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Wheaton Congratulates Newly Tenured and Promoted Faculty

Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Twenty members of the Wheaton College faculty were recently promoted or received tenure.

"Each year, the faculty, administration, and Board of Trustees is pleased to affirm the developing and considerable gifts of a number of faculty colleagues by the awarding of tenure at Wheaton College. This is the result of rigorous evaluation of the strengths of each faculty member as a teacher, spiritual model and mentor, scholar, and institutional contributor,” says Dr. Stanton Jones, Wheaton College Provost.

“The awarding of tenure signifies the institution's hope that the faculty member will serve with us for the long term, and moves them from an annual probationary status to that of a permanent appointment. This is a considerable affirmation of their gifts and contribution to our students and to the overall mission of the College."

Faculty awarded tenure are:

Dr. Jeffrey Barbeau, Theology.

Dr. Darren Craig, Physics.

Dr. Brett Foster, English.

Dr. Christine Gardner, Communication.

Mr. David Hooker, Art.

Dr. Beth Felker Jones, Theology.

Dr. Stephen Lovett, Mathematics.

Dr. Richard Richardson, Evangelism.

Dr. Noah Toly ’99, Urban Studies and Politics & International Relations.

Dr. Timothy Yontz, Music Education.

Promoted from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor and awarded tenure are:

Dr. Kelly Flanagan, Psychology.

Dr. Emily Langan ’94, Communication.

Promoted from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor is:

Mr. David Malone, M.A. ’92, Library Science.

Promoted from Associate Professor to Professor are:

Dr. Daniel Burden, Chemistry.

Dr. Sally Schwer Canning, Psychology.

Dr. Lynn Cohick, New Testament.

Dr. Lynn Cooper, M.A. ’74, Communication.

Dr. L. Kristen Page, Biology.

Dr. Daniel Treier, Theology.

Dr. Peter Walters, Applied Health Science.

President Ryken to Keynote Business Ethics Conference June 1-2

Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Wheaton College President Dr. Philip Ryken is one of several distinguished speakers who will present keynote addresses at an upcoming business ethics conference.

“The 9th Commandment and Business: You Shall Not Lie,” co-hosted by the Westminster Theological Seminary and the Center for Business Ethics Today, LLC, will take place June 1 and 2 at the Union League in Philadelphia.

Conference sessions will pair theologians with business leaders to discuss how an understanding of the 9th commandment leads to ethical business practices.

Dr. Ryken is the author of Written in Stone: The 10 Commandments and Today’s Moral Crisis (Crossway). Before assuming the presidency of Wheaton College in 2010, Dr. Ryken was Senior Minister of Philadelphia’s historic Tenth Presbyterian Church.

He will speak on the topic “God’s World as Envisioned in the 9th Commandment.”

“Each of the 10 Commandments reflects the character of God,” Dr. Ryken says. “What kind of God is it that would tell you not to bear false witness? A God of the truth, a God who is a true God, a God who speaks the truth to us, and desires us to speak the truth to others.”

Dr. Ryken says the commandment not to lie has critical implications for businesspeople.

“By promoting truth-telling, the 9th Commandment is a key principle for the ethical practice of business,” he says. “Shady deals and fraudulent transactions always involve lies somewhere along the line.”

Dr. Ryken says the conference, now in its third year, provides a unique opportunity for learning and fellowship.

“What is distinctive about this conference is the dynamic interaction between top business leaders, trained theologians, and influential pastors—a combination I experience nowhere else,” he says.

Additional speakers include Dr. Wayne Grudem, Research Professor at Phoenix Seminary; Barry Asmus, Senior Economist at the National Center for Policy Analysis; and Jim Seneff, Executive Chairman and Director, CNL Financial Group, Chairman of the Board and Director, CNL Lifestyle Properties, Inc., Chairman and Director, CNL Properties Trust, Inc., and Chairman and Director, Global Growth Trust, Inc.

The conference brochure is available here. For more information, or to register, please visit cfcbe.com/conference. Additionally, scholarships for students, pastors, and young professionals are available. For additional information about scholarships, e-mail info@cfcbe.com.

Wheaton Salutes Eight Retiring Faculty Members

Tue, 08 May 2012 13:29:00 -0500

Eight retiring Wheaton College professors were recently awarded emeritus status.

This year’s faculty emeriti taught at Wheaton for a combined total of 288 years, with half of the professors serving for 40 years or more. Four of them graduated from the College in the 1960s.

“These are brilliant teachers, accomplished in their disciplines, recognized in their respective guilds, and fine Christians who have devoted their lives to the ideals for which Wheaton College stands,” says Dr. Stanton Jones, Wheaton College provost.

“Each year, a number of our extraordinary faculty retire, but I do not remember a previous year when we have said goodbye to this many colleagues with such enormous terms of service, and who have together played such pivotal roles in exemplifying and embodying the best of what Wheaton College faculty are all about."

The faculty emeriti are:

Dr. Dean Arnold ’64, Professor of Anthropology Emeritus, 39 years of service.

Dr. Robert Gregory, Professor of Psychology Emeritus, 17 years of service.

Dr. James Halteman, Professor of Business and Economics Emeritus, 33 years of service.

Dr. Terence Perciante ’67, Professor of Mathematics Emeritus, 40 years of service.

Dr. Leland Ryken, Professor of English Emeritus, 44 years of service.

Dr. Howard Whitaker ’63, Professor of Music Emeritus, 40 years of service.

Dr. Paul Wiens, Professor of Music Emeritus, 31 years of service.

Mr. John Zimmerman ’66, Professor of Music Emeritus, 44 years of service.

A Walking Tour of Billy Graham's Wheaton

Fri, 04 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The Billy Graham Center Archives at Wheaton College offers "A Walking Tour of Billy Graham's Wheaton" from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 5. The tour is in collaboration with the City of Wheaton's annual "Preservation Week."

The tour includes sites associated with Wheaton College alumnus and evangelist Billy Graham. The sites are on Wheaton College's campus and throughout the town of Wheaton.

In more than six decades of preaching, Graham has shared the gospel with hundreds of millions of people. Many of the foundations of his ministry were created in the spiritual and personal experiences of his Wheaton College student days (1940-1943). The tour will highlight these, as well as the 1959 Billy Graham Crusade in Wheaton and the establishment of the Billy Graham Center. Participants will also learn more about how World War II impacted the college campus.

The walking tour is just under two miles and ends at the Billy Graham Center Museum, where participants are invited to visit the exhibits describing the story of Graham's ministry and the history of evangelism in the United States. The tour is free, but space is limited. Anyone interested in participating is encouraged to sign up in advance. To sign up or learn more, call 630.752.5910 or email bgcarc@wheaton.edu.

Sánchez Appointed to Conservatory Piano Faculty

Fri, 04 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The Wheaton College Conservatory of Music announces the appointment of pianist Paul Tuntland Sánchez to its faculty.

Sánchez will fill a one-year interim appointment in piano that opened as a result of the retirement of Professor John Zimmerman.

“Paul possesses a unique blend of artistic verve and impressive interpersonal skills,” says Dr. Michael Wilder, Dean of the Conservatory of Music. “We are thrilled to welcome him to our faculty, and believe he will contribute very positively to the musical and spiritual life of the Conservatory.”

Sánchez graduated summa cum laude from Texas Christian University, where he received the Presser Scholar award for outstanding scholarly and musical work. He received a Fulbright Scholarship in 2005 and earned his Master of Spanish Music at the Academia Granados-Marshall in Barcelona, Spain, in 2007. His CD, España: Piano Music of Spain from the 19^th and 20^th Centuries, was released by the Mundo Arts label in 2006.

He received the prestigious Max Landow Award for distinction in performance from the Eastman School of Music, where he completed his Master of Music degree and is currently completing a Doctor of Musical Arts.

Sánchez has performed in solo recitals throughout North America and Europe, and in such festivals as the Barcelona Festival of Song and the Festival Internacional de Piano Reynosa, Mexico. He is the founder and artistic director of the annual Dakota Sky International Piano Festival in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, which offers world-class concerts and educational opportunities for all ages.

Sanchez begins his appointment in the fall of 2012.

Dr. William C. Wood '62 Named Alumnus of the Year

Thu, 03 May 2012 11:28:00 -0500

Dr. William C. Wood, an internationally recognized cancer surgeon, academic, and researcher, will be presented as Alumnus of the Year for Distinguished Service to Society 2012 by the Wheaton College Alumni Association during Alumni Weekend, May 4-5.

For 40 years, Dr. Wood has worked to prevent disease and promote healing through faithful, compassionate service, earning recognition for his outstanding contributions to cancer therapy and clinical trials.

Dr. Wood graduated from Wheaton in 1962. He graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1966 with a specialty in surgical oncology.

Following his graduation from medical school, Dr. Wood was a clinical and research fellow at the National Institutes of Health. He completed a fellowship in surgery at Harvard and a general surgery residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he eventually became Medical Director of the Cancer Center and Chief of Surgical Ontology. He taught surgery at Harvard Medical School for 28 years before joining the Emory University School of Medicine as the Joseph Brown Whitehead Professor and Chairman of the Department of Surgery in 1991.

Dr. Wood has published more than 270 journal articles and 39 book chapters, and done 80 national and international visiting professorships. Additionally, he has served as editor of the journal Oncology and of various medical textbooks, including Surgery of the Breast: Principles and Art and Advances in Breast Cancer Management and The Anatomic Basis of Tumor Surgery. Dr. Wood has also chaired and advised various medical boards focused on cancer treatment. He was named to USA Today’s Most Influential Doctors database, and has appeared in all six editions of America’s Top Doctors for Cancer.

Recently retired as Chairman of the Surgery Department at Emory University School of Medicine, Dr. Wood served for 36 years as a trustee at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary as well as on the board of the Christian Medical and Dental Associations. He is now working to meet global medical needs, giving special attention to establishing affordable and sustainable cancer care in developing countries in Africa.

Dr. Wood and his wife, Judy Lindsell Wood ’65, have three children and five grandchildren.

