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Maag, Karin

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Calvin University Calvin Digital Commons Calvin Courier The H. Henry Meeter Center Fall 2018 Calvin Courier, Fall 2018, Number 62 Karin Maag H. Henry Meeter Center for Calvin Studies Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.calvin.edu/calvincourier Recommended Citation Maag, Karin, "Calvin Courier, Fall 2018, Number 62" (2018). Calvin Courier. 35. https://digitalcommons.calvin.edu/calvincourier/35 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the The H. Henry Meeter Center at Calvin Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Calvin Courier by an authorized administrator of Calvin Digital Commons. For more information, please contact digitalcommons@calvin.edu. The H. Henry Meeter Center for Calvin StudiesCalvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary1855 Knollcrest Circle SEGrand Rapids, MI 49546-4402New Books & ArticlesBoer, Erik de.  "Christus unicus ille episcopus universalis:       How the Upcoming John Calvin Downgraded the Roman              Bishops."  Journal of Reformed Theology 12, (2018): 40 - 57. Kvicalova, Anna. "Hearing Difference in Calvin's Geneva: From       Margins to Center." Sixteenth Century Journal 49 (2018):       25 - 47. Alten, Herman Hendrik van. The Beginning of a Spirit-filled       Church: A Study of the Implications of the Pneumatology for       the Ecclesiology in John Calvin's Commentary on the Acts of     the Apostles. Reformed Historical Theology, Vol. 45.     GÖttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2017. Essary, Kirk.  Erasmus and Calvin on the Foolishness of God:       Reason and Emotion in the Christian Philosophy. Erasmus       Studies. Toronto; Buffalo; London: University of Toronto       Press, 2017.Jenkins, Gary W. Calvin's Tormentors: Understanding the        Conflicts that Shaped the Reformer.  Grand Rapids: Baker       Publishing Group, 2018. Calvin CourierH. Henry Meeter Center for Calvin Studies   Reformation, Research, Teaching, Community OutreachFall 2018, Number 62From the DirectorMeeter Center Fall Lecture“Is Reformed faith negotiable?” Peter Gorter, visiting scholar from the Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, raised this question in the recent Meeter Center fall lecture. This concern is the result of his recent doctoral investigation on the adaptability of Reformed identity among Dutch migrants in the 16th century. Gorter argues that Dutch Reformed refugees in Catholic Cologne and Aachen, and in Lutheran Frankfurt, adapted their ecclesiastical organization, discipline, and rituals to local circumstances in these German imperial cities in order to survive.Deprived of their religious freedom, dissatisfied with Philip II’s centralization of power, and thereby divided by the civil war, thousands of Dutch Reformed refugees started to flee for their faith and also for better economic conditions abroad. Who could have imagined that instead of freedom they would have been subjected to more religious deprivation in German territory? Gorter remarks that, even if these Dutch Reformed migrants had wanted to, they could not have become radical Calvinists during their period of exile because they were forced to compromise, not on key doctrinal issues, but on several other elements of the Reformed faith.continued on page 4This summer and fall have been busy, particularly with our work surrounding the commemoration of the 400th an-niversary of the Synod of Dordt. It helps that the synod met from October 1618 to May 1619, giving us more time to line up a series of events to mark the anniversary, from a two-day conference in September (see p. 2) to a special exhibit this fall, displaying early editions of the Statenbijbel, the Dutch-language Bible translation from the original Hebrew and Greek, commissioned by the Synod of Dordt and underwritten by the Dutch government. For more on the Synod of Dordt and the Statenbijbel, see the web pages the Meeter Center has put together as a resource: https://calvin.edu/centers-institutes/meeter-center/about-the-synod-of-dordt/During the summer months, we also hosted both our biennial Genevan paleography workshop (see p. 3) and five visiting scholars who each spent a month at the Meeter Center conducting their research. See p. 3 for a report from one of these fellowship recipients, Janine Williams, from South Africa. This fall’s student research fellowship recip-ient, Peter Gorter, gave our fall public lecture on religious refugees in the sixteenth century (see pp. 1 and 4 for a report on his presentation). We deeply appreciate all the support we have received from donors to the Center over the years – we continue to encourage contributions large and small, especially as we work to build a much-needed endowment to ensure the Meeter Center’s future for generations to come. You can find more information about making a gift to the Center on p. 2 and at https://calvin.edu/centers-institutes/meeter-center/contribute/. Many thanks!  