A Life Shaped by Faith and Learning

Rev. Dr. Cornelius “Neal” Plantinga’s life in ministry and theological education began in a home filled with books, faith, and lively conversation. Born in Jamestown, North Dakota, and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Neal grew up in an academic family. His father was a Calvin College professor, his mother taught student teachers at Calvin, and two of his brothers also became professors. But his childhood was shaped by more than intellectual curiosity. He remembers seeing his parents kneeling in prayer at night, a sight that impressed upon him that “not only were they over me, but God was over them.” From an early age, Christian faith, Scripture, worship, and the life of the mind were deeply woven together.

Called to Ministry

As a student at Calvin College, Neal expected to become a professor of English. After graduating in 1967, he received a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship to pursue doctoral studies in English at Yale. But in the fall of 1967, amid the national turmoil of the Vietnam War and the civil rights movement, Neal found himself in a personal and vocational crisis. Though his studies were interesting, they began to feel “beside the point.” At the same time, he was attending First Presbyterian Church in New Haven, where the preaching of Douglas Nelson opened his imagination to the beauty and power of ministry. After several conversations, Nelson told him, “Neal, my boy, I believe you’re called to ministry.” Neal dropped out of Yale, enrolled at Calvin Theological Seminary, and, as he says, “never looked back.”

Faith Seeking Understanding

At Calvin Seminary, Neal found a community that formed him deeply. He was shaped by professors such as Henry Stob, whose lectures he remembered as learned, compelling, and spiritually steadying, and by fellow students whose questions and conversations stretched him. Seminary became a place where theology was not simply a subject to master, but, in Anselm’s phrase, “faith seeking understanding.” Neal carried that conviction into his own teaching, wanting students to know that no serious question was out of place in the pursuit of deeper knowledge of God, ourselves, and the world. That conviction would guide Neal throughout his life as a pastor, professor, president, and writer.

Teaching Theology for the Church

After graduating from Calvin Seminary in 1971, Neal served Webster Christian Reformed Church in New York before earning his PhD from Princeton Theological Seminary. He returned to Calvin Seminary from 1979 to 1996 in order to teach systematic theology, working to make theology both intellectually rich and directly useful for ministry. Rather than asking students only to write academic papers, he often assigned sermons, inviting them to show how theological understanding could serve the church. From 1996 until 2002, Neal transitioned to the Dean of the Chapel at Calvin College, serving as a theological resource for the faculty and president and helping strengthen the college’s vision for Christian higher education.

A Presidency Rooted in Formation and Ministry

In 2001, Neal began a ten-year term as president of Calvin Theological Seminary. During his presidency, he helped the seminary hold together two vital commitments: rigorous theological education and practical ministry formation. Calvin Seminary, he believed, must continue to take biblical studies, theology, and church history seriously, while always remembering that the seminary exists to serve the church.

That conviction shaped initiatives such as the Center for Excellence in Preaching, created to help pastors preach Scripture faithfully, deeply, and beautifully week after week. “Everybody wants better preaching,” Neal reflected. He often spoke of preaching as a demanding and sacred task. Preachers, he said, “have a very high hill to climb every Sunday,” as they speak to a mixed congregation about “things of final magnificence” in a way that is both faithful and engaging.

Expanding Access and Strengthening Community

Neal also helped Calvin Seminary adapt to changing student needs. During his presidency, the seminary began developing distance and distributed education options so students who could not relocate to Grand Rapids could still pursue a Calvin Seminary degree while gathering on campus for intensive cohort learning. He also worked to make the seminary more hospitable to women preparing for ministry, creating space for honest conversation, mutual respect, and shared life among students who held differing convictions. Looking back, he saw real growth in the community over those years.

Continuing Service Through Preaching and Worship

After his presidency, Neal served for twelve years, from 2012 until 2024, as a senior research fellow at the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, creating resources to help preachers handle Scripture with depth, clarity, and imagination. Today, in retirement, he continues to preach, write, and pursue new projects, including work on biblical wisdom.

A Legacy of Faithful Witness

Looking back on his life and ministry, Neal describes himself as filled with gratitude: for his wife, Kathleen; their sons, Nathan and Adam; Calvin Theological Seminary and Calvin University; the church; his students; and the grace of God. His counsel to future ministers remains forward-looking and hopeful: pray “your kingdom come,” and then work in the same direction as that prayer. He also urges them to “live into the biblical word of God until it lives out of you,” bearing witness to the gospel in a robust, world-affirming way. That vision—rooted in faith, shaped by learning, sustained by God’s faithfulness, and oriented toward God’s coming shalom—has marked Neal Plantinga’s life and legacy.