The Wheaton College Alumni Association is pleased to honor Dr. Wood for his leadership and pioneering work in surgical oncology, combined with a deep Christian faith.

Celebrate Milestone Anniversaries at Alumni Weekend May 4-5

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Wheaton College's Alumni Weekend, May 4-5, will bring together alumni of all ages to celebrate milestone anniversaries and to spend a weekend at events packed with nostalgia, reunion and fellowship.

Classes celebrating reunions range from the class of 1937 to the class of 1982, including a 50-year anniversary for the class of 1962. Class dinners, programs and photos are on the weekend program, along with two special events:

Festival of Faith Concert, Friday, May 4, 7:30 p.m., Edman Memorial Chapel. Wheaton College Conservatory groups will perform an evening of musical highlights. A free will offering will be taken.
Spring Luncheon, Saturday, May 5, 11:30 a.m., King Arena. This memorable gathering of Wheaton alumni will include a walk through time with each reunion class, the presentation of the Alumnus of the Year Distinguished Service to Society award and a State of the College address from President Philip Ryken.

For more information about Wheaton College’s Alumni Weekend, including tickets, where to stay and class reunion details, call the Alumni office at 630.752.5047, or visit alumni.wheaton.edu.

Wheaton Faculty Publish Books on Global Theology, the Holy Land, and More

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Wheaton College faculty regularly publish books and articles. Faculty members who have recently published books include:

Dr. Jeffrey P. Greenman, Associate Dean of Biblical and theological Studies and Professor of Christian Ethics and Dr. Gene Green, Professor of New Testament
Global Theology in Evangelical Perspective: Exploring the Contextual Nature of Theology and Mission
(IVP Academic, 2012)
Inspired by the 2011 Wheaton Theology Conference, scholars explore the past, present, and future shape of biblical interpretation and theological engagement in the Majority World.

Dr. Karin Spieker Stetina, Adjunct Professor in Theology
Jonathan Edwards’ Early Understanding of Religious Experience: His New York Sermons, 1720-1723
(Edwin Mellen Press, 2011)
Dr. Stetina focuses on the formative impact Edward’s biblically-grounded religious experiences had on his theology of religious experience.

Dr. Gary Burge, Professor of New Testament
Bringing Jesus to the Desert: Uncover the Ancient Culture, Discover Hidden Meanings
(Zondervan, 2012)
As General Editor Dr. Burge joins with Dr. Bradley Nassif (North Park University) to tell the story of how the Holy Lands forged a holy people and a lasting legacy of faith.

Dr. Leland Ryken, Professor of English
The ESV and the English Bible Legacy (Crossway, 2011)
Dr. Ryken traces the history of the English Bible translation, while addressing how modern Bible translations should be viewed in their historical context.

Dr. George Kalantzis, Associate Professor of Theology
Evangelicals and the Early Church: Recovery, Reform, Renewal (Cascade Books, 2011)
Co-edited with Andrew Tooley, formerly on staff with ISAE, to help readers better understand the relationship between evangelicalism and the early church.

Dr. Philip G. Ryken, Wheaton College President
Loving the Way Jesus Loves (Crossway, 2012)
Dr. Ryken reflects on the life and ministry of Jesus in light of Paul’s message in 1 Corinthians 13.

Charles W. Colson (1931-2012)

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 14:17:00 -0500

Wheaton College was deeply affected by the life and ministry of Charles W. Colson, who died Saturday, April 21 at the age of 80.

Colson, who served as special counsel to President Richard Nixon, was known for his role in the 1972 Watergate scandal. Shortly before beginning a prison sentence related to the scandal, he gave his life to Jesus Christ.

In 1976, Colson founded Prison Fellowship International (PFI), one of the world's largest outreaches to prisoners, ex-prisoners, and their families. Colson hosted BreakPoint, a daily radio commentary that airs more than 1,200 outlets nationwide, and led the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview, a research and training center.

“Chuck Colson was a foremost Christian thinker for our generation,” says Lon Allison, executive director of the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College. “In some ways, he has been to us what C.S. Lewis has been. He spoke and wrote with evangelistic passion and razor-like acuity.”

The Institute for Prison Ministries (IPM), a department of the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College, was formed in 1984 as a result of the shared vision of Colson and Wheaton College trustee Kenneth Wessner. IPM is a center for correctional ministry that works through networks, collaborations and strategic partnerships to provide leadership and training to those engaged in correctional ministries for the advancement of the gospel.

In 1988, IPM established The Charles W. Colson Scholarship, which provides former prisoners with a college education and life formation program that develops them as Christian leaders. To date, 48 Colson Scholars have graduated from Wheaton’s undergraduate, graduate, or correctional ministries programs.

IPM director Karen Swanson says Colson maintained connections with the Colson Scholarship program throughout the years. “Chuck would always make time to meet with the Colson Scholars when he came to Chicago,” she says. “He took his time when talking with them and was genuinely interested in them.”

“Mr. Colson is a role model for countless women and men who have been or are behind bars,” adds Colson Scholar Christopher Yuan, who graduated from Wheaton’s Master of Arts in Biblical Exegesis program in 2007. “He weathered the storms of his critics questioning his conversion, and remained true as a witness of a forgiving God of second chances. As a fellow ex-offender who has been transformed by hard time, I echo his words, ‘I thank God for prison.’”

In a 2000 address at the Graduate School commencement, Colson spoke about the influence Christian colleges can have in culture.

“While living in a world that exalts the momentary and temporal, Christians must always keep in mind the eternal and permanent,” Colson said. As servants of the Lord in society, the Christian academy is uniquely equipped to raise up men and women passionately committed to living for God in the light of his truth in every field of endeavor, passionately committed to the development of personal character and conscience that are pleasing to him.”

In 1984, Colson donated his papers to the Billy Graham Center Archives. Prison Fellowship also donated its records. Listings of the Colson Papers and Prison Fellowship holdings are available on the Billy Graham Center Archives website. Audio of the two Commencement addresses Colson gave to undergraduates and graduate students in 2000 is available on the website of WETN, Wheaton’s radio and television station. The Billy Graham Center Archives has prepared a webpage in Colson’s memory. Additionally, the Wheaton College Archives and Special Collections blog has posted a remembrance of Colson. More information on the Charles W. Colson Scholarship is available here.

Canon Andrew White to Speak at 2012 Commencements

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 13:43:00 -0500

Wheaton College is pleased to announce that The Reverend Canon Dr. Andrew White will address graduates of both the College and the Graduate School in the May 2012 Commencement ceremonies.

Canon White will address candidates for the master’s and doctoral degrees from the Wheaton College Graduate School at 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 5, and candidates for the bachelor’s degree in the arts, sciences, and music education at 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 6, 2012.

Canon White is the Chaplain of St George’s Anglican Church in Baghdad, Iraq, which he has led since 1998. He is also the founder and president of the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East. The organization exists to support Canon White’s unique work at St George’s by providing a spiritual home, medical care, humanitarian relief and the promotion of reconciliation amongst different religious groups in the heart of Baghdad’s Red Zone.

Canon White is the recipient of numerous awards and international recognitions for his dedication to the pursuit of peace, which has included years of service in Israel and Palestine. Canon White negotiated the end of the Bethlehem siege in 2002. In Iraq, he conducted peace talks between opposing sectarian factions that led to the first joint Sunni/Shia fatwa against violence.

In 2010, he received the Train Foundation Civil Courage prize, which is awarded to people who have placed themselves at great risk in order to resist evil. He is the author of several books, including Faith under Fire and The Vicar of Baghdad. When not in Baghdad, or traveling, his home base is in the UK with his wife and two sons.

The ceremonies, as well as the 7:30 p.m. Festival of Faith concert Friday May 4 and the traditional Baccalaureate Service at 9 a.m. on Sunday May 6, will be broadcast live on WETN (88.1 FM) and Comcast Cable (Channel 72 in Wheaton, Channel 17 in Warrenville and Winfield, and Channel 10 in West Chicago). Audio and video will be available online at www.wetn.org.

For further information about Commencement services at Wheaton College, call the Media Relations Office at 630.752.5015.

Trotter Appointed as Wheaton College Concert Choir Conductor

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The Wheaton College Conservatory of Music announces the appointment of Dr. John William Trotter as the new conductor of the Wheaton College Concert Choir.

Since 2009, Dr. Trotter has served as Associate Conductor of the Vancouver Chamber Choir, an ensemble he has conducted in more than 25 performances throughout Canada, Taiwan, and Japan. As part of his work with the Vancouver Chamber Choir, Dr. Trotter has established and enhanced outreach and engagement programs for composers, conductors, singers, and audiences.

His December 2010 performance of the Vivaldi Magnificat was hailed by the Vancouver Sun as “a radiant performance of this work that overstated nothing and brought out all of its freshness and charm.” In September 2011, Dr. Trotter's season opening concert with the Vancouver Chamber Choir was recorded by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Radio for national broadcast. He also serves as Music Director of the Pacifica Singers, a vocal ensemble which provides experienced and motivated choral singers with direct exposure to the world of professional music making.

A versatile artist, Trotter's work includes a range from traditional choral/orchestral repertoire, new music and film score recording to various forms of outreach and advocacy as a consultant/clinician, adjudicator, conducting teacher, writer, and speaker. He is well known for his ability to connect with audiences and for his interest in building bridges between the professional music world, music training institutions, and the wider community. Dr. Trotter has written articles for several music publications and is a contributing author for the recently published book Teaching Music Through Performance in Choir – Volume 3, published by GIA Publications.

Additionally, he has been recognized internationally through numerous prizes, grants, and guest conducting invitations. Trotter earned both his Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting from the University of Michigan.

“We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Trotter to the faculty of the Conservatory of Music at Wheaton College,” says Michael Wilder, Dean of the Conservatory of Music. “His record of accomplishments at the University of Michigan, with the Vancouver Chamber Choir, and in active conducting and teaching activities is impressive. Within the outstanding, rich choral music tradition at Wheaton College, Dr. Trotter will bring wonderful skills and experience and will provide dynamic leadership in partnership with Dr. Mary Hopper and the Conservatory of Music faculty.”