Karin Maagcontinued from page 1In Cologne, Dutch migrants had to organize their church in secret, perform their rituals quietly, and attend Catholic funerals for a good coexistence with their Catholic neighbors. The Dutch religious refugees in Aachen stopped holding services in their native language and aligned their own religious identity with the German Reformed congregation. Settled in Frankfurt, Dutch Reformed migrants were also ready to sign Lutheran confessions, marry and even let their children be baptized in those churches. Indeed, they all adapted to survive as Reformed congregations.Gorter’s research is welcome as it challenges us to rethink our faith and the extent to which we are willing to review our commitments in face of the most complex social scenarios.        Jean Francesco A. L. GomesPhD student, Calvin Theological SeminaryIn MemoriamThe Meeter Center joins with Calvin scholars around the world to mark the passing of Dr. John Hesselink, emeritus president and professor of systematic theology at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, MI. John died on October 28, 2018, at age 90. He was a prolific scholar, whose works included On Being Reformed (1983), Calvin’s Concept of the Law (1992), Calvin’s First Catechism (1997), and Calvin’s Theology and its Reception (jointly edited with Todd Billings) (2012). John was a knowledgeable, faithful, thoughtful, and deeply kind man, who continued to participate actively in many Reformation-related conferences, lectures, and events, including those at the Meeter Center, well after his retirement from Western in 1992. We join with many others in expressing heartfelt sympathy to his wife Etta and the entire Hesselink family.32018 Synod of Dordt Conference at Calvin Theological Semi-nary in Grand Rapids, MIDetails on how to register2Recent Meeter Family High School Award WinnersPictured are Ben Van Haitsma, Hannah Gaffner, and Cambrie Ballast, winners of the Meeter Family award for high school students in 2018. All three are first-year students at Calvin College and are enjoying their studies.Renew Your Friends Membership   We welcome members to the Friends of the Meeter Center. Friends’ donations help provide funding for special programs, including fellowships, workshops, and community educational events. Student     $25  Advocate     $500 Supporter $50  Partner        $1000 Donor       $100 Benefactor  $5000Donate to our Endowment or Rare Book Fund   Currently the Meeter Center owns approximately half of Calvin’s works in original editions, and we expand our offerings each year. Donations to the Rare Book fund are used exclusively for adding rare books to the collection. Endowment Fund donations are also welcomed. We have a $5 million endowment goal and are over a third of the way there, thanks to your generosity!Donation checks may be made out to “Calvin College Meeter Center” and sent to 1855 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids MI 49546.  Thank you!Synod of Dordt Conference SuccessA hundred people gathered at Calvin Theological Seminary on September 14 and 15 for a series of lively presentations on the Synod of Dordt (1618-19) and its impact. The opening session was led by Johannes Bogerman, president of the synod as brought to life by Dr. Donald Sinnema. Dominie Bogerman introduced participants to the issues at play and explained the Counter-Remonstrant perspective. Dr. Keith Stanglin then provided the Arminian point of view. Presentations by Paul Fields on the Statenbijbel exhibit at the Meeter Center, and by Dr. Randall Engle on the organ music that may have featured at the opening worship for the synod, closed out the first day. On the second day, participants enjoyed presentations by Dr. Fred van Lieburg on the response of the local population to the synod and by Dr. Suzanne McDonald on the continuing significance of the Canons of Dordt. The conference closed with a panel discussion on how to commemorate the Synod of Dordt in contemporary church settings. The presentations by Sinnema, Stanglin, van Lieburg, and McDonald are all available as podcasts at https://calvin.edu/centers-institutes/meeter-center/synod-of-dordt-conference/ The combination of accessible presentations and an interested audience made for a great gathering. As one retired faculty member noted, “This is one of the best conferences I have ever attended!”Calvin Studies Society 2019 ColloquiumThe 2019 Calvin Studies Society Colloquium will take place April 11th – 13th at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois (near Chicago).  