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A Family Legacy Rooted in the Seminary

Dr. James “Jim” A. De Jong’s connection to Calvin Theological Seminary began long before his presidency. A native of Paterson, New Jersey, and the son and grandson of pastors in the Christian Reformed Church, Jim was raised within a family deeply shaped by the church, ministry, and the Reformed faith. When reflecting on receiving the 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award during Calvin Seminary’s 150th anniversary year, he found himself thinking not only about his own life and vocation, but also about generations of family members whose lives had been intertwined with the seminary.

On both his paternal and maternal sides, Jim can trace a remarkable legacy of graduates, professors, pastors, and theological leaders connected to Calvin Seminary. In many ways, Calvin Seminary’s work had been forming his family — and eventually him — for generations. Reflecting on that legacy, Jim described having “marinated in the spirit and the strength of that Reformed worldview” for 85 years. The seminary’s influence, he said, had shaped not only his own life, but the life of his wider family across generations.

Formation, Study, and Early Teaching

After graduating from Calvin College in 1963 and Calvin Theological Seminary in 1966, Jim earned a Th.D. from the Free University of Amsterdam in 1970. He was ordained that same year and went on to teach at Trinity Christian College and Dordt College before being called, unexpectedly, into leadership at Calvin Seminary.

Leading Through a Complex Season

Appointed president in 1982, Jim served from 1983 to 2001. His presidency came during a complex season in the life of the Christian Reformed Church, as the denomination wrestled with questions surrounding academic freedom, social change, and the role of women in the church. Through those years, Jim emphasized theological commonality while remaining open to difference, seeking to train students deeply in the fundamentals of Calvinistic Protestantism and a rich, world-engaging Reformed faith.

Building for Community and Mission

That vision shaped some of the most significant developments in Calvin Seminary’s history. During Jim’s tenure, the seminary building was enlarged and remodeled, student housing facilities were acquired, the Student Center was constructed, and the Ph.D. program was added to the curriculum. These developments also required Jim to step into a role he had not expected: fundraiser. No president before him had carried that responsibility in quite the same way, but when the need for student housing became clear, Jim took up the work of inviting donors into the seminary’s mission. He later described meeting with dedicated donors as “a spiritually exciting, humbling, moving experience.” Those conversations were rarely just about money. Often, they became spiritually rich conversations about theology, preaching, and the future of the church.

For Jim, facilities were never merely buildings. As more students came to Calvin Seminary from beyond Calvin College and without established networks in Grand Rapids, student housing and the Student Center created spaces where students could live, study, worship, eat, and support one another. Dr. Neal Plantinga, President Emeritus, later described the Student Center as one of Jim’s best contributions, recognizing that much of seminary formation happens outside the classroom, in the conversations and relationships that shape students for ministry.

Expanding Calvin Seminary’s Global Reach

Jim’s presidency also helped expand Calvin Seminary’s multicultural and global reach. During his tenure, the seminary continued work in multicultural education through centers in Chicago, Rehoboth, New Mexico, and Los Angeles, including significant ministry among Korean students. The development of the Ph.D. program carried that global vision even further. From the beginning, the faculty understood the program as a global enterprise, explicitly committing that half of those admitted would come from overseas. Jim later pointed to the Ph.D. program as one of the key turning points in Calvin Seminary becoming a global community. Looking back, he described the development of the program not simply as an institutional accomplishment, but as a moment when “the Lord opened those doors.”

The goal was not merely to expand Calvin Seminary’s academic offerings, but to serve the worldwide church by preparing theological educators who could teach, write, and lead in their own contexts.

Continuing Service to the Reformed Tradition

Jim’s service did not end with retirement. He helped found the Dutch Reformed Translation Society, whose first major project was translating Herman Bavinck’s Reformed Dogmatics into English. He chaired the society for twenty years and translated hundreds of Abraham Kuyper’s meditations, helping readers encounter the devotional heart behind Kuyper’s public theology.

A Rich, World-Affirming Faith

Today, Jim and his wife, Lois, continue to be part of the wider Calvin Seminary story. Together they raised three children: Kurtis, Kristin, and Kyle. Jim remains animated by the same vision that shaped his presidency: a Reformed faith that is rich, full, world-affirming, and deeply engaged in service. His word to Calvin Seminary graduates captures the heart of that vision: “Live into the biblical Word of God until it lives out of you.”

