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Wheaton College Recognizes Dr. S. Douglas Birdsall '75 for Distinguished Service to Society

Fri, 10 May 2013 00:00:00 -0500

The Wheaton College Alumni Association recognized Dr. S. Douglas Birdsall as Alumnus of the Year for Distinguished Service to Society at a ceremony earlier today.

Birdsall, a 1975 graduate of Wheaton College, was recently appointed to serve as the 27th president of the American Bible Society. He has devoted his 33-year career to strengthening churches and uniting Christian leaders for the cause of world evangelization. Birdsall is respected around the globe for his capacity to network, mobilize, and inspire leaders to collaboratively engage with the key theological and missiological challenges of our time.

Wheaton College President Dr. Philip Ryken ’88 said that Birdsall’s life has been marked by “kingdom relationships that facilitate kingdom work.”

Noting that as a student Birdsall hoped to serve in parish ministry, Ryken reflected that God had greatly expanded Birdsall’s youthful vision. “God has given you the world as your parish,” Ryken said.

Wheaton College Alumni Association President Chris Jahns ’82 called Birdsall “a builder of bridges and a catalyst of collaboration among believers worldwide.”

Following his graduation from Wheaton College with a B.A. in biblical and theological studies, Birdsall married classmate Jeanine Rowell Birdsall ’75. After the completion of his M.Div. at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary in 1979, the Birdsalls moved to Japan, where they served with Asian Access for the next 20 years, expanding the ministry from its base in Japan to establish leadership training centers in 12 countries across Asia. He holds a Th.M. from Harvard University, and is currently a Ph.D. candidate at Oxford Centre for Mission Studies. The Birdsalls have three children: Stacia, Judson ’04 M.A. ’06, and Jessamin.

As chairman of the Lausanne Movement, Birdsall convened the Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization in Cape Town, South Africa in 2010. This Congress, which brought together 4,200 evangelical leaders from 198 nations, was described by Christianity Today magazine as “the most representative gathering of Christian leaders in church history.”

“For me and literally thousands of others, Lausanne as shaped and led by Doug has been a powerful force for good,” Associate Professor of Intercultural Studies Emerita Dr. Evvy Hay Campbell ’68 said during her tribute to Birdsall.

In an acceptance speech rich with his favorite Scriptures, Birdsall dedicated the award to his wife Jeanie and told the story of their shared ministry.

“We have journeyed together,” Birdsall said. “Without her partnership, love, faith, prayer and encouragement, our ministry simply would not have been possible.”

He thanked God for the opportunity to have lives shaped by faculty and staff who “modeled the integration of Christian faith with every discipline of life.”

“When I think about Wheaton College, I think about the introduction to great people, great ideas, great vision, and great hymns—hymns that later catechized our children, that taught us to trust God in all circumstances.”

“Throughout the years since I’ve graduated I’ve been so proud to be a part of the alumni network, which is unparalleled in the global church,” Birdsall said.

“We thank God for what Wheaton College has meant to us, and to the world.”

Artist Series at Wheaton College Presents The Old Town School of Folk Music on the Road

Thu, 02 May 2013 00:00:00 -0500

The Artist Series at Wheaton College presents The Old Town School of Folk Music on the Road, featuring Corky Siegel and the Chamber Blues, banjo virtuoso Michael Miles, and vocal trio The Sons of the Never Wrong at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 4.

The concert will feature songs from the blues, bluegrass, gospel and folk traditions.

Corky Siegel’s 40-year career has been defined by his creative combination of classical and blues music. Siegel and the Chamber Blues began performing in 1988 and have been recognized for their original and unexpected sound ever since.

“Corky Siegel is one of Chicago’s legendary artists--he has been innovating for decades,” says Artist Series General Manager Tony Payne “This is an opportunity to celebrate the brightest and best of Chicago with the Wheaton College Artist Series.”

In a 6 p.m. free pre-concert event titled “The Folk Music Tradition of Chicago,” Siegel will highlight the musical styles and traditions featured in the evening program.

Both the pre-concert event and the concert will take place in Edman Memorial Chapel, located on the northeast corner of Washington and Franklin streets in Wheaton. Ticket prices range from $37–$50 for general audience with discounts for students and seniors over 60. For more information, or to order tickets, call the Ticket and Information Office at 630.752.5010. Online orders may be placed through May 2 at www.ArtistSeries.org.