This year’s focus will be on Calvin and the Old Testament.  Speakers include Sujin Pak (Duke Divinity School), Scott Manetsch (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School), Christine Kooi (Louisiana State University), Todd Billings (Western Theological Seminary), Michael Vander Weele (Trinity Christian College), Jeff Fisher (Kuyper College), Paul Lim (Vanderbilt Divinity School), and Thomas Davis (Indiana University).  For more information and registration, see http://www.calvinstudiessociety.org/colloquium/.Janine WilliamsFellowship ReportI hereby wish to thank all role players for a wonderfully productive time at the Meeter Centre. The highlight of the stay was the reading material. Whatever I looked for, was available, whether books or articles. The environment also makes studying possible, as it is quiet, private and cool inside. The use of the offices created a space in which I could focus and concentrate on the work at hand.The staff was very friendly and I would like to thank Paul, Karin, Jake and Jacob for their hospitality and kindness. They helped with every question, every enquiry and assisted with every challenge.I completed more work in the month of my stay, than I was able to do in a year in South Africa, especially since I am in a full time job. My PhD is nearly finished now; something I thought impossible a few months ago.Thank you for making this all possible. I appreciate every opportunity that allows me to progress in this way.Yours in gratitude,Janine WilliamsFriends of the Meeter Center fellowship recipient, 2018Fellowship and Scholarship AwardsEvery year, the Meeter Center offers fellowships for graduate students, faculty, and pastors, with awards of $2,000-4,000. We also offer scholarships for high school seniors, with one 1st place award of $3,500 and three 2nd place awards of $2,000 to be applied to college tuition at one of six specific colleges. For more information on how to apply for fellowships and scholarships, see http://www.calvin.edu/meeter/new/fellowships-and-scholarships.htm. 2018 Meeter Center Paleography CourseOur summer 2018 paleography students uniformly praised the content, instruction, and immediate practical value of this course.Each participant mentioned Tom Lambert’s engaging and sympathetic pedagogic style, and the impressive depth and breadth of his knowledge in the field.  As Robin Turner noted, “Tom is a fresh of breath air in academia and we could not have asked for a better teacher.”  The workshop format of the class fostered a collaborative yet independent learning experience for Katherine Goodwin, who observed, “No one dominated class conversation and no one was made to feel incompetent, and all left feeling more confident in their ability to read sixteenth century manuscripts.”Benjamin Ransom, who will use his newly-honed skills to read Montaigne’s Bourdeaux Copy of the Essais, said, “The course emphasized allowing students to practice and struggle with these techniques, and I feel that this pedagogical approach was effective at improving my ability to read 16th century documents in an impressively short period. Some of the documents which were almost impenetrable for me at the beginning of the course are now, with… some investment of time and effort, largely readable.”The students learned about useful resources such as contemporary writing manuals and dictionaries and lexicons containing pertinent sixteenth-century references. Each scholar was thankful for the unflagging resourcefulness and hospitality of the Meeter Center staff. From Robin Turner: “I have had the opportunity to participate in a handful of comparable academic summer programs, and none of them have ever come close to matching the care to detail and resources that this program provided us.”  And Pierrick Hildebrand reported that “Dr. Karin Maag and Dr. Paul Fields, as well as their staff of the Meeter Center at Calvin College, made literally every effort and succeed to contribute to a pleasant learning climate as well as a comfortable sojourn on the campus.”  Students appreciated access to resources at Calvin generally, as well. Professional and academic development proceeded apace, and several scholars cited their next steps as proof of this in their summaries. Haley Bowen has “put the skills learned in this course to immediate use, since I have already begun transcribing manuscripts that I photographed… earlier this summer… I am confident that I will be deploying the skills gained in this course for many years to come. Thank you!”

Calvin Courier, Fall 2018, Number 62

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Calvin Courier, Fall 2018, Number 62

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