Dr. Trotter’s appointment is the result of a national search to find a replacement for Dr. Paul Wiens, who retires in May following a 31-year teaching and conducting career at Wheaton.

Wheaton College to Celebrate Low Carbon Diet Day

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Guests at Wheaton College’s dining hall and café this Thursday will notice several menu changes in honor of Low Carbon Diet Day.

The April 19 celebration is the fifth annual event Bon Appétit Management Company has designated to educate diners about how to decrease their carbon “foodprint.” Bon Appétit is the on-site restaurant company that provides food-services on campus. Wheaton College is listed as #1 for “Best Campus Food” in the 2012 edition of the Princeton Review’s Best 376 Colleges.

Bon Appétit’s Low Carbon Diet program, launched in 2007, involves changing its purchasing and operational practices with the goal of decreasing the environmental impact of its cafes by 25 percent in the highest impact areas. Since then, beef use is down 33 percent, and cheese is down 10 percent. Food waste has been reduced, and, as a result of companywide implementation of energy and water conservation recommendations, Bon Appétit has reduced its emissions by the equivalent of 4 million pounds of carbon dioxide per month.

Patrick Cassata, Executive Chef for Bon Appetit at Wheaton College, says Low Carbon Diet Day allows diners to understand the environmental impact of their dietary decisions.

“Most people are aware these days of what’s a healthy choice for them,” Cassata says. “With Low Carbon Diet Day, we’re proud to show diners how their food choices can also be healthier for our planet.”

On Thursday, a bounty of low-carbon regional food will be served, and turkey burgers will replace beef burgers at the Stupe Café. At Anderson Commons, chefs will serve foods that help illustrate Bon Appétit’s “Top 5 Low Carbon Diet Tips.”

The five low-carbon tips are: 1) Don’t waste food; 2) Make “seasonal and regional” your food mantra; 3) Mooove away from beef and cheese; 4) Don’t buy air-freighted food; and 5) If it’s processed and packaged, skip it. Menu items representing each of the tips will be available.

Members of the community are always welcome to stop by Wheaton College for an all-you-can-eat dining experience at Anderson Commons. Breakfast can be enjoyed for $6.45, lunch for $9.00, and dinner for $10.30.

Anderson Commons is located in the Todd M. Beamer Memorial Student Center at 421 North Chase Street on the campus of Wheaton College. The Stupe Cafe is located on the lower lever of the Student Center. More information about food at Wheaton College, including menus, is available at http://www.cafebonappetit.com/.

Wheaton Anthropology Professor Publishes Article on Ancient Maya Pigment

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500

An article by Wheaton College Anthropology Professor Dr. Dean Arnold and colleagues from the Field Museum of Natural History, the University of California at Long Beach, the US Geological Survey and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington was published recently in the Journal of Archaeological Science.

Dr. Arnold is internationally known as a scholar in ceramic ethnoarchaeology, a field which studies present-day societies in an effort to understand the materials of ancient societies excavated by archaeologists. One area of his research is Maya Blue, a pigment of clay and indigo used in the pottery and rituals of the ancient Maya. In 2008, he received international attention as the leader of a research team from the Field Museum which discovered how the ancient Maya produced the pigment.

His most recent article, titled “The First Direct Evidence of Pre-Columbian Sources of Palygorskite for Maya Blue,” demonstrates that palygorskite, a component of the color-rich and resilient pigment, was part of the practical knowledge of the contemporary Maya.

A 1964 graduate of Wheaton College, Dr. Arnold’s most recent research has focused on the modern potters of Ticul Yucatan, Mexico. “My research is not about ceramics per se, but about the people that make them,” he says. “It’s the exegesis of the past—trying to figure out what all of these materials humans have left behind tell us about ancient human cultures.”

Dr. Arnold has published numerous books and articles covering topics ranging from the ecology of production to the standardization of ceramic pastes and the social organization of potters. He is also an Adjunct Curator at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. In 1996, he was awarded the Society for American Archaeology's Award for Excellence in Ceramic Studies. In 2008 he received the Wheaton College Alumni Association’s Alumnus of the Year Award for Distinguished Service to Alma Mater.

This spring, Dr. Arnold retires after teaching in the Sociology and Anthropology Department at Wheaton College for 39 years.

The article is available on the Science Direct website.

ROTC 60th Anniversary Celebration

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The Wheaton College Army Reserve Officer’s Training Corps Rolling Thunder Battalion celebrates its 60th year with a reception at 4:15 p.m. Thursday, April 12.

The celebration will include remarks by Wheaton College President Philip Ryken and several ROTC alumni. A display featuring Wheaton’s historical relationship with the Army will be unveiled during the event.

The Rolling Thunder Battalion is made up of cadets from Wheaton College, Lewis University , Benedictine University, University of St. Francis, Aurora University, North Central College and Elmhurst College. These schools cooperate with the Army to commission competent, confident, and caring junior leaders for the United States Army. ROTC is committed to providing our nation with leaders who take seriously their responsibilities to serve their country and their God honorably.

Wheaton’s ROTC program has earned recognition for the Best Overall ROTC Program, receiving the Order of the Founders and Patriots of America Award in 2005 and 2006. The program also received the Douglas MacArthur Award in 2006 for being the best program in the western region. Wheaton ranks in the top 10 programs in the country for physical fitness, and the Rolling Thunder Battalion’s teams consistently place highly in the annual regional Ranger Challenge competition.

The event will be held in room 145 of the Science Center located at 430 Howard Street in Wheaton. For more information, call the Office of Military Science at 630.752.5121.

The Rolling Thunder Battalion Offers Hands-on Experience During Upcoming Open House

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The Wheaton College Rolling Thunder Battalion is hosting an Open House on Thursday, April 5 offering two opportunities to experience life as an Army ROTC Cadet. Participants will learn what it's like to push to the limit, overcome challenging obstacles through teamwork skills, and sing while running.

Open House opportunities include joining cadets in their early morning Physical Training (PT) from 6-7:30 a.m. and/or practice leadership skills with the cadets as they work through Field Leader's Reaction Course (FLRC) obstacles from 3:15-6 p.m.

Those interested should meet in room 206 of Jenks Hall, located at 433 Howard Street in Wheaton. A host cadet will help guide participants through the training. There is no charge for this event, but registration is requested by Thursday, March 29.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Civil Affairs Cadet Brendan McMillan at 630.639.0486 or brendan.mcmillian@my.wheaton.edu. Registration is also available via Facebook at www.facebook.com/rollingthunderbattalion.

A Rocha Club Hosts Film Screening of Sustainable Farming Documentary

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500

A Rocha Wheaton is hosting a film screening of the documentary "The Greenhorns" at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 4. A panel discussion on sustainable farming will follow the screening.

"The Greenhorns" documentary film addresses the young farmer's movement and sustainable agriculture. Following the screening, panelists will discuss ways for Wheaton College to engage in sustainable agriculture and the role that the new A Rocha Community Garden on campus may have in facilitating this engagement.

Panelists include Sarah Piper, Midwest Fellow for the Bon Appétit Management Company Foundation; Patrick Cassata, Executive Chef at Wheaton College; and Dr. Kristen Page, Professor of Biology. The panel discussion will be moderated by Curtis Witek, President of A Rocha Wheaton.

Free and open to the public, this event takes place in room 145 of the Science Center, located at 430 Howard Street in Wheaton. For more information please email arochawheaton@gmail.com.

Arena Theater Stages William Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night"

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Arena Theater at Wheaton College is staging William Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" April 13-14 and 18-21. Shakespeare's sublime comedy plunges us deep into the stormy seas of unrequited human longing, where love is hopelessly lost before it is miraculously transformed and given anew.

Nightly performances take place at Arena Theater at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee performance at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 21. The theater is located in Jenks Hall at 433 North Howard Street in Wheaton. Tickets cost $9 for weekday and matinee shows and $10 for weekend performances. Tickets may be purchased at Arena Theater's Box Office, or online at www.wheatonarena.com. For more information, call 630.752.5800.

Fiscal Imbalances: Reflections on the Great Recession and its Aftermath

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The J. Dennis Hastert Center for Economics, Government and Public Policy is hosting a panel discussion titled "Fiscal Imbalances: Reflections on the Great Recession and its Aftermath," at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 11.

Panelists include Bill Scholl, President of First Security Bancorp and Casey Mulligan, Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago. The focus of the discussion will be on the banking industry and entitlement spending as it relates to the Great Recession and our nation's debt crisis.

Bill Scholl is the president of First Security Bancorp, a $4.1 billion bank holding company, and Vice Chairman of First Security Bank of Arkansas where he serves on the board of the holding company as well as the bank. Scholl is also a current board member of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (Little Rock Branch).

Casey Mulligan is a Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago. His latest book, Labor Market Distortions: How Redistribution Contracted the Economy, is in production with Oxford University Press.Professor Mulligan has served as a visiting professor at Harvard University, Clemson University, and Irving B. Harris Graduate School of Public Policy Studies at the University of Chicago.

Free and open to the public, this event takes place in Coray Alumni Gym, located at 421 Chase Street in Wheaton. A punch reception will follow the panel discussion. For more information, please call 630.752. 5975 or email hastert.center@wheaton.edu.

College Union to Sponsor Gungor in Concert March 30th

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Gungor will play its first show at Wheaton College as part of the Ghosts Upon the Earth tour at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 30.

Michael Gungor, the namesake, producer, and leader of what originally began as a worship band in Denver, Colorado, now leads the critically acclaimed music group best known for Dove-nominated songs "Friend of God" and "Say So." Ghosts Upon the Earth is its third major release.

The tour is sponsored by Relevant Magazine. Pop/rock band The Brilliance will open the concert. Seating is general and doors open at 7 p.m. This event takes place in Edman Memorial Chapel, located at the northeast corner of Washington and Franklin streets in Wheaton.

Pre-sale general admission tickets are $15 and can be purchased through the Wheaton College Bookstore or through www.brownpapertickets.com. Tickets will be sold for $18 at the door. VIP tickets including a Q & A with Michael Gungor are available for $25. For more information about the concert, call the College Union at 630.752.5181. For more information on Gungor, visit www.gungormusic.com.