Wheaton Faculty Publish Books on Faith Traditions, Military Service, and Literary Classics

Wed, 01 May 2013 11:01:00 -0500

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

Dr. Leland Ryken, professor of English emeritus, Dr. Philip G. Ryken, Wheaton College President, and Dr. Todd Wilson ’98 M.A. ‘01, Senior Pastor of Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, Illinois
Pastors in the Classics: Timeless Lessons on Life and Ministry from World Literature (Baker Books, 2012)
An exploration of the ways the clergy have been portrayed in literary classics ranging from The Canterbury Tales and The Scarlet Letter to A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and The Poisonwood Bible.

Dr. Daniel I. Block, Gunther H. Knoedler professor of Old Testament
Ezekiel’s Hope: A Commentary on Ezekiel 38-48 (Cascade Books, 2012)
Dr. Block’s interfaith dialogue with the late professor Jacob Milgrom illuminates chapters in Ezekiel from both a Christian and a Conservative Jewish perspective.

Chris Castaldo, director of the Ministry of Gospel Renewal, Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College
Journeys of Faith: Evangelicalism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Catholicism, and Anglicanism
(Zondervan, 2012)
Examining the migrations between Christian faith traditions, Castaldo and others explain and defend their conversions to different religious affiliations.

Dr. George Kalantzis, associate professor of theology
Caesar and the Lamb: Early Christian Attitudes on War and Military Service (Cascade Books, 2012)
Dr. Kalantzis focuses on the attitudes of the earliest Christians toward war and military service.

Dr. Richard L. Schultz, Blanchard Professor of Biblical Studies and Old Testament
Out of Context: How to Avoid Misinterpreting the Bible (Baker Books, 2012)
Dr. Schultz illustrates how the Bible can be misinterpreted and explains the importance of context, word meaning, and genre.

Dr. Chris Vlachos, assistant professor of New Testament
James: Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament (B&H Academic, 2012)
Dr. Vlachos surveys the best introductory, grammatical, and exegetical positions of modern commentators on the Greek text of James.

Dr. James C. Wilhoit, Scripture Press Chair of Christian Formation & Ministry
Discovering Lectio Divina: Bringing Scripture into Ordinary Life (IVP Books, 2012)
Dr. Wilhoit and Dr. Evan Howard reintroduce the lectio divina, an ancient practice of scripture reading, meditation, and contemplation.

Wheaton College to host a Live Broadcast of "180 with Karl Clauson" April 25

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0500

The Media Relations Department at Wheaton College will host a live broadcast of the radio program “180 with Karl Clauson” on Thursday, April 25 from 4-6 p.m. During the broadcast, Karl Clauson of AM 1160 WYLL, Chicago’s Christian Talk Radio, will interview Wheaton faculty and students.

Karl Clauson, a native Alaskan, loves adventure. He completed the 1,100-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race at the age of 18. In his mid 20s, after years of being raised in church, but missing the life found in Christ, Karl experienced a deep spiritual transformation, and became passionate to share it. Karl has spoken nationally at marriage conferences with FamilyLife for 11 years and most recently served as lead pastor of ChangePoint in Anchorage, Alaska.

“180 with Karl Clauson” focuses on society and everything in it—politics, the church, pop culture—and asks how God is involved in all of these areas and how he wants us to respond. The program is designed to offer encouragement and to cast a vision of God’s greatness.

Free and open to the public, the live broadcast of “180 with Karl Clauson” will take place in the Fireside Room, located on the lower level of the Todd M. Beamer center at 421 Chase Street in Wheaton. Parking is available in the lot east of the Billy Graham Center (campus map). For more information, contact the Media Relations office at 630.752.5015.

Billy Graham Center Museum Opens Special Exhibit to Honor George Beverly Shea (1909-2013)

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0500

The Billy Graham Center Museum has mounted a special exhibit to honor the legacy of George Beverly Shea, who died yesterday.

Shea, a famous gospel soloist with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, sang at Graham’s evangelistic crusades for decades, often performing just before Graham preached. He was 104.

The exhibit consists of a dozen photos that chronicle Shea’s life from the 1940s through his 100th birthday in 2009.
Shea was known for his rich, resonant voice and soaring rendition of the hymn “How Great Thou Art.” He was a radio announcer, soloist, and Grammy Award-winning recording artist who produced more than 70 albums.

“I first met Bev Shea while in Chicago when he was on Moody Radio,” says Billy Graham ’43 in a news release from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. “As a young man starting my ministry, I asked Bev if he would join me. He said yes and for over 60 years we had the privilege of ministering together across the country and around the world.”

Dr. Lon Allison, Executive Director of the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College, describes Shea as “a friend of Wheaton College, and one of the happiest and friendliest people I’ve ever met.” The George Beverly Shea Recording Studio, located in the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College, is named in Shea’s honor.