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Representing the H. Henry Meeter Center for Calvin Studies, Calvin University, and Calvin Theological Seminary, Dr. Karin Maag recently spent ten days in Jakarta, Indonesia to teach and connect with colleagues affiliated with Calvin Theological Seminary in various ways.

During her time in Jakarta, Maag’s primary focus was teaching an intensive course at SSTRI (the Indonesian Reformed Theological College) on Reformed worship and its impact. Nearly 100 students and pastors participated in this in-person and online course, offering many engaging questions and insights. In addition to teaching, Maag reconnected with many individuals affiliated with Calvin Theological Seminary, such as alumni, visiting scholars, and colleagues hosting the International Calvin Congress in Jakarta in July 2027. 

Maag remarks, “This intensive teaching week was an amazing opportunity to explore key aspects of Reformed worship with brothers and sisters in Christ in Indonesia!”

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Today was our last official full day in Guatemala, and it was a lovely way to end our trip.   Reflecting on the week, I was brought to Revelations 7:9, “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.” This week, we were blessed to meet many different people who serve the Lord across Guatemala in various ways, and who will be a part of that very crowd standing before the Lord.  As we leave, we are not saying goodbye to the friends we have made, but rather until we see you again.

Our last day started with a late breakfast and was a little slower and more relaxed, allowing us time to sort and repack ourselves as we began preparing to go home. Then we were blessed to take a trip to Yvon and Suzi’s off-grid, self sustaining, permaculture farm, they call “Mision Pacaya”. What an oasis!  Just being present on the farm was decompressing for many on the team.  They had all the animals, cow, pig, goats, chickens, ducks, turkeys, and bees free ranging across the farm, with coffee and avocado trees, and a large garden.  All working together in harmony.

Yvon spoke of the many opportunities that he and Suzi take to invite people up to their farm, for a break or for training on one of the six stewarding principles. Each one having a whole system of techniques.  Teaching on the house, pain, soil and land, technology, financial and community.  Together the seek to build and establish a cohort of independent and interdependent building their own economy and enhancing the community. During the debrief many reflected on how amazing and inspirational this couple is, dreaming big and then stepping out to live those dreams in the context that they are in.

All week we saw many Guatemalans living incarnationally, using their gifts and callings in their own context.  God has shaped and formed these people throught the power of the Holy Spirit,serving now in the very spot they told God they didn’t want to serve in.  Yet still serving all-in with love, with a sense of belonging, hospitality and vulnerability, they all listen to the people that they are serving continually under the guidance of the Lord.

Now we get to go back, back to our own cities across north america.  After seeing what we have seen, and tasting what we have tasted and walking where we’ve walked, we go home to process.  To allow this experience to shape us and grow us, and allow the Lord through the Holy Spirit to continue to build us.  Reminding us along the way that it doesn’t matter how small or little our contribution, we all have a part to play, our part, and we need to be willing like all the leaders we met to take the risk and choose be incarnational.

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We started our day in the lakeside town of San Juan La Laguna listening to the neighborhood’s local rooster (he’s not particular about times, he can be heard both before and after midnight). We had had a late dinner the night before, but even so two of our party rallied to beat the sunrise and climb to a local lookout point. The pictures afterwards were breathtaking!

As we waited for breakfast, we were led in devotions by team member Debra Chee. Deb reflected on some of the surprising gifts we’ve been given (being gifted a handmade item by someone who has struggled hard against poverty is humbling indeed!). She noted how God is using that as one of many ways of saying, “I don’t love you for what you are doing.” It is so hard to lay down our own self-reliance or our posture as problem-solvers and simply receive. But time after time on this trip we are asked to do just that–receive hospitality, receive gifts, even just receive the help of a translator for a language we don’t understand.

After devotions we gathered our things and headed down to the city dock. San Juan La Laguna flanks the stunning Lake Atitlán. To begin our day of travel toward Antigua (and then back to Guatemala City), we boarded a taxi boat we had rented to cross the lake. Our party of 14 travelers plus local hosts jetted across the lake, surrounded by the idyllic mountains and sky (a much faster way toward the opposite shore than the winding road with hair-raising switchbacks we had to take two days before!). We docked in Panajachel with just enough time to grab a coffee, quickly shop (some of the vendors can be a bit intense!), and board a bus for Antigua.