For V.I.P guests, please arrive at Edman Chapel in between 5:15 - 5:30. The Q & A session with Michael Gungor will begin at 5:30. See directions to Edman Chapel.

Wheaton College Science Symposium: "Evolutionary Theory: Implications for Science and Christian Belief"

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The Wheaton College Science Division hosts the 2012 Wheaton Science Symposium, "Evolutionary Theory: Implications for Science and Christian Belief" March 28-29.

This two-day event focuses on exploring the intersection of science and Christianity. World-renowned experts will lecture on evolutionary theory, evaluating human theories and other modes of explanation while considering the relationship between scriptural insights and scientific findings.

The symposium is divided into four sessions with themes including Science and Theology as Ways of Knowing; Lessons from the Cell: What Can We Learn from Molecular Biology?; Genes, Theology, and the Origin of Humanity; and Moving Forward: New Paradigms for Interactions Between Science and Christianity.

Speakers include Dr. Kathryn Applegate, program director at the BioLogos Foundation; Dr. Michael J. Behe, professor of biological sciences at Lehigh University; Dr. Jack Collins, professor of Old Testament at Covenant Theological Seminary; Dr. Darrel R. Falk, professor of biology at Point Loma Nazarene University; Dr. Paul Nelson, adjunct professor in the MA Program in Science and Religion at Biola University; Dr. Alvin Carl Plantinga, professor of philosophy at the University of Notre Dame; Dr. Fazale Rana, executive vice president of research and apologetics at Reasons to Believe; Dr. Jeffrey Schloss, director of the Center for Faith, Ethics and Life Sciences at Westmont College; and Dr. Richard Sternberg, Research Scientist at the Biologic Institute.

A pre-symposium introductory session by Dr. Raymond Lewis, professor of Biology at Wheaton College, will be offered at 4:15 p.m. Tuesday, March 27 in room 145 of the Science Center located at 430 Howard Street in Wheaton.

This symposium is co-sponsored by Wheaton College's Center for Applied Christian Ethics; the Wheaton College Faith and Learning Program; the John and Madeleine McIntyre Chair of Philosophy and History of Science; and the Wheaton College Chaplain's Office.

All symposium sessions will be held in Coray Gymnasium, located at 421 Chase Street in Wheaton. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Biology Department at 630.752.5008. To view the schedule and list of speakers, visit www.wheaton.edu/biology.

Hastert Center Event: The Missionary Roots of Liberal Democracy

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The J. Dennis Hastert Center for Economics, Government and Public Policy is hosting a lecture by Robert D.Woodberry addressing "The Missionary Roots of Liberal Democracy" at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 27 in room 339 of Blanchard Hall.

Robert D. Woodberry is director of the Project on Religion and Economic Change and an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Texas at Austin. His current research uses both historical and statistical methods to analyze the long-term impact of Protestant and Catholic missions on education, civil society, economic development, and democracy around the world. This research is summarized in a forthcoming article in the American Political Science Review. As part of this project, he built a global, geo-spatial database of virtually all Protestant and Catholic missionary activity, education, and medical work from the mid-19th to mid-20th centuries.

In this free lecture, Dr. Woodberry will examine the impact of missionaries on both democracy and economic development. A reception will follow. Blanchard Hall is located at 501 College Avenue in Wheaton. For more information, call 630.752.5975.

America The Beautiful Film Screening and Discussion

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Wheaton College's Center for Applied Christian Ethics will screen the film America the Beautiful by filmmaker Darryl Roberts at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 20. The screening, and discussion will take place in the Lecture Hall of the Science Center, located at 430 Howard Street. A discussion will follow.

The screening is one of several events for “eMBODY,” CACE’s spring conference. The conference takes place March 19-21.

America the Beautiful documents America's obsession with physical perfection and the deadly risks associated with our nation's quest.

“Here at CACE, we want to encourage the campus and community to reconsider our assumptions about what we must do with our bodies,” says CACE director Dr. Vincent Bacote. “This film challenges viewers to rethink our standard of beauty.”

The screening is free and open to the public. For more information, call the CACE office at 630.752.5886 or visit www.wheaton.edu/cace.

William A. Von Hoene, Jr. Lectures on Politics, Economics, & Energy

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The J. Dennis Hastert Center for Economics, Government, and Public Policy is hosting a lecture by Exelon Corporation Vice President William A. Von Hoene, Jr. addressing “Politics, Economics & Energy” at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 15.

As executive finance and legal vice president of one of the nation’s largest public utilities, Mr. Von Hoene is responsible for the departments of finance, legal, communications and public affairs, federal governmental and regulatory affairs and public policy, audit and controls, investments and strategy. He joined Exelon in 2002, and has held numerous positions within the company before assuming his current responsibilities in 2009. Von Hoene serves on Exelon’s Executive Committee and is a member of the Boards of Directors of Nuclear Electric Insurance Limited, the Alliance to Save Energy, the Bipartisan Policy Center Energy Project, and the Board of Advisors of Flying Food Group.

This energy lecture is free and open to the public and takes place in room 145 of the Science Center, located at 430 Howard Street in Wheaton. For more information, call 630.752.5975.

Arena Theater to Perform Benefit for Japanese Quake Victims

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:39:00 -0600

A group of Wheaton College alumni will present a series of 10-minute plays and songs as part of an arts movement benefitting Japan’s theater community on the anniversary of last year’s earthquake.

The Arena Theater at Wheaton College will host “Shinsai: Theaters for Japan” at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 11. Arena Theater is one of more than 70 organizations nationwide and beyond presenting plays to benefit Japan’s theater community. Prominent Japanese and American playwrights are allowing their works to be performed royalty-free for the event. “Shinsai” means “great quake.”

There is no charge for the event, but donations are encouraged. Funds will be dispersed to the Japanese theater community by the Japan Playwrights Association.

“Shinsai: Theaters for Japan” was founded by James Yaegashi, a New York-based actor who graduated from Wheaton in 1995. Yaegashi, who has family near the site of the quake, mobilized friends in the theater community to help fellow artists.

On Wheaton’s campus, a group of 15 alumni and current students will perform a series of mini-plays and monologues. Each actor participated in Workout, Wheaton’s academic and artistic training program for students interested in developing vocal, physical, and improvisational skills.

“A project like Shinsai allows Arena Theater to connect with the world in a very tangible and theatrical way. It’s wonderful that Wheaton can be a part of that, especially since one of our alumni is its creator,” says technical director Andy Mangin. “The material that has been donated by playwrights for this event tells stories of tragedy, loss, rebirth, and hope.”

“Our hope is that audiences will not only be able to donate to the reconstruction of theaters in Japan, but that they will also engage with the people who experienced the earthquake and tsunami,” Mangin says. “We want this event to do what theater does best—connect us to one another.”

Arena Theater is located in Jenks Hall at 433 North Howard Street in Wheaton. For more information, call 630.752.5800. General information about the project is available on the website of Theatre Communications Group, tgc.org.

Lovetown, PA Comes to Billy Graham Center Museum

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0600

Wheaton College President Dr. Philip Ryken along with the Billy Graham Center Museum at Wheaton College and several community partners will host the Lovetown Celebration, a series of events Tuesday, March 13 related to a new exhibit opening March 12.

“Lovetown, PA” features the artwork of New York-based community artist Gene Schmidt. In 2010, Schmidt crafted stencils from square panels of reclaimed scrap wood in order to spell out the text of 1 Corinthians 13. Schmidt then laid the panels in various locations throughout Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love. Photographer Alicia Hansen captured images of the text in interaction with the city’s people and environments, producing thought-provoking, relational imagery that challenges viewers to interact with the Scripture commonly known as the “love chapter” in new ways.

Several of the images appear in President Ryken’s book Loving the Way Jesus Loves (Crossway), published in January. Dr. Ryken was pastor of Philadelphia’s Tenth Presbyterian Church before becoming president of Wheaton College in 2010.

“First Corinthians 13 contains a command that every Christian should take to heart. The command is simply this: ‘Pursue love,’” Dr. Ryken says. “This is the high calling of the love of Jesus.”

To open the exhibit, Dr. Ryken and the Museum will host a Lovetown Celebration in Barrows Auditorium, located in the Billy Graham Center, at 7 p.m. Events are free and open to the public, and include the screening of a video presentation about Lovetown-inspired community art projects coordinated by Wheaton College students throughout DuPage County.

As part of these student-led workshops, members of the community stenciled letters from Schmidt’s panels on sweatshirts. An additional workshop, hosted by Jericho Road Church in Wheaton, will take place at 11 a.m. March 11 at Lowell Elementary School, located at 312 S. President St. in Wheaton.

The March 13 evening events will also include an interview with Lovetown artist Gene Schmidt, and a panel discussion on the intersection of art, faith, and community relationships. Featured in the discussion will be Wheaton Mayor Michael Gresk; Billy Graham Center Executive Director Lon Allison; Iglesia del Pueblo Teaching Pastor Hanibal Rodriguez; and Wheaton College art instructor Leah Samuelson. Theology instructor David McNutt of Wheaton College will moderate the panel.

Dr. Ryken will sign copies of Loving the Way Jesus Loves and artists Schmidt and Hansen will sign prints of the exhibit photography during a reception in the Sacred Arts Gallery of the Billy Graham Center Museum at 8:30 p.m. Refreshments will be provided.

“These events are not only open to the public, they are designed for the public,” says Billy Graham Center Museum Coordinator Eric Durbin. “My deepest hope for Lovetown events is to see authentic relationships forged between members of campus and the local community.”

Additional installations of the exhibit will be displayed in the lobbies of Edman Memorial Chapel and the Sports and Recreation Center; as in Adams Hall; Buswell Library; near the Perry Mastodon display in the Science Center; the Beamer Center; and a hallway in the Billy Graham Center.

The Lovetown Celebration events are made possible through generous sponsorships by Windsor Park, a Covenant Retirement Community, and by Crossway. The exhibit will run through May 31.