Several members of the Wheaton College community have fond members of Shea. As a child, Director of Academic and Media Technology J.R. Smith grew up listening to Shea on Graham’s “Hour of Decision” broadcast. “George Beverly Shea was a friend of the family on the radio when I was growing up,” he says.

Later, as a graduate student at Wheaton, Smith worked in a Glen Ellyn recording studio that duplicated reel-to-reel recordings of “Hour of Decision” for international distribution. During the late 1990s, Smith, by then a College employee, decided to rename what was then called “Studio A” for Shea. It is now one of three locations in the Billy Graham Center named for Graham’s ministry colleagues, including Barrows Auditorium and the Wilson Suite.

Shea was moved by the honor. During his first visit to the George Beverly Shea Recording Studio, Shea recorded briefly, then took a photo that now hangs outside the studio. Shea maintained contact with Smith through the years, often recording interviews with WETN staff.

“He would call me once a year and say, in his booming voice, ‘J.R., how’s my studio doing? ’” Smith recalls. “At one point, he donated toward the upkeep of the studio. And every year, he would sing me a song over the phone.”

Today, the studio is often used for editing and mastering of Wheaton College Conservatory performances, including the recording of the Conservatory’s annual Christmas Festival.

Over the last few months, Wheaton College Conservatory graduate Nathaniel Olson ’11 enjoyed a friendship with Shea. Olson, a music performance graduate now studying for an M.A. in music at Indiana University, counted Shea as one of his heroes.

Olson’s paternal grandparents and great-grandparents sang in crusade choirs when Graham came to Minnesota. He remembers watching footage of crusades as a child and looking for his family members in the audience and in the choir.

“Of course, with Billy Graham, there was always George Beverly Shea singing before him,” Olson says. “Because I admired Mr. Shea as a boy, as singing became a serious calling, and a serious ministry for me, it was a great desire of my heart to meet him.”

Olson’s mentor, Marilee Melvin ’72, facilitated an introduction to Shea. Olson sent Shea some recordings of his performances of two songs from Shea’s repertoire —“How Great Thou Art” and “Fairest Lord Jesus”—and was thrilled when Shea’s family invited him to Montreat, North Carolina for a short visit last September.

“It was supposed to be a half-hour visit, but it turned into a six-hour adventure!” Olson says. “We just hit it off. Mr. Shea would start singing, then I would start singing. I played my trumpet for him. We spent the whole afternoon just sharing stories over fudge and coffee and singing. He prayed for me, and we kept in touch.”

Olson visited Shea and his wife Karlene again shortly after Shea’s 104th birthday in February.

“He insisted that I call him ‘Papa Shea,’” Olson says. “He was so approachable—such a humble, down-to-earth man who wanted to know about me and my life. He has so many wonderful stories, after singing for 220 million people around the world, but he wanted to know what I was singing, what I was doing. He told me about his life at my age, when he was working for an insurance company and unsure about his future.”

“I can still hear see him gesture toward his head and then his heart, saying ‘This is what you have, and when you use it for God, he blesses it,’” Olson says. “His main piece of advice to me was that the only thing that matters on this earth is what we do for the Lord Jesus Christ. That is what will last.”

Excerpts of Shea’s interviews with WETN, Wheaton College’s FM radio station, can be heard here. Additionally, the Billy Graham Center Archives has a memorial page for Shea here. The Billy Graham Center Museum exhibit honoring George Beverly Shea will be available during the museum’s regular hours. The Museum is located at 500 College Avenue in Wheaton. For more information, visit wheaton.edu/bgcmuseum.

Wheaton College Saddened by the Loss of Student Graham Stevens

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500

The Wheaton College community grieves the death of freshman Graham Elliot Stevens.

Graham, 19, was an undeclared major who was interested in biology. A Wheaton, IL resident and graduate of Glenbard South High School, he lived in the Smith-Traber residence hall.

Last Friday evening, Graham collapsed while participating in the Men’s Glee Club tradition of playing “Capture the Flag” on Blanchard lawn. He was immediately transported to Central DuPage Hospital, where he remained unconscious in the intensive care unit.

Because the medical professionals caring for Graham determined that there was nothing more that could be done, the Stevens family decided to withdraw life support. As a gesture of generosity in the midst of their grief, Graham’s family decided to extend his legacy by making his organs available for donation.

Graham died last night. He is survived by his parents, Jeffrey and Brenda Stevens, two sisters, and three brothers. On campus, he will be remembered with special care by his many friends, including his floormates who live on Traber 3 and his fellow singers in the Men’s Glee Club.