Antigua Guatemala was yet another new cityscape for us. Not the vast concrete sprawl of Guatemala City, nor the cheery lake town of San Juan, nor yet the breathtaking remoteness of Pak’awex, Antigua is a UNESCO World Heritage site, so designated for its stunning Spanish colonial architecture and history. We were happy, after our morning of travel, to step from the bus straight into our lunch spot, a restaurant steaming with pots of stewed meat and tempting sides. We pointed at the best looking dishes, ate in a room upstairs, then headed out for our afternoon in Antigua.

Antigua showcases both the legacy of colonialism and the resilience of the Guatemalan people. As we wandered the streets, chatted with our guides, and observed the local people, we saw yet another city that holds together so many of the contrasts we have seen in this country. Poverty and beauty, fragility and resilience, bright sunshine giving way to heavy rain, giving way again to sun. We bused at last back to our base seminary, knowing that tomorrow would be our final full day receiving God’s gifts in this unforgettable place.

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“Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.”

Psalm 96:3

I was deeply thankful when I found out we would be heading out of the city for a few days. The early part of our trip had felt heavy. Stories of corruption, abuse, and injustice were everywhere. It weighed on my spirit. Getting to this place of rest was not easy. We took a bus through the mountains, winding over hills and sharp turns. I felt moments of guilt for how much I was looking forward to the break.

But in my devotions this morning, I was reminded that Jesus also stepped away. He retreated to the lake, to the mountains, to be with the Father and to rest. That reminder gave me peace. As I processed everything we have witnessed so far, I found myself meditating on Psalm 96:3: “Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.”

And I began asking—what is the purpose of being so far from home? So far from the people I love? Why here?

Through God’s Word, I felt a quiet but powerful answer: We are here to declare His glory.

We took a microbus to San Pablo, and beyond that, a truck along rocky roads to reach a small mountain village. This sweet little town does not even have its own priest. In their single Catholic church, the community gathers faithfully. As we spoke with them, they shared the pride they take in their unity. When a woman gives birth, neighbors take turns living with her for a week at a time, caring for her, cooking for her, meeting every need. It is not just the family’s responsibility; it is the community’s. Everything here is communal.

I found myself longing for that kind of unity, for that kind of love. We need each other more than we realize. And it is something we, especially in the West, have forgotten—to take pride in our unity, in our shared strength.

One of the unexpected blessings of being pulled out of my own culture is this: I can see our idols more clearly. When we asked children in the city about their dreams, they spoke of leaving, of becoming someone important, successful, independent. But here in this quiet mountain town, the children’s dreams were strikingly different. None of them wanted to leave. None of them dreamed of becoming something great for themselves. Their dreams were rooted in their home and in their people: to sell their coffee beans for a fair price, to build a church without cracks, to repair the roads so they are safer and more accessible.

It was beautiful. And it was humbling. I come from a culture so centered on the individual, on achievement, ambition, and self-actualization. But here, in this village, I saw a strength that comes from togetherness, from dreaming collectively, from loving your community like family.

This is what the church is meant to look like.

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This morning we began with coffee. The best part of the day is drinking Guatemalan coffee. My first gesture of gratitude was, “thank you God for this great cup of coffee”.  Breakfast was delicious. Reyna, our chef, has spoiled us.  It was my time for devotion. I have been focusing all week on Matthew 25:42-44.  After seeing poverty on a different level, I have meditated on the words of Jesus. How can anyone that walked the streets of Guatemala City stay the same?  This morning we discussed in devotion the impact each of us have experienced as we interacted with different ministries this week.  We all have stories of what this vision trip has meant to our own context in ministry. What will we change when we get back to the USA? 

We packed our bags to leave for the rural parts of Guatemala. Traffic is not for the weary. We had several delays with the outgoing traffic. Everyone was excited we were going to see the indigenous people of the Mayan culture. The bus driver was trying so desperately to get us to our destination in two hours. What a surprise we had. It took us several hours to make the trip. Some of us chilled, while others made the best of a long destination. Laughter filled the bus from the back. It’s always the people in the back having the most fun. 

Rain came down like buckets of water. Our bus driver was great. He got us to the town of San Juan before dark. The beauty of the hotel was breathtaking. Finally, we would get settled into our rooms.  Food was on everyone’s mind. We couldn’t forget that we needed to find clean bathrooms. The one we stopped along the way was void of toilet paper and cleanliness.  Someone went inside the convenience store and bought toilet paper for us. As funny as it sounded, we were very grateful. 

