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Alvin Plantinga Where He Sat in on Three of Professor William Harry Jellema’S Classes by Bruce Buursma at Calvin

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Alvin Plantinga Where He Sat in on Three of Professor William Harry Jellema’S Classes by Bruce Buursma at Calvin belief, is not irrational—a boldly contrarian perspective in his field that prompted TIME magazine to describe him as “America’s leading orthodox Protestant philosopher of God.” Born in Ann Arbor, Mich., while his Frisian immigrant father Cornelius Plantinga Sr. was in graduate school at the University of Michigan, Alvin grew up in a heady home environment steeped in the writings of Plato and the tenets of Kuyperian Calvinism. “We read Plato together when I was 13 or 14 years old, and my father and I talked philosophy quite a bit,” he recalled during an interview at his Grand Rapids home. “I found all the questions that philosophers ask and answer to be captivating and deeply interesting. They seemed to be the right things to think about as I was growing up.” Young Alvin was deemed ready for college by the age of 16, spending his first semester at Jamestown (N.D.) College, where his father was on faculty, before heading to Calvin for a semester. He spent his sophomore Profile year on scholarship at Harvard but made a fateful visit to see his parents at spring break in Grand Rapids, Alvin Plantinga where he sat in on three of Professor William Harry Jellema’s classes by Bruce Buursma at Calvin. hen Alvin Dame in South Bend, Ind., joins the “My father had joined the Calvin Plantinga arose to roster of such distinguished and faculty by then, and I was so accept the 2017 diverse Templeton Prize laureates as impressed with Jellema’s classes that I Templeton Prize Mother Teresa, Archbishop Desmond wanted to come back to Calvin,” he for “progress in Tutu, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, Jean said. “Jellema was the finest professor religion,” he Vanier, and the Dalai Lama. of philosophy I ever encountered. He couldn’t resist a wry observation. was very charismatic in the classroom W “Sometimes ideas come along that and had such a complete control of the “I don’t know if I’ve made much revolutionize the way we think,” said subject he was discussing.” progress in religion,” the 85-year-old Heather Templeton Dill, president of philosopher said in his best deadpan the John Templeton Foundation. “Alvin It was during his second tour at Calvin baritone. “I started out as a member of Plantinga recognized that not only did that Plantinga decided on a career in the Christian Reformed Church, and religious belief not conflict with philosophy, but not before briefly I’m still Christian Reformed.” serious philosophical work, but that it flirting with the notion of serving the could make crucial contributions to church in pastoral ministry. Plantinga, who spent his career as a addressing perennial problems in Christian philosopher in long and “For a while I toyed with pre-sem, but philosophy.” productive teaching stints at his alma after I tried that out for a bit I quickly mater, Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Plantinga’s lifework has been to argue decided that was not going to work,” Mich., and at the University of Notre that theism, and specifically Christian Plantinga said. “The church is very JANUARY 2018 32 THEBANNER.ORG fortunate I decided against it, Plantinga’s reputation was extended Carl also noted his father’s longtime although I have always been seriously farther in 1982 when he left Calvin for avocation of rock climbing and interested in church—first the an appointment at the University of mountaineering, a summer passion Presbyterian church we attended in Notre Dame. He mentored more than that burned for many years North Dakota and then the Christian a generation of students and scholars until recently. Reformed Church once I got to Calvin there before returning once again to “My father was always impressed with and ever since. It’s been very impor- Grand Rapids almost eight years ago the grandeur and sublimity of the tant in my life.” to lecture both at Calvin College and mountains, which relates to his Calvin Theological Seminary. faith—his awe at God’s nature and enormity.” “He’s one of the His younger brother, Cornelius Plantinga Jr., was Calvin Seminary’s His days of scaling grand peaks may smartest people so president at the time. be over, but the Templeton Prize represents a new and unexpected “Al is my oldest brother,” he began, mountaintop experience for Plantinga. many of us have “and was also my professor in three philosophy courses at Calvin College. “It’s a great honor for him,” said Carl. ever met, but also He has been an inspiration to so many “Retirement has been a difficult of us. His work possesses the utmost transition, but this award has brought one of the humblest rigor, clarity, wit, and authority, a spring back to his step.” and kindest.” shattering secular assumptions and For his part, Plantinga confessed boldly defending the rationality of genuine surprise that the Templeton belief in God. He’s one of the smartest Prize jurors “would chose any philoso- people so many of us have ever met, pher” for the award. A longtime member of Church of the but also one of the humblest and “Still, even if I don’t deserve it, I’m not Servant, Plantinga also was an active kindest. For personal traits, that’s going to give it back,” he added. member of the Church of the Savior quite a combo.” Christian Reformed congregation in “Naturally, I’m pleased. It’s very Alvin met his wife, Kathleen, during South Bend during his time at the flattering, and I hope it would encour- their days at Calvin; together they age young philosophers to be forth- University of Notre Dame. “I really have raised four children. Their two right Christian philosophers—to be appreciate the CRC,” he said. “On the sons, Carl Plantinga and William encouraged and strengthened in their whole, the CRC has hewed to its course Harry Plantinga, are professors at interest in Christian philosophy.” much better than a lot of churches.” Calvin College, and their two daugh- Plantinga’s pioneering work in ters are in Christian ministry—Jane Bruce Buursma is a writer, philosophy was honed during his days Plantinga Pauw is pastor of Ranier video producer, and commu- on the Calvin faculty, serving in a Beach Presbyterian Church in Seattle, nications consultant from Grand Haven, Michigan, Wash., and Ann Plantinga Kapteyn department that also included where he is a member of Nicholas Wolterstorff and Richard has worked in international settings Covenant Life Church. Mouw, among others. for Wycliffe Bible Translators. “It was wonderful—a true community “My father has always been the classic of Christian philosophers actively example of the absent-minded engaged in advancing the cause of professor,” said son Carl, “but he’s Christian philosophy,” Wolterstorff always tackled the problems that said of those days on the Calvin were thought to be the most intrac- campus in the 1960s and 70s. table. He likes accomplishing a goal, and the task had to be difficult for him Added Mouw: “There are many of us to be interested. For my father to who see (Plantinga) as having had a achieve what he did, he had to work formative influence in our lives—he very hard. For us kids, that meant we has been a kind and encouraging didn’t always get the attention we mentor to us, modeling a blend of might have wanted, but he was always Tributes to Plantinga’s win can be intellectual brilliance, genuine so upbeat and kind and affectionate found online.... humility, and a marvelous sense that it more than made up for what we READ MORE ONLINE of humor.” perceived as lack of time with him.” JANUARY 2018 33 THEBANNER.ORG.
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