Cornelius Plantinga

Cornelius Plantinga
Born
Cornelius Plantinga Jr.

(1946-02-14) February 14, 1946 (age 80)
Jamestown, North Dakota, U.S.
EducationCalvin University (AB)
Calvin Theological Seminary (BD)
Princeton Theological Seminary (PhD)
OccupationsTheologian, academic administrator
OrganizationsCalvin Theological Seminary
Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
Known forPresident of Calvin Theological Seminary
Notable workNot the Way It's Supposed to Be
Engaging God's World
RelativesAlvin Plantinga (brother)
Leon Plantinga (brother)

Cornelius "Neal" Plantinga Jr. (born 14 February 1946) is an American theologian. He served as president of Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan from 2002 to 2011.

Early life and education

Plantinga was born on February 14, 1946 in Jamestown, North Dakota, the son of a psychology professor who taught at Calvin College for 25 years.

He received an AB degree from Calvin College in 1967, a BD degree from Calvin Theological Seminary in 1971, and a PhD degree from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1982. He is the brother of philosopher Alvin Plantinga and musicologist Leon Plantinga.

Career

Plantinga served as the pastor of churches in New York and New Jersey after graduating from seminary in the 1970s.

He joined the faculty at Calvin Seminary in 1979 and taught systematic theology there until 1996, when he became Dean of the Chapel at Calvin College.

Plantinga was appointed President of Calvin Seminary in 2001. He served as President from 2002 until 2011. During Plantinga's presidency, Calvin Seminary received its largest gift up to that time from the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation to fund the Charles W. Colson Presidential Chair at the seminary.

He was Senior Research Fellow at the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Calvin University from 2012 until his retirement in 2024.

Plantinga has written several books, including Not the Way It's Supposed to Be (Eerdmans, 1995), the Christianity Today "Book of the Year" in 1996, and Engaging God's World (Eerdmans, 2002), a Christianity Today "Book of the Year" in 2003. He presented the Warfield Lectures at Princeton Theological Seminary in 2012.

Personal life

Plantinga is married to Kathleen (Talsma) Plantinga, and has two children.

Selected publications

References

  1. ↑ "A Short History of Pres. Plantinga" Archived 2013-11-14 at the Wayback Machine, Kerux 37.2 (2002), p. 5.
  2. 1 2 Religion briefs, MLive.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Honey, Charles (March 10, 2001). "Turning to the Future: Incoming Seminary President Brings Family Ties, Zeal for Institution to Post". The Grand Rapids Press. p. B1. Retrieved August 31, 2026.
  4. ↑ Cornelius Plantinga Jr., Calvin College.
  5. ↑ "Inaugural Lectures" Archived 2013-11-14 at the Wayback Machine, Kerux 37.2 (2002), p. 4.
  6. ↑ "Cornelius Plantinga Jr". Heritage Hall. Calvin College. Retrieved August 31, 2026.
  7. ↑ McConnell, Darci (March 16, 1996). "New Calvin Post Designed to 'Cultivate' Christian Ethics: Rev. Cornelius Plantinga, the Inaugural Dean of the Chapel, Will Help the Faculty Communicate Its Religious Standards". The Grand Rapids Press. p. B2. Retrieved August 31, 2026.
  8. ↑ Honey, Charles (January 19, 2001). "Calvin Seminary Picks Chief: The Rev. Cornelius Plantinga Jr.'s Nomination Needs Approval from the Seminary Board and the CRC Synod". The Grand Rapids Press. p. A1. Retrieved August 31, 2026.
  9. ↑ Honey, Charles (February 9, 2001). "Seminary President a Teacher and Pastor: The Dean of the Chapel at Calvin College Is Chosen to Lead Calvin Theological Seminary". The Grand Rapids Press. p. C4. Retrieved August 31, 2026.
  10. ↑ Honey, Charles (September 27, 2002). "Brothers Add to the Pleasure at Installation for Seminary President; Calvin Theological Seminary's President Credits a Strong, Loving Family 'for What Matters to Me and How My Life Has Turned Out'". The Grand Rapids Press. p. D1. Retrieved August 31, 2026.
  11. 1 2 "The Rev. Cornelius Plantinga Jr. to Speak at Founders' Day Convocation". Targeted News Service. September 26, 2011. Retrieved August 31, 2026.
  12. ↑ Honey, Charles (May 20, 2005). "Calvin Names Chair in Honor of Colson; Endowment Shores Up Funding for Seminary". The Grand Rapids Press. p. B3. Retrieved August 31, 2026.
  13. ↑ Ballor, Jordan J. (June 6, 2005). "Colson Speaks at Calvin Seminary Spring Banquet". Religion & Liberty Daily. Acton Institute. Retrieved August 31, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Cornelius Plantinga, Jr". Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. Calvin University. Retrieved August 31, 2026.
  15. ↑ Gollihugh, Jonah (May 20, 2026). "Distinguished Alumni: Neal Plantinga, Jr". Calvin Theological Seminary. Retrieved August 31, 2026.
  16. ↑ Wilson, John (April 1996). "CT 96 Book Awards". Christianity Today. 40 (5): 18.
  17. ↑ Reinstadler, Kym (October 17, 2003). "Seminary President Urges Teachers to Help Student Discover Their Loves; He Says Love Infuses Life with a Momentum That Allows It to Flourish". The Grand Rapids Press. p. L4. Retrieved August 31, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Plantinga To Give Princeton Lectures | Christian Reformed Church". www.crcna.org. Retrieved June 24, 2024.