The Billy Graham Center Museum is located at 500 College Avenue in Wheaton. It offers free parking and is wheelchair accessible. For more information, visit wheaton.edu/bgcmuseum, or call 630.752.5909.

Wheaton College Statement Regarding Arrest of Professor

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0600

Wheaton College was informed this afternoon by the DuPage County State's Attorney’s Office that Donald Ratcliff, a professor at the College, was charged with two counts of Aggravated Child Pornography. Dr. Ratcliff has been placed on administrative leave.

MARCH 7, 2012

Wheaton College was informed on Thursday, March 1, by the DuPage County State's Attorney’s Office that Dr. Donald Ratcliff, a professor at the College, was charged with two counts of Aggravated Child Pornography. Dr. Ratcliff is scheduled for a court hearing on Thursday, March 8.

Wheaton College is a Christian liberal arts college with shared moral commitments and expectations for all members of our community. As a Christian community, we find pornography morally objectionable. Our Community Covenant states, in part, ‘Scripture condemns … sexual immorality, such as the use of pornography…’ Child pornography, by its very nature, always involves victimization of the most vulnerable, and thus is particularly abhorrent.

It is our policy and practice to respond with both appropriate accountability and Christian compassion if we become aware that a member of our community has acted in a manner inconsistent with any aspect of the Community Covenant. Wheaton College is cooperating fully with the police investigation of the charges against Dr. Ratcliff, who has been placed on administrative leave pending further review.

Within the Wheaton College faculty community, many knew that Dr. Ratcliff in December, 2010, had resigned his position, with that resignation effective June 30, 2012. His interim replacement for the 2012-13 academic year was hired several weeks ago. Plans are underway to conduct a search for the next permanent faculty appointment to this academic department.

MARCH 28, 2012

Dr. Ratcliff's employment at Wheaton College was terminated March 14.

New Hearing Loop System Enhances Edman Chapel

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0600

A new hearing loop system recently installed in Edman Memorial Chapel at Wheaton College is enhancing the venue’s accessibility to members of the community with hearing impairments.

Hearing loop systems transmit sound through a line of electromagnetic wire installed around the venue. The transmission is received through a coil in hearing aids and cochlear implants. The activated coil receives the sound being transmitted from a microphone, without background noise.

J.R. Smith, Director of Academic and Media Technology at Wheaton, says the hearing loop system is an improvement over the FM receiver assistive listening system also installed at Edman.

“This system enables those with hearing aids and cochlear implants to hear services and performances more clearly,” Smith says. “Listeners can switch their assistive devices to the ‘T,’ ‘T-Coil,’ or ‘telephone’ position to take advantage of it. For those who do not have T-Coils, we offer self-contained assistive listening devices at Edman to help them enjoy events at the chapel.”

Dr. Tony Payne, General Manager of the Wheaton College Artist Series, says he has received positive feedback from patrons who have used the new system at recent Artist Series events on campus. “I’ve already been approached by patrons who are taking advantage of this resource and enjoying it,” he says. “This enhancement makes Edman Chapel a more usable, more welcoming space.”

Audiometrist Scott Lightbody of Hearing Specialists of DuPage provided labor for the installation of the hearing loop, and can assist users who wish to install or optimize T-Coils in their hearing aids or cochlear implants. Hearing Specialists of DuPage is located at Town Square in Wheaton.

Summer Camps and Programs Offered at Wheaton

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0600

Wheaton College invites the community to take part in the following summer camps and programs.

Athletic Camps

Wheaton College athletic camps provide excellent instruction in basketball, football, soccer, tennis and wrestling within the context of Christian character development and sportsmanship.

Basketball Camp, June 18-22 or June 25-29
Coached by an outstanding team of collegiate and high school coaches and led by Wheaton College’s Men's Head Coach Mike Schauer, the Wheaton College Basketball Camp returns for its 46th season. Camp options include day camps for 1st–9th grade girls and boys and a one-week residential camp for 6th–9th grade boys.

Football Camp, June 22
The Wheaton College Line Camp provides excellent instruction in the fundamentals of offensive and defensive line play. Campers will also have the opportunity to be physically tested in several areas in order to help evaluate physical potential and set realistic goals. Head Football Coach Mike Swider, Assistant Coach Jeffrey Peltz and Kansas City Chiefs Outside Linebacker Andy Studebaker will coach this one-day camp designed for 10th-12th grade boys.

Soccer Camps, June 25 – 29
Two soccer camp opportunities are offered during the last week of June: a week-long day camp for grades 3-8 boys and girls, and a Wheaton College Elite Soccer Academy overnight camp designed for high-school aged boys interested in maximizing their soccer abilities over an intense two-day period. Both camps are patterned after Wheaton College’s own men’s soccer program and seek to help students maximize their soccer abilities in a positive and fun environment.

Tennis Camp, June 11 – July 27
The Wheaton College Tennis Camp provides instructions for players of all skill levels for this lifetime sport. Camps are designed for girls and boys grades 2-12 and are offered in one-week sessions throughout the summer.

Wrestling Camp, June 12-15 and July 16-20
This Wheaton College Wrestling Camp gives 1st-12th graders the chance to train with Wheaton’s head wrestling coach and two-time Olympic wrestler Jim Gruenwald. Offered two separate weeks during the summer, camp goals include teaching character and leadership skills; high-percentage; low-risk techniques; and strategies to improve core strength and proper nutrition.

Enrollment in these programs is now underway. For more sports information, please call 630.752.5079.

Summer Arts Opportunities at Community School of the Arts
The Community School of the Arts (CSA) at Wheaton College offers summer programs that feature a variety of music, art, theater and creative movement classes for students of all ages – from toddlers to adults.

Summer Arts Junior, June 11-15, July 9-13
Half-day morning camps designed for children ages 18 months through seven years offer courses in art, music and creative movement. Because the two sessions are different but complementary, students have the option to enroll both weeks.

Summer Arts Encounter, June 25-29
During this weeklong day camp, students in 2nd-12th grade can choose from a variety of art, music and theater courses including 3-D public art, calligraphy, chimes and handbells, acting, crocheting, show choir, and a special chamber group.

Mini Session, May 21-June 29
CSA also offers a 6-week session of unique classes for that meet once a week. Class offerings include Suzuki Sampler classes, Ceramics (for children or adults), Stuffed Animal Workshop, Recorder, and an Under the Sea art experience.

Registration will begin on March 1. An early bird discount applies to registrations received before April 15. Brochure and registration materials are available online at www.wheaton.edu/csa or by calling the CSA office at 630.752.5567.

HoneyRock Residential Camp, June 25-August 10
HoneyRock is an 800-acre facility on the eastern shore of Long Lake, Wisconsin, owned and operated by Wheaton College since 1951. Summer residential and wilderness expeditions provide rustic experiences for young people to make new friends, learn new activities, face personal challenges, and have fun.

Camp sessions run through the summer from June 25-August 10, and include one-and two-week sessions for 3rd – 8th graders, advance camp sessions specifically designed for transitioning 9th graders, and a four-week adventure camp for 10th-12th graders. Cost varies per camp session. For more information, call 630.752.5124, or visit www.honeyrockcamp.org.

ISAE Produces DVD Series on Christianity in America

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0600

The Institute for the Study of American Evangelicals (ISAE), a center for research and programming at Wheaton College, recently produced a six-episode DVD series on the 400-year history of American Christianity.

People of Faith: Christianity in America examines key themes, controversies, and people in the history of the American church.

Dr. Larry Eskridge, Associate Director of the ISAE, says the three-hour series is designed for church-based adult and teen education classes and small groups in an effort to promote general knowledge about church history and discussion about the historic, contemporary and future role of the church in American culture and society.

"We have found that generally there’s been a big effort to educate people on early church history. And, depending on the particular church tradition a person or group is associated with, they tend to know about different aspects of their own history," Eskridge says. "For example, Anglicans might be more familiar with the Reformation, or Catholics with the mediaeval church. But most people are a little short when it comes to American history. This documentary provides a lot of background for the contemporary scene we find ourselves in, and approaches topics from evangelical, as well as mainline Protestant and Catholic perspectives."

The six programs include "Faith in the New World: From Monarchs to the Marketplace" (a basic historical overview); "Many Mansions" (a look at the diversity within American Christianity); "Rebels With a Cause" (a look at some of the ways in which the church has been involved in social and political reform and disputes); "The Challenges of Change" (the role of innovation in shaping the historic and contemporary church); "Homegrown Saints" (stories of 10 important and representative figures in the sweep of American church history); and "The Future of Faith" (A discussion of current issues and future directions).

Funded by a grant from the Lilly Endowment, Inc. grant, the series features interviews with more than 30 scholars and church figures, including civil rights activist Rev. Joseph Lowery; Martin Marty and Jean Bethke Elshtain, both of the University of Chicago; ISAE co-founder Mark Noll and Philip Gleason, both of the University of Notre Dame; Joel Carpenter of Calvin College; Thomas Kidd of Baylor University; Darren Dochuck of Purdue University; and Kathryn Long of Wheaton College. The series was written by veteran author Steve Rabey, and was produced and directed by Tim Frakes, with assistance from documentarian Paul Butler.

"The real merit of the whole series is that it presents some pretty important themes in American church history and does it within a pretty short time span," Eskridge says. "We hope it inspires people to read and study on their own."

A trailer of the documentary can be seen on the website of distributor Vision Video. The ISAE website is isae.wheaton.edu. For more information or purchasing details, contact either website.

Hastert Center Event: In Praise of the 10,000-Mile Diet

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0600

On Wednesday, February 22, author and professor Pierre Desrochers will present a lecture titled, "In Praise of the 10,000-Mile Diet: How the Globalized Food Supply Chain Benefits our Economy and Environment."

The lecture, which is sponsored by the J. Dennis Hastert Center for Economics, Government, and Public Policy, will take place at at 7 p.m. Wednesday, February 22.