“As Graham’s family and close friends gathered by his side to say goodbye, I was encouraged to hear many wonderful stories about him,” said Wheaton College Chaplain Stephen Kellough. “Graham will be remembered as a young man who was full of life and vitality as a Christian believer, and as a good friend who sacrificed for others. I was especially moved to learn that Graham has friends who will remember him as the person who led them to faith in Christ.”

The Stevens family is affiliated with Blanchard Alliance Church, where Graham played piano as part of the worship team on the church’s Warrenville campus.

Brad Jones, the minister of music at Blanchard Alliance, was Graham’s piano teacher for several years. Jones described Graham as a gentle soul who loved the outdoors and showed special tenderness to his three younger brothers.

“Graham was quiet and gentle, but had a way of drawing people to him,” Jones said. “People just loved him. He had a winning smile, and a really hilarious sense of humor.”

Graham also enjoyed singing in groups and had gained confidence as a soloist over time. “He was a very cool-headed guy under the pressure of performing,” Jones remembered. “At church, I would throw new things at him at the last minute, and he’d say, ‘OK, I’ll try that.’ He knew that he had something to offer, and was willing to share it.”

Jones said that Graham was known as a listening ear to his friends. “He had a lot of wisdom, and a special capacity to be with people who were troubled. His friends often thought of him as a counselor—and a counselor who always directed them to Jesus.”

A Memorial Service for Graham will be held at 6:30 p.m. Easter Sunday, March 31, at the Blanchard Alliance Church, located at 1766 S. Blanchard Street in Wheaton. Visitation begins at 5 p.m. and will continue after the service.

Wheaton College and the Trinity Forum Present "An Evening Conversation with Os Guinness" April 3

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500

Wheaton College and The Trinity Forum present “An Evening Conversation with Os Guinness” at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 3.

Trinity Forum founder Dr. Os Guinness will discuss his latest book, A Free People’s Suicide: Sustainable Freedom and the American Future (InterVarsity Press, 2012). Wheaton College President Dr. Philip Ryken will give opening remarks.

Guinness is an author, social critic, and founding Senior Fellow of the Trinity Forum, a nonprofit organization that works to cultivate networks of leaders whose integrity and vision will renew culture and promote human freedom and flourishing.

Guinness has written or edited more than 25 books, including The American Hour: A Time of Reckoning and the Once and Future Role of Faith; Time for Truth: Living Free in a World of Lies, Hype, and Spin; The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life; Invitation to the Classics: A Guide to Books You've Always Wanted to Read; Long Journey Home: A Guide to Your Search for the Meaning of Life; and The Case for Civility: And Why Our Future Depends on It. His focus is on making academic concerns accessible to lay audiences, especially in the field of public policy.

The event will take place at the Union League Club of Chicago, 65 West Jackson Boulevard in Chicago. Registration for the evening event is $15. Online registration is here. For more information, please contact Luci Laffitte at llaffittee@ttf.org or 202.944.9881.

Francis Chan to Speak at 2013 Commencement Ceremonies

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500

Wheaton College is pleased to announce that Francis Chan will address graduates of both the College and the Graduate School in the May 2013 Commencement ceremonies.

Chan will address candidates for master’s and doctoral degrees from the Wheaton College Graduate School at 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 11, and candidates for bachelor’s degrees in the arts, sciences, and music education at 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 12.

Chan is founding pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, California, and is also the founder of Eternity Bible College. He is the best-selling author of Erasing Hell (David C. Cook, 2011), Forgotten God (David C. Cook, 2009), and Crazy Love (David C. Cook, 2008). Chan also co-authored the children’s books Ronnie Wilson’s gift (David C. Cook, 2011), The Big Red Tractor and the Little Village (David C. Cook, 2010), and Halfway Herbert (David C. Cook, 2010).

Chan is currently developing a church planting movement in the inner city of San Francisco and has recently launched a nationwide discipleship movement called “Multiply” along with pastor and author David Platt. He lives in Northern California with his wife, Lisa, and their five children.

The ceremonies, as well as the 7:30 p.m. Festival of Faith concert Friday May 10 and the traditional Baccalaureate Service at 9 a.m. on Sunday May 12, 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). At www.wetn.org, live audio and video will be available, including to mobile devices, and video will be archived for on-demand viewing.

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

Wheaton College Opposes District 41's Intention to Take its East Campus

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500

On March 13, Glen Ellyn School District 41 announced its intention to acquire Wheaton College’s East Campus property for the purpose of constructing a new junior high school. The District’s “E-News” letter stated that if Wheaton College will not voluntarily sell its East Campus property to the District, the District “may decide to pursue its legal right as a governmental body to purchase the property without the owner's consent through eminent domain.”

