Soviet Union, Jill Dougherty spent 30 years at CNN where most recently she served as Foreign Affairs Correspondent, based in Washington, D.C., covering the State Department and providing analysis on international issues. Previously she served as U.S. Affairs Editor for CNN International; Managing Editor of CNN International Asia/Pacific, based in Hong Kong; CNN's Moscow Bureau Chief and Correspondent, and CNN's White House Correspondent. During her tenure she covered the presidencies of George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Boris Yeltsin, and Vladimir Putin. Since leaving CNN in 2013 she has plunged full-time into Russian affairs – writing, speaking, blogging, teaching and traveling to Russia. She conducts her research on Russia and Putin as a fellow at Harvard University and at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

Bethany Haley Williams is the founder and executive director of Exile International, an organization that exists to restore Africa's former child soldiers and children orphaned by war. With a PhD in counseling psychology and a master's in clinical social work, she is a leader in the specialized field of war-affected children rehabilitation with worldwide organizations such as the United Nations and the Global Trauma Recovery Institute. With more than twenty years of experience in the field, Bethany maintains a small counseling and coaching practice in Nashville, TN. She and her husband, Matthew, reside in Nashville, Tennessee, and lead the work of Exile International together.

The founder and executive director of the Interfaith Youth Core, a Chicago-based international nonprofit building the interfaith youth movement, Patel has a doctorate in sociology of religion from Oxford University and is a regular panelist for the Washington Post/Newsweek magazine On Faith blog. His core belief is that religion is a bridge of cooperation rather than a barrier of division. He's inspired to build this bridge by his faith as a Muslim, his Indian heritage, and his American citizenship. He has spoken about this vision at places like the TED conference, the Clinton Global Initiative, and the Nobel Peace Prize Forum, as well as college and university campuses across the country. He has written two books about interfaith cooperation, Acts of Faith and Sacred Ground.

Renowned thought leaders George Marsden, Richard Mouw, Alvin Plantinga and Nicholas Wolterstorff come together for a panel discussion, each sharing a 10-minute talk on what has captured their heart during their careers. Each one served as a professor at Calvin College for over two decades in the 1960's, 70's and 80's before moving on to the halls of Notre Dame, Yale and Fuller Seminary. Each has over forty years of experience teaching in the academy and have authored scores of books. Calvin students today continue to read their writings in classes. In this presentation they will come together once again at Calvin to share with us their deep love of knowledge.

Chair of the theology department at Whitworth College, Jerry Sittser is the author of several books including A Grace Disguised, A Grace Revealed, The Will of God as a Way of Life and Water from a Deep Well. He holds a master of divinity degree from Fuller Theological Seminary and a doctorate in history from the University of Chicago. During his presentation he will weave in some of his own personal story of loss as he focuses on how adversity in general and suffering in particular can be formative in the Christian life.