I believe God showed us what real humility is. No one complained about the trip delay or the fumes from the outside air. What was so amazing about today, was the fact that we experienced some of the most beautiful parts of Guatemala countryside. The colors of the buildings and the narrow streets along the little towns was something out of National Geographic. The faces of the indigenous people said it all. These were people I had only seen in magazines and television.

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On Thursday, June 12, our day was bursting with heroes. First, Justin, our fearless and reserved leader, accidentally dumped the entire salt shaker on his food because the lid had not been secured. Remaining very ‘chill’, he calmly slid his now-white beans onto the side of his plate and continued eating. 

Our next hero of the day was Tita, the heart and soul of the La Limonada ministry in zone 5. She invited us to visit several families in this packed concrete ghetto, which involved listening and praying.  Tita reminded us that despite the many struggles faced by the community, she always held two things in her hands. On one hand, she carried all the problems and needs of this large community, and on the other hand, she held the blessings that the Lord bestowed not only on the people through their struggles but also upon her. We experienced this firsthand as several of us prayed and felt the tension between tragedy and profound love—love for Jesus and the love He instilled in each family to support and carry difficult burdens with His grace and peace.  As we prayed, we felt blessed to be a part of their story.  

Another hero was a businessman named Arthur from the United Kingdom. He worked alongside Tita, giving her financial wisdom and stability for the two operational schools for the children in this zone. With his pragmatic planning and Tita’s love for this community, they are a dynamic duo, always placing Jesus first as the incarnational leader and director of all their plans.

And finally, we had several interpreters who helped us understand everything being communicated to us, and we are so grateful for their love and kindness to us and the love they themselves show in their ministries: Sandy, Yarida, Amanda, Rosita, and Ivan.  

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During our preparatory meetings, Rev. Joel VanDyke described the situation in Guatemala using language from Genesis 1. The Holy Spirit hovers (or dances) above the waters of chaos, and Guatemala is a chaotic place; therefore, the Holy Spirit is on the move. 

This morning, we visited Puerta de Esperanza (Door of Hope), a ministry that works with children and families in the Terminal Market – the largest central market in Central America. Within the boundaries of this market, I say boundaries because this market sprawls six large city blocks, and over 5000 children live within the market. Over the decades, many families migrate to the market to earn a living, and they live within the market, usually above their vendor stalls. Door of Hope works with these kids because they are usually unattended while their parents try to earn a living. This ministry offers tutoring, educational reinforcement, preschool, and meals to these kids. Most importantly, the workers at Door of Hope love these kids and their families and treat them like humans. 

One worker is a young man named Charlie. He is from Indiana and moved to Guatemala City 4 years ago, and began working with Door of Hope when he fell in love with the kids and the ministry. He led us on a tour through the bowels of the market. The market is a disorienting place, and without Charlie’s guidance, we would instantly be lost. God called Charlie into the chaos to work with these families and love the kids. I asked Charlie what is needed, and he said that staff salaries are often what people do not want to support- they would rather send supplies or pay for meals, etc… but it is the people who work there that make the difference. 

In the midst of the chaos, we are discussing incarnational ministry; supporting a worker like Charlie is supporting incarnational ministry. While a ministry like Door of Hope willingly enters the chaos of the Terminal Market to help families escape the trappings of poverty, they also seek to treat them as image bearers when the community they inhabit is one of exploitation, abuse, and neglect. 

In the afternoon, we travelled to Viva Agua Colegio Cristiano (Living Water Christian School) and listened to a presentation about the school, followed by a musical performance by the students. Once again, chaos reigns in this place, both negatively and positively. To arrive at the school, we turned off a highway onto a dirt road and rambled through a forest filled with corrugated metal shacks and arrived at a cinder-block school. Many of the students live in this community, where dirt floors, corrugated metal, chickens, dogs, mud, and more chaos prevail. Within the walls of the school, chaos reigns again, but in a more beautiful way. The music program that the school runs is built on the teens teaching and mentoring the younger children. Yarrida (the teacher) stands back and lets the chaos operate while the older students organize the instruments and kids for the performance. 

Chaos is a constant in Guatemala City, both in a way that keeps people down and in a way that exposes the beauty of God’s creation. The beauty of our God is that His Spirit is working in all the chaos and using men and women like Charlie and Yarrida to love the children and families trapped in the chaos of Guatemala City. 

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