A Front Porch to the World
Dr. Natasha Sistrunk Robinson, Rabbi Elan Babchuck, and Dr. Craig Mattson, Arthur DeKruyter Chair in Faith and Communication, at Festival of Faith & Writing 2024
Imagine running into Pulitzer Prize-winning author Anthony Doerr on Calvin’s Crossing, or worshipping in the chapel led by Proskuneo Ministries alongside hundreds of believers from over 30 countries worldwide, or engaging with Jeopardy champion Ken Jennings live in the Covenant Fine Arts Center Auditorium or from your living room in New Mexico or New Zealand.
None of these are hypothetical; all of these interactions—and hundreds more—have happened at one of Calvin’s long-running initiatives: the Festival of Faith & Writing, the Symposium on Worship, and the January Series. In fact, these events have served as a welcoming space—a “front porch,” if you will—for intellectual curiosity and warm connection. Each event invites the world in, offering hospitality not just to outstanding speakers and thousands of attendees from around the globe, but to rich ideas, engaging stories, and bold practices.
Beginning within years of each other, these events share a common approach while highlighting their individual missions.
The January Series began in 1988 as a speaker series during the January interim. Since then, it has evolved to feature talks by a range of world-class thought leaders and expanded into year-round programming, now reaching over 70,000 viewers globally. As Michael Wildschut, director of the January Series, observes, “This is a gift from Calvin to our community, allowing us to share a liberal arts education for all.”
1988 also marked the beginning of the Symposium on Worship, originally called the Calvin Symposium on Worship and the Arts, started with the help of the music department. This early gathering helped emphasize the full range of artistic expression in public worship—music, visual arts, preaching, dance, and more.
Since the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship (CICW) began organizing the Symposium in 1997, it has continued to grow into an international, ecumenical gathering.
By 1990, the Calvin English department had envisioned a conference that would invite contemporary writers into conversation about the intersection of faith with their works. Through the efforts of many hands in the department and then at the Calvin Center for Faith & Writing (CCFW), the Festival of Faith & Writing has grown into one of the most important literary gatherings in the country, hosting everyone from Nobel Prize winners to first time novelists—and importantly, readers of all kinds.
This “front porch,” then, is more than metaphor—it’s mission. The work undertaken by each team is a wonderful way to envision and explain the Christian liberal arts mission of the university, where faith and learning walk hand in hand. The university’s Vision 2030 declares the capacious goal towards which all three are striving: “We welcome all who are compelled by God’s work of renewal to join us in the formative pursuits of lifelong learning, teaching, scholarship, worship, and service.”
Though all of these events have evolved over the years to meet the needs of attendees, each has continued to draw a diverse crowd, many of whom first learn of Calvin through their participation. Kristen Verhulst, CICW associate director and program manager, notes that the Symposium on Worship “gathers a range of people in various roles in worship and church leadership from many denominations and traditions.
“These folks come from various settings— rural, urban, and suburban churches; large and small congregations; schools, including professors and students; hospitals and prisons—and include many curious learners and worshipers.”
At heart, these model what’s best about a Calvin liberal arts education: that it takes place inside the classroom and far beyond. Lauren Cooper, who worked on the Festival as a student volunteer and now serves as associate director of the CCFW, reflects, “My work on the Festival stayed with me long after my participation, and it’s a joy to continue to provide this opportunity to learners for a lifetime.”
And this year promises to be no exception.
The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship is taking an interlude from its beloved Symposium to introduce an innovative year focused on the Psalms, including Psalms 150: A Conference Experience, inviting us to rediscover the ancient songs that have shaped generations of faith. The January Series returns with a lineup of innovative speakers and expanded year-round programming, including exciting partnerships with cultural institutions like the Kent District Library. And the Festival of Faith & Writing continues to be a beacon for readers—those who, echoing English professor Henry Zylstra, believe that stories give us “more to be faithful with.” This belief is nurtured through the Festival itself, but also through its podcast, speaker series, and K–12 initiatives.
These gatherings have become more than events. They are encounters—with truth, beauty, and one another. And they are but one way Calvin continues to encourage learning that is rich and communal, lifelong and faithful.
Make plans to come and sit awhile with us.
- The January Series | January 19–23, 26–30, and online year-round
- Psalms 150: A Conference Experience | February 5–6, 2026
- Festival of Faith & Writing | April 16–18, 2026