Dr. Desrochers is a well-known critic of the locavore movement. He recently co-authored The Locavore’s Dilemma, which critiques the ethos of the "eat local" movement as a solution to global food issues. The book has been described as a feisty, scrupulously-researched deconstruction of the "eat local" ethos. In it, Desrochers and co-author Hiroko Shimizu argue that opening up international trade rather than reducing food miles, is the real route to sustainability. They suggest eating globally, not only locally, is the way to save the planet.

Desrochers is an associate professor of geography at the University of Toronto. He is a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for the History of Political Economy at Duke University and a Julian Simon Fellow at the Property and Environment Research Center.

This lecture is free and open to the public. The website for the Hastert Center is www.wheaton.edu/hastertcenter.

John Gration M.A. '52 (1926-2012): Missions Activist

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0600

Dr. John A. Gration, professor emeritus and founding chair of the missions and intercultural studies graduate department at Wheaton College, died Sunday, January 29, at 85.

Following his service in the U.S. Navy, John Gration attended Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, where he met and married Dorothy Harpel. After earning a bachelor’s degree in Bible and philosophy at Gordon College, he moved toward fulfilling a childhood dream of becoming a missionary to Africa. The couple applied to serve with Africa Inland Mission (AIM) and was accepted. In preparation for the mission field, he attended the Wheaton College Graduate School, receiving a master’s degree in theology in 1952. That same year he was ordained by his home church in Ridgewood, New Jersey, completing a short pastorate before leaving for Africa.

The Grations served as missionaries to Africa for 15 years—twelve in Zaire and three in Kenya. Upon their return in the States, he assumed the position of associate home director of AIM. He received a Ph.D. from New York University in 1974 and also studied at Princeton Theological Seminary. Widely respected as a missiologist, he was recruited by Wheaton to expand its graduate missions program in 1975. Dr. Gration committed to join the College’s faculty for one year; 20 years later, he retired.

While at Wheaton, he not only taught missions courses, but also was instrumental in helping create other mission-related programs, including ethno-musicology courses, the Human Needs and Global Resources (HNGR) program, and the TESOL certification program. Ultimately he laid the foundation for the current M.A. degree programs in intercultural studies.

“John was the heart and soul of the missions department. He was a careful thinker who never forgot that mission ultimately involves action in both speaking and doing,” said Professor and Chair of Intercultural Studies Scott Moreau. “The original curriculum he developed for our degree still serves as the anchor for our current curriculum and speaks of his wisdom and ability to get at the heart of God's mission for the Church.”

In 1994 he received Wheaton College’s Distinguished Service to Alma Mater Award, in recognition of his devotion to the College and its students. “I find nothing more exciting,” Dr. Gration said, “than helping people unpack their dreams. It goes back to my days in the Navy, which were very formative in terms of what it means to pour your life into someone else’s life.”

Survivors include his wife, Dorothy; his son, Scott (Judy); his daughters Barbara (Scott) and Judy (George); and 11 grandchildren.

Visitation for Dr. Gration will be held from 4 - 8 p.m. Saturday, February 4 at the Hultgren Funeral Home in Wheaton, located at 304 North Main Street. The funeral service will take place at 3 p.m. Sunday, February 5 at the Wheaton Bible Church, located at 27W500 North Avenue in West Chicago.

Evangelist Luis Palau to Speak at Wheaton

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:14:00 -0600

Author and evangelist Luis Palau will deliver a lecture at 7 p.m. Monday, February 13, titled “Increasing the Evangelism Temperature in the Local Church.”

For more than 50 years, speaker, teacher, author, and spiritual leader Luis Palau has been a powerful spokesperson for the relevance, reality, and significance of spirituality for individuals around the world. His work has taken him to more than 73 nations and his campaigns have allowed him to present a clear case for Christianity with more than 1 billion people through television, radio, print, and live events.

Dr. Palau is known as one of the world’s leading experts in Christianity – standing strong for issues of faith and the importance of a vibrant, healthy spiritual life according to the teachings of the Bible. He is well regarded by leaders around the globe, including past presidents, church clergy, scientists, and business professionals.

Having spent much of his career serving the people of Latin America – including several years of service in war-torn Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and Guatemala – Dr. Palau is regarded by many as the most influential spiritual leader in the region in the last 50 years.

He is the author of more than 40 books; his most recent title is Changed by Faith: Dare to Trust God with Your Broken Pieces . . . and Watch What Happens. He is also the host of three international daily radio programs, and head of the Luis Palau Evangelistic Association, with offices in Portland, Oregon; Miami, Florida; London, England; and Buenos Aires, Argentina. He has dedicated his entire life and career to presenting the claims of Jesus Christ and the importance of our spiritual lives with as many people as possible.

This event is sponsored by the Billy Graham Center Institute of Strategic Evangelism. Free and open to the public, it takes place from 7-8:15 p.m. in Barrows Auditorium, located in the east wing of the Billy Graham Center at 500 College Avenue in Wheaton. This event does not require tickets; however, please call 630.752.5904 to RSVP. For more information, you may also email Billy.Graham.Center@wheaton.edu.

Political Science Professor to Offer Perspective on State of the Union

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0600

Associate professor of politics Dr. Amy Black will participate in Moody Radio’s coverage of tomorrow’s State of the Union address.

Black, who chairs the politics and international relations department at Wheaton, is co-editor of Religion and Politics: Classic and Contemporary Perspectives (Pearson Longman, 2011).

Her other books include Beyond Left and Right: Helping Christians Make Sense of American Politics (Baker Books, 2008), and the forthcoming Honoring God in Red or Blue: Approaching Politics with Humility, Grace, and Reason (Moody, June 2012).

Her recent Christianity Today cover story, “The Cure for Election Madness,” offers three keys to civil civic discourse.

Black will join host Greg Wheatley and a panel of experts including President Jimmy Carter, Chuck Colson, and Dr. Frank Wright, president of the National Religious Broadcasters.

The programming begins at 7 p.m. CST, and will continue for an hour following the address. WMBI is broadcast locally at 90.1 FM. To listen online, visit wmbi.org.

Swanson to Train Mentors for Kansas Inmates

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0600

Dr. Karen Swanson, Director of the Institute for Prison Ministries (IPM), a ministry of the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College, will train mentors to inmates preparing for release in Kansas this March.

In connection with Freedom Ministries of Kansas, Swanson will conduct training sessions March 10-14, starting in Topeka and continuing throughout the state. Freedom Ministries is collaborating with the Kansas Department of Corrections as a lead organization in a program called Mentoring4Success.

Mentoring4Success, a statewide faith-based initiative led by Kansas Governor Sam Brownback, is designed to help offenders safely and successfully return to communities. The community-based effort recently reached its goal of garnering 500 volunteers.

“Providing mentor training is a great privilege for IPM as we partner with the faith-based community and the Kansas Department of Corrections in this historic opportunity to collaborate and increase public safety,” Swanson says. “Research indicates that prisoners reentering society are more successful if they have a social support network. Mentors can provide that.”

The author of several books on ministry to offenders and their families, Swanson is a founder of the Correctional Ministries and Chaplains Association, a professional association for Christians in correctional ministries.

Her training sessions will provide information to help mentors understand criminal thinking errors, develop motivational interviewing skills, and work effectively with ex-offenders from backgrounds of generational poverty.

Freedom Ministries of Kansas may be contacted through its website, freedomministriesinc.com.

Buis to Discuss Spirituals, MLK on WMBI's Midday Connection Broadcast

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0600

In celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Wheaton College music professor Dr. Johann Buis will be a featured guest on WMBI’s Midday Connection Monday, January 16. The focus of the radio broadcast will be “Spirituals and Christian Hope during Oppression.”

Buis will share the historical background of spirituals.

“Spirituals are the remarkable artistic expressions of people in bondage embracing their newfound Christian faith,” he says. “Through song, they expressed both the immediacy of their own reality and the transcendence of the gospel's reality.”

He will also discuss the important role the spirituals played in the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“King found sustenance for his nonviolent resistance by invoking biblical injunctions and the slave wisdom drawn from spirituals,” Buis says. “In his ‘Letter from a Birmingham Jail,’ he writes that slaves ‘built the homes of their masters in the midst of brutal injustice and shameful humiliation--and yet out of a bottomless vitality they continued to thrive and develop.’”

“This ‘bottomless vitality’ of the slaves found expression in creating songs of immense richness,” Buis adds.

In addition to their historical significance, Buis says, the spirituals are relevant now. "Today, we draw upon that wellspring of folk song to nurture our souls and examine our own reality and bondage,” he says. “Sorrow songs expressing lament and jubilee songs that express rejoicing show us the bookends of the human condition.”

Buis, an associate professor of musicology in the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music, is the current president of the Forum on Music and Christian Scholarship.

The discussion airs at noon on WMBI, broadcast locally at 90.1 FM, as well as online.

Graduate Course Inspires Children's Book

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0600

Philipe Carvalho, a student in Wheaton’s M.A. in Biblical and Theological Studies program, recently published a children’s book about the creation narrative.

The First Children, colorfully illustrated by P.J. Tamayo, is a retelling of Genesis 1 through the eyes of children. The book explores the innocence of creation, and Adam’s interactions with the world around him, culminating with the introduction of Eve. It was published by Legacy House Publishing.

“I love the arts, and want to use them not only as a learning tool, but also as a form of apologetic,” Carvalho says. The First Children was inspired in part by a Christian Theology course Carvalho took with Dr. Jeffrey Barbeau, associate professor of theology.

“During one of our lively discussions about God’s attributes, we began discussing creation. Dr. Barbeau had Michelangelo’s The Creation of Adam projected, and within the course of the discussion alluded to Irenaeus’ theory of Adam and Eve being created as children first,” Carvalho says. “I took this point to heart, attempting to visualize how it might have been.”

Carvalho also wrote the book to help his two young daughters understand the idea of God as creator, and how people can relate to him. “The story of Adam and Eve serves as an example of how we should be with God, and is at the same time a telling illustration of how we fail to understand the power and responsibility given to us,” he says. “I found that writing a children’s book was an excellent way to hone my ability to introduce and reveal biblical concepts in a way that is illuminating, tangible, and relatable to others.”

