http://www.detnews.com/2005/metro/0505/19/B01-186713.htm

Thursday, May 19, 2005

President's visit stirs dissent at conservative Calvin College

By Laura Berman / The Detroit News


The president may have been expecting a warmer welcome from Calvin
College than he'll get Saturday.

He's delivering a commencement speech to 900 graduating students.

It's a liberal arts school that defines its mission as "developing the
Christian mind," and requires what its spokesman, Phil de Haan, calls
"an allegiance of faith" from its faculty, and theology studies from
its students.

But 100 members of the faculty and another 40 staff and former faculty
members have signed an open letter of rebuke to the president that's
scheduled to appear as a half-page ad in the Grand Rapids Press on the
day of the president's speech.

While welcoming the president, the letter delivers a carefully worded
critique of administration policies from a Christian viewpoint. It
calls the Iraq war "unjust and unjustified," expresses dismay at
policies that "favor the wealthy ... and burden the poor," challenges
policies of intolerance toward dissent, and environmental policies
that are at odds with being "caretakers of God's good creation."

The letter signers view the occasion of the president's speech as a
teachable moment.

"People have been saying that the president's visit will put us on the
map. But there are some maps we don't want to be on," says David
Crump, a Calvin professor of religion who helped draft the letter.

Crump says that news of the open letter has gotten response from
around the country. It's tapped into what he sees as "a silent
majority in the Christian evangelical community that resents the
Christian vocabulary being hijacked by the religious right."

Crump and Randall Jelks, a history professor, told me they view the
president's appearance as an occasion to register dissent -- in a
respectful and honorable and Christian way.

"We are guided by Christian conviction. ... John Calvin wasn't an easy
pushover kind of guy, either," says Jelks. "He was a reformer."

The letter is one way to register the fact that even in the heart of
Christian America, religion does not dictate politics. It reminds
Americans that even at a conservative Christian school, where
religious values are paramount, people have different social,
political and cultural views.

It's a way, the professors say, to counter stereotypical thinking
about Christian institutions.

They are insistent on a tradition of liberal thought, grounded in
religious belief, that suddenly feels positively 19th century.

And while news of the letter has raised the ire of some alumni, others
have been surprised and even delighted to see a diversity of
viewpoints on campus, spokesman de Haan said.

The administration may not be thrilled by open dissent -- but it's not
planning retribution, either.

And de Haan pointed out that 200 faculty members did not sign the
letter.

"Within the bounds of our religious faith, we argue a lot at Calvin.
That's what makes us unique," said Jelks.

At Calvin College, they're warming up an idea that used to be as
American as apple pie -- dissent delivered with respect.

Laura Berman's column runs Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday in Metro.
Reach her at (248) 647-7221 or lberman@detnews.com.

(c) 2005 The Detroit News

http://www.detnews.com/2005/metro/0505/19/B01-186713.htm

President's visit stirs dissent at conservative Calvin College

By Laura Berman / The Detroit News

The president may have been expecting a warmer welcome from Calvin
College than he'll get Saturday.

But 100 members of the faculty and another 40 staff and former

members have signed an open letter of rebuke to the president that's
scheduled to appear as a half-page ad in the Grand Rapids Press on

day of the president's speech.