A true Christian welcome: Calvin College
by Matt | April 24th, 2007 |In what I think must be our most absolute best and most welcoming stop on the Equality Ride, I must say that I am so happy to have had the experiences I did today on the campus of Calvin College, especially after Monday’s experience (i.e. my arrest) at Cornerstone University.
I had so many great discussions and conversations with students at Calvin and I am so grateful to the college administration and the student body for truly opening their hearts and minds to hear our stories and our experiences.
Cornerstone University truly did miss out on an awesome opportunity.
While, of course, there will always be disagreement over the Bible and theology (yeah, what else is new with Christians?), folks at Calvin were more willing, I think, than folks at other schools to say, “Well, let us put those aside… because we both know we believe and trust in Christ.”
Over and over, I stressed the importance of St. Paul’s teaching: It is better to be united under the headship of Christ than for Christians to argue over the law and be divided… for as Christ taught, a house divided against itself cannot stand. This doesn’t mean that we must agree on every theological issue (because we know that we may not agree on many issues), but that we truly seek to live as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Of course, there are many disagreements among Christians. There always has been and there always will be. The existence of hundreds, if not thousands, of denominations and theological/ideological divisions in the Body of Christ should be evidence enough of the tense sibling rivalry us brothers and sisters in Christ share with each other.
Folks at Calvin get this. They understand this. While a great many students and faculty agreed with our theological point on homosexuality, many others disagreed. And guess what… That is okay! People can disagree and still live in peaceful accord and with love.
I am so happy I went to Calvin. I had, at one time, thought of laying out because I have not been feeling so well, but I am so glad I went.
Thanks to all the Calvin College folks and, like I said to many students there, I would so transfer to Calvin in a heartbeat, if only I had the cash to pay tuition at a private school 
Technorati Tags: Soulforce, Equality Ride, Calvin College, Cornerstone University, Grand Rapids, Michigan
5 Responses to “A true Christian welcome: Calvin College”
I’m glad you went, too.
By Joe T. on Apr 25, 2007
thank you so much for visiting. you said excellent things that needed to be heard. as importantly, you were a conscious and visible and insistent presence that this school has needed, and you built connections to the administration and woke a lot of people in high places up about what needs to happen. a GSA spontaneously burst forth the night you all left…and suddenly, after years of failed attempts, it doesn’t look like it has to stay underground anymore. there’s so much excitement in the air–it’s completely unlike a normal end to a year…
keep up the good work. and feel free to stop by anytime.
By mary on Apr 26, 2007
Hi Mary… It is SOOO nice to hear that we have made such a great impact at Calvin. Thank you so much for being a part of the true Christian welcome we felt there. As I said in my post, I absolutely loved Calvin and if I had the money to go to a private school, Calvin would be at the top of my list of choices!
By Matt on Apr 27, 2007
As a Calvin alum, I’m glad to hear that you recieved such a kind welcome there. We at Calvin are known for being intentional and reflective about most everything. That’s why I loved my experience there so much.
And if you’re serious about transferring (and maybe more so for others who might read your site), please know that as a poor, first-generation college student, it was actually CHEAPER for me to go to Calvin than for most of my friends to go to regular state schools. The combination of Calvin being less pricy than most privates, of Calvin offering more scholarships than the state schools, and of the government offering me aid based on need made Calvin an AFFORDABLE as well as a PERFECT fit for me. I’ll be done paying off loans in just a couple years after graduating.
So, for anyone looking for an excellent and affordable school as well as a place where Christianity so does not mean getting divided over rules, please consider Calvin College.
By Mandy on Apr 30, 2007