For Carvalho, who worked in Hollywood as a story editor before beginning his studies at Wheaton, The First Children is one of many books he hopes to publish. He is currently at work on a graphic novel for youth.

Environmental Studies Major Publishes Research Report

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0600

Research by Wheaton College senior Curtis Witek was recently published in “Green Awakenings: Digging Deeper,” a publication of Renewal, a Christ-centered creation care network of college students.

The Green Awakenings report identifies assets and barriers to creation care on Christian college campuses. Witek designed the study and served as a research manager. Along with other students affiliated with Renewal, he researched creation care initiatives at more than 60 Christian colleges and universities throughout the U.S. and Canada for the 10-month research project.

The report identified assets to creation care, which include active support of key faculty members, staff members who offer expertise, support from members of the administration, coverage of environmental issues in campus media, and interdepartmental collaboration. It also outlines barriers to creation care and offers ideas for overcoming them.

Additionally, the report includes a Campus Stewardship and Sustainability matrix listing various creation care initiatives at Christian colleges.

Witek hopes the report will serve as a resource for students who want their campuses to move toward better stewardship of the environment. “The final report is not a blueprint or a roadmap for starting a new initiative,” Witek says. “It is a launching point for better questions and more nuanced strategies.”

With the report, Witek says, “students, faculty members, staff and administrators can be better equipped to identify which assets they can mobilize at their schools, where they need to build capacity, and how to anticipate and overcome common barriers.”

Witek, an environmental studies major, currently serves as president of A Rocha Wheaton, a student-led Christian conservation group. In addition to his recent work on the Green Awakenings report, Witek co-authored two reports on the Chicago Climate Change Action Plan during an internship with the Environment, Culture, and Conservation Division of the Field Museum in Chicago during the summer of 2010. Last summer, he completed an internship with the Center for Neighborhood Technology, a “think-and-do” tank promoting sustainable living in urban neighborhoods.

The Green Awakenings report is available for download at renewingcreation.org.

Wheaton Faculty Publish Books on Reading, Politics, and More

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Wheaton College faculty regularly publish books and articles. Faculty members who have recently published books include:

Dr. Daniel Block, Gunther H. Knoedler Professor of Old Testament
How I Love Your Torah, O LORD! Studies in the Book of Deuteronomy
(Cascade Books, 2011)
Block seeks to recover the life-giving message of the Old Testament by exploring the meaning of specific texts and considering their relevance for Christians today.

Dr. Brian M. Howell, Associate Professor of Anthropology
Introducing Cultural Anthropology: A Christian Perspective (Baker Academic, 2011)
This introductory text, co-authored with Dr. Jenell Williams Paris of Messiah College, helps students understand the role of culture in human experience from a Christian perspective.

Dr. Alan Jacobs, Clyde S. Kilby Chair and Professor of English
The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction (Oxford University Press, 2011)
Arguing that people still read, Dr. Jacobs focuses on how to approach different types of literature—exploring everything from silent reading to reading on electronic devices.

Dr. Karen Jobes, Gerald F. Hawthorne Professor of New Testament Greek and Exegesis
Letters to the Church: A Survey of Hebrews and the General Epistles (Zondervan, 2011)
Dr. Jobes explores the cultural and theological background of Hebrews and the General Epistles and how these books connect with Christian faith and practice today.

Dr. Sandra Joireman, Professor of Politics and International Relations
Where There Is No Government: Enforcing Property Rights in Common Law Africa
(Oxford University Press, 2011)
Dr. Joireman explains how weak state enforcement regimes have allowed private institutions in sub-Saharan Africa to define and enforce property rights.

Dr. Philip G. Ryken, Wheaton College President
King Solomon: The Temptations of Money, Sex, and Power (Crossway, 2011)
King Solomon was the world’s wisest and wealthiest king, but tragically he threw it all away for the love of money, the pleasures of sex, and the powers of an earthly kingdom. In a Christ-centered study of the life of Solomon, Dr. Ryken writes about how—by the grace of God—to prevent those downfalls and seek God’s glory amid earthly temptations.

Our Triune God: Living in the Love of the Three-in-One (Crossway, 2011)
With co-author Dr. Michael LeFebvre, Dr. Ryken examines the doctrine of the Trinity and its implications for the Christian life.

Wheaton Ceramics Students Partner with Community to Raise $3600 for Local Food Pantry

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0600

On Monday, art students in Wheaton College’s Advanced Ceramics Class raised more than $3600 for the Interfaith Food Pantry located in Carol Stream’s Outreach Community Center.

The students sold handmade mugs and bowls in the Todd M. Beamer Student Center as part of the Empty Bowls Project, an international grassroots initiative that mobilizes potters, craftspeople, and educators to fight hunger. For a cash donation, guests sip coffee or eat a simple meal of soup and bread, and keep the mug or bowl as a reminder of members in the community who face hunger and food insecurity. All proceeds are given to a local organization.

The Starbucks located in downtown Glen Ellyn donated coffee for the Empty Bowls Project, and soup was donated by Bon Appetit, the restaurant management company that provides food services to the campus. Students in ceramics classes from Waubonsee Community College and College of DuPage donated mugs and bowls from their programs to the project.

The Interfaith Food Pantry serves the Warrenville, Winfield, Wheaton, Carol Stream and Glen Ellyn areas and provides about a week’s worth of food, including laundry powder, diapers, two pounds of meat, bread and fresh vegetables and fruit to more than 350 families a month. Treasurer Jim Householter said the donation will allow the pantry to provide food to its clients for a month.

This is the second year students in Wheaton’s Art Department have participated in the Empty Bowls Project. In 2009, they raised $1700 for the Interfaith Food Pantry.

Jean Bethke Elshtain, Charles Marsh to Keynote 21st Annual Wheaton Theology Conference

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 13:56:00 -0600

The Wheaton College Biblical and Theological Studies department will present the 21st annual Wheaton Theology Conference April 12-13. The topic of the conference is “Bonhoeffer, Christ, and Culture.” Conference participants will explore Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s thought and ministry, focusing particularly on his views of Jesus Christ, the Christian community, and the Church’s engagement with culture. The conference is co-sponsored with InterVarsity Press.

Keynote speaker Jean Bethke Elshtain is the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Professor of Social and Political Ethics, Divinity School, The University of Chicago, and holder of the Leavey Chair in the Foundations of American Freedom, Georgetown University. Elshtain’s books include: Democracy on Trial; Augustine and the Limits of Politics; Who are We? Critical Reflections, Hopeful Possibilities; and Sovereignty: God, State, and Self. She lectures internationally on themes of democracy, ethics, religion, politics, and international relations.

Charles Marsh is Professor of Religious Studies and Director of The Project on Lived Theology at the University of Virginia. He is the author of Reclaiming Dietrich Bonhoeffer: The Promise of His Theology; God's Long Summer: Stories of Faith and Civil Rights; Wayward Christian Soldiers: Freeing the Gospel from Political Captivity; and Welcoming Justice: God's Movement Toward Beloved Community (with John M. Perkins). Marsh is currently writing Strange Glory: A Life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, to be published by Knopf (New York) and Ullstein (Berlin).

The lineup of speakers also includes Lori Brandt Hale, Joel Lawrence, Stephen Plant, Reggie Williams, and Philip Ziegler.

For more information about the conference and speakers, or to register, visit the Theology Conference website.

Wheaton College Launches Humanitarian Disaster Institute

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0600

This fall, Wheaton College launched the Humanitarian Disaster Institute (HDI), an interdisciplinary academic research center for the Christian disaster and humanitarian service community worldwide.

The Humanitarian Disaster Institute is the first faith-based academic disaster research center in the country, and one of the few disaster or humanitarian centers in the Midwest.

Wheaton College psychology professors Dr. Jamie Aten and Dr. David Boan direct HDI, which includes College faculty from the departments of intercultural studies, economics, politics and international relations, theology, and urban studies, in addition to psychology faculty. These faculty fellows serve as the core researchers on the Institute’s major projects, which also involve undergraduate and graduate students.

In addition to its research goals, HDI will develop current and future humanitarian disaster volunteers, practitioners, and scholars. It provides technical assistance to partners including churches, faith-based relief organizations, humanitarian organizations, research centers, and state and federal agencies.

Aten’s areas of expertise include the integration of psychological science and theology, with an emphasis on disaster-related mental health and trauma. He became interested in founding a research center related to humanitarian issues during his research related to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Hurricane Gustav in 2008, and the Mississippi Delta tornadoes and the Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill, both in 2010.

“The vision for this institute started as I saw how underserved and vulnerable populations were having difficulty accessing mental health services after Katrina,” Aten says. “From there, I started gaining a lot of interest in the role the church plays, and particularly how churches were meeting some real needs in the greater community that weren’t being met elsewhere. Churches seemed to have unique callings, resources, and infrastructures that equipped them to work with disasters.”

Aten joined the Wheaton College faculty as the Dr. Arthur P. Rech and Mrs. Jean May Rech Associate Professor of Psychology last year.

Boan began consulting on the Humanitarian Disaster Institute in 2010 and joined the faculty of Wheaton College this year. His current work focuses on such topics as knowledge transfer, community and organizational capacity building, community resilience and faith-based organizations, and public health and disasters. Boan’s work in public health led him to study the relationship between health and disasters in Chengdu, China, following the 2008 earthquake.

Current research projects of the institute include studying the responses of Haitian clergy to mental health and spiritual needs following last year’s earthquake; collecting data on the impact of childhood trauma on faith; exploring ways to reduce gender-based violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo through partnerships with churches and non-governmental organizations; and examining the ability of faith-based organizations to respond to humanitarian disasters.

More information about the Humanitarian Disaster Institute is available at wheaton.edu/HDI.

The Billy Graham Center Museum hosts Advent Events for Children

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0600

The Billy Graham Center Museum at Wheaton College is hosting a series of one-hour worship services designed to engage children with the wonder and anticipation of the Advent season. Through a unique storytelling format and multi-sensory materials, visitors of all ages are invited to explore stories from the Bible about the birth of Jesus. Participants will have opportunity to respond to the presentations with simple arts and crafts, prayer, journaling, reading, visual arts, and materials for retelling their own story.

Services will be held Saturdays December 3, 10 and 17 at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., and Sundays December 4, 11, and 18 at 4 p.m. The events are free and open to the public and take place in the Billy Graham Center Museum Rotunda area. Stories in the same weekend are identical. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

The Billy Graham Center Museum, located at 500 College Avenue in Wheaton, offers free parking and is wheelchair accessible. For more information, visit the Museum website or call 630.752.5909.

WETN's Uncle Lar Broadcasts Christmas Cheer

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0600

For the first 11 months of every year, the Wheaton College community knows Dr. Larry Eskridge as the historian who serves as Associate Director of the Institute for the Study of American Evangelicals.

But in December, Eskridge doubles as Christmas music director at WETN, the FM radio station at Wheaton College, where he hosts “Uncle Lar’s Christmas Attic,” a Saturday program featuring music from his collection of 850 Christmas CDs. This year, the programs air from 3 to 6 p.m. on Saturdays, and are rebroadcast the following Wednesday from 9 p.m. to midnight.

Eskridge has hosted the program for about 10 years, and assisted with WETN’s Christmas programming for a decade before that. WETN begins playing Christmas music the day after Thanksgiving, and most of the 2,300 Christmas songs in the station’s playlist come from Eskridge’s collection. Although the tracks are stored on the station’s hard drive, the CDs they come from fill nine shelves in Eskridge’s Wheaton basement.

Each show is organized around a theme, which allows Eskridge to share music from almost every genre with listeners. “Having grown up during the 1960s and 70s, when stations weren’t as targeted to specific demographics, I listened to a wide range of music, and developed an ear for a wide range of genres in my listening habits,” Eskridge says. As a result, his Christmas collection includes big band jazz, soul, classical, choral, rock, pop, contemporary Christian, gospel, and country music.

The collection also includes several albums he describes, with a historian’s restraint, as “a tad amusing.” These include a Christmas album with songs from the cast of the television show Bonanza, and a 1980 Star Wars-themed Christmas album featuring a pre-stardom Jon Bon Jovi and tracks like “What Can You Get a Wookie for Christmas (When He Already Owns a Comb?).” Eskridge is saving such gems for the final show on December 31.

Upcoming programs include a sampling of 1920s to 1970s jazz, R&B, and soul, to air December 10 and 14; country and bluegrass tunes, airing on December 17 and 21; Christmas songs from the 1960s through 1980s, airing on December 24 and 28; and a collection of unconventional yuletide fare on New Year’s Eve.

WETN is available 24 hours a day on radio, on television, and online. In and around DuPage County, tune in at 88.1 FM. WETN-TV is available to Comcast Cable customers in Warrenville, West Chicago, Wheaton, and Winfield. To listen online, visit wetn.org.

ISAE Receives Grant to Study the Life of Billy Graham

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0600

The Institute for the Study of American Evangelicals (ISAE), a center for research and programming at Wheaton College, was recently awarded a grant to study the impact of the life, career, and ministry of evangelist Billy Graham. Graham graduated from Wheaton College in 1943.

The grant, provided by the Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment, Inc., will fund a two-year study.

Dr. Larry Eskridge, Associate Director of the ISAE, says that Graham’s ministry of more than 60 years provides a unique lens for examining American religion and the larger story of American cultural and political history over the last 100 years.

“Graham’s vast influence in promoting world evangelism and missions through efforts including the Lausanne Committee means that he may well have been the singular most important figure in world Christianity during the 20^th century,” Eskridge says.

The Institute plans to use the grant in several ways, including funding research grants that will promote the collections of the Billy Graham Center Archives; sponsoring of a series of lectures and course offerings at the College; holding a series of day-long symposia on Graham’s legacy at major seminaries; producing a DVD documentary designed for classroom and adult study group use; commissioning articles on aspects of Graham’s ministry for clergy and lay audiences; and supporting scholarly research and writing to culminate in a conference on Wheaton’s campus in the fall of 2013.

More details about the project will be available on the ISAE website, isae.wheaton.edu.

British Literature Expert to Lecture

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0600

M.L. Stapleton will deliver a lecture at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, December 8, titled "Correcting Julius Caesar: How a Variorum Shakespeare Edition Works."

Dr. Stapleton is the Chapman Distinguished Professor of English at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW), where he specializes in early modern British literature. He is the author of numerous books and articles and the co-editor of the New Variorum edition of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.

The lecture, presented by the E. Beatrice Batson Shakespeare Collection and the English Department at Wheaton College, takes place in room 339 of Blanchard Hall, located at 501 College Avenue in Wheaton. A holiday reception will follow. For more information, call 630.752.5051.

College Saddened by Death of Student Ramie Harris

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0600

The Wheaton College community is deeply saddened by the death of junior psychology major Ramie Lynn Harris. Ramie, 21, was killed in a small plane crash that occurred on the morning of Saturday, November 26, along with her father, Ray Harris; younger sister Shey, a junior at Anderson University in Indiana; and Chris Backus, a senior at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana. Ramie was known as a responsible, hard-working, and dedicated young woman, and the College is grieved by her loss.

“Tragedy becomes personal for us every time we learn of the death of someone we love, or someone we know, or someone who belongs to us by connection of church or city or nation or school,” Dr. Philip Ryken, Wheaton College president, said to the campus community during a Chapel service Monday, November 28. “This is a fallen world, in which airplanes sometimes fall from the sky, and in which all of us live with the knowledge that we too will die.”

“But this world is also governed by a merciful God, who has a good plan for all his children. He even rules over death, and because of his love for us in Christ, he has now welcomed Ramie into the safety of his eternal care.”

Ryken shared that, in a conversation with Ramie’s mother, Sherry Harris, Mrs. Harris talked about how her daughter’s faith sustained her, and about Ramie's appreciation for the Wheaton College community, which she joined as a transfer student.

“I am sad this morning. I am sad for the passing of a sister in Christ who will never walk this campus again. I am sad for those who knew Ramie and her father and her sister and their friend. I am sad most of all for the great sorrow that has come upon her mother and brother,” Ryken said.

“But I am grateful to God that even in this sad loss there is reason for thanksgiving. Today we live in hope for the coming of Jesus Christ. We believe, as Ramie did, that there is forgiveness for us through the cross and life for us through the empty tomb,” Ryken concluded.

“We claim these promises for Ramie Lynn Harris as our sister in Christ.”

The visitation for Ramie, Shey, and their father, Ray, will be held from 2 to 8 p.m. EST, December 2, at the Marion High School Gym in Marion, Indiana. A memorial service is scheduled for 10 a.m. EST Saturday, December 3 at the same location. An obituary for Ramie is available here.

Nonword and Upward Student Art Show

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0600

The "Nonword and Upward" annual art show, a juried exhibition celebrating the talent and vision of Wheaton College undergraduates, opens Thursday, December 1. The student exhibits will be displayed through January 19 in the Hansen Main and Small Galleries on the first floor of Adams Hall.

Gallery hours are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Adams Hall is located in the center of the Wheaton College campus, north of Blanchard Hall at 501 College Avenue in Wheaton. Admission is free. For more information, contact the Art Department at 630.752.5050.

Poetry Reading by Adam Zagajewski

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0600

The English department at Wheaton College offers a poetry reading by poet Adam Zagajewski at 7 p.m., Thursday, December 1.

Adam Zagajewski is one of Poland’s most accomplished poets. He has earned an international readership, and he has received numerous awards and honors for his contemporary poetry. His most recent books in English are Unseen Hand;Eternal Enemies; and Without End: New and Selected Poems, which was nominated for a National Book Critics Circle Award. Zagajewski is a visiting professor of social thought at the University of Chicago.

This event is free and open to the public. It takes place in the east wing of Edman Memorial Chapel, located at the northeast corner of Washington and Franklin streets in Wheaton. For more information, call 630.752.5051.

Camerata Chicago Performs Free Lunchtime Concert

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600

A free lunchtime concert, sponsored by the Artist Series and the Conservatory of Music at Wheaton College, will take place from 11:30 a.m - 12:45 p.m. Monday, November 28.

The concert will feature Camerata Chicago, a chamber orchestra serving Chicago and its surrounding communities. Conductor Drostan Hall will direct the performance and guest musician Suzanne Hou will perform the Bruch Violin Concerto.

Free and open to the public, the concert will take place in Coray Alumni Gym, located in the Todd M. Beamer Center at 421 North Chase Street in Wheaton. Lunch will be available for purchase in Anderson Commons for $9.25. For more information, call 630.752.5099

Memorial Service for Professor Emerita Gladys Christensen

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600

A Memorial Service to celebrate the life of Gladys Christensen, who passed away on November 8, will take place on Saturday, November 26, 2011, at 11 a.m. in Pierce Memorial Chapel. Wheaton College Chaplain, Rev. Dr. Stephen B. Kellough will officiate, with the Dean of the Conservatory Dr. Michael Wilder, assisting.

Ms. Christensen served as professor of organ and harpsichord in Wheaton's Conservatory of Music from 1954 to 1988. Gladys was very well known in the community and will be greatly missed. She was very active in the American Guild of Organists having memberships with the Chicago, North Shore, and Fox Valley Chapters over many years. She was a graduate of the Wheaton College Class of 1949, and Professor of Music Emerita at Wheaton College at the time of her death. During her teaching years at Wheaton, she also taught Church Music, Music Theory, Organ Literature and Pedagogy. She attended many masterclasses throughout the USA and Europe, and studied organ with many of the great teachers of her time. She was well-loved and well-respected throughout many musical circles in Chicagoland.

Gladys had asked that memorial gifts be made to the Lester Wheeler Groom Organ Recital Endowment which funds guest organ concerts, as well as student scholarships at Wheaton College. She established the Foundation years ago with the intention that it will continue to support organ music at Wheaton. Checks can be made out to Wheaton College with "Lester W. Groom Endowment" on the memo line, then mailed to Wheaton College Investment Services, 501 College Ave., Wheaton, IL 60187.