Wheaton College strongly opposes the District’s proposed course of action.

As a private institution, Wheaton College does not have the government’s power to acquire property through eminent domain. Rather, with careful planning and foresight, the College may acquire strategic property only when neighboring owners are willing sellers. More than 15 years ago, the College purchased the parcels comprising its 15-acre East Campus property, located at 1825 College Avenue along the Wheaton-Glen Ellyn border, for its own long-term objectives related to its educational and religious mission. The College has communicated with the District that selling the East Campus property is not a viable option.

It is unfortunate that one educational institution would consider an attempt to take the property of another. Yet the District’s proposal to consider an eminent domain action against the College also seems poorly conceived:

The District has dismissed the possibility of renovating its current facilities and has rejected several alternative sites. Yet the District’s view that it could purchase Wheaton College’s East Campus property for only $3 million, the amount designated from the District’s reserve funds, shows a significant undervaluation of the property. The College’s recent purchase of a nearby 5.3 acre parcel for more than $8 million suggests a value of its East Campus property in excess of $20 million.

The District’s proposal to attempt a forcible taking of the College’s East Campus and then sell it at some time in the future if community support cannot be obtained to build a new campus is ill-advised and unfair and, armed with the power of eminent domain, puts the College at risk of losing millions of dollars.

The District’s newsletter informs its constituents that if it initiates an eminent domain proceeding, it can “abandon the process at any point.” This approach shows little consideration for the College’s rights and fails to recognize the potentially high cost of such a strategy. For example, a few years ago Illinois Prairie School District 204 initiated eminent domain proceedings to obtain a 55-acre site on the border of Aurora and Naperville to build a new high school. When a jury recently priced the property at $31 million, more than twice the school district’s valuation, the school district abandoned its efforts to acquire the land. This led to a court order requiring the school district to pay the landowners $5.9 million in costs, expenses, and attorney’s fees.

In addition to being unfair, the District’s proposal is unwise. Wheaton College has significant, unique legal protections by virtue of its Charter from the State of Illinois, as well as Federal and State religious freedom rights.

The District’s proposed course of action runs counter to its proclaimed values of developing a “culture of care” that respects the rights of others, values cooperation with the local community, and eradicates bullying.

Wheaton College will vigorously defend itself against any attempt by the District to take its property by eminent domain, and encourages the District to reconsider its course.

Artist Series Presents Harlem Quartet March 22

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0600

The Wheaton College Artist Series presents the Harlem Quartet in concert on Friday, March 22 at 7:30 p.m.

The Harlem Quartet, which debuted at Carnegie Hall in 2006, has performed on stages around the world. Its members have also performed with the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Pops, and the Atlanta, Baltimore, Cleveland, Detroit, National, New World, and Pittsburgh symphony orchestras.

The New York-based string ensemble’s mission is to advance diversity in classical music while engaging young and new audiences through the discovery and presentation of varied repertoire, highlighting works by minority composers. They will perform classical works by Mozart and Schubert, as well as jazz compositions by Chick Corea and Billy Strayhorn.

“Harlem Quartet is the total package,” says Artist Series General Manager Dr. Tony Payne. “I was drawn to the quartet by their rendition of ‘Take the A Train.’ They have credentials from the finest music schools, mature classical chops, and a wholehearted commitment to education.”

As a pre-concert event, Wheaton College’s guest lecturer in viola, Rose Armbrust Griffin, will host “Get With the Program,” a conversation with the members of the Harlem Quartet about the evolution of string quartet music and the evening’s program. The pre-concert event is free and open to the public and will take place in the east wing of Edman Memorial Chapel at 6:30 p.m.

The concert will take place in Edman Memorial Chapel, located on the northeast corner of Washington and Franklin streets in Wheaton. Ticket prices range from $37–$50 for general audience with discounts for students and seniors over 60. For more information, or to order tickets, call the Ticket and Information Office at 630.752.5010. Online orders may be placed at ArtistSeries.org.

Summer Camps and Programs Offered at Wheaton

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 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, soccer, tennis and wrestling within the context of Christian character development and sportsmanship. Each camp is run by the Wheaton College head coaches and staffs of the respective sports. Registration for the camps is now open for summer of 2013.

Basketball Camp, June 17-21 and June 24-28
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 47th season. Camp options include day camps for 1st–9th grade girls and boys and a one-week residential camp for 6th–9th grade boys.

Day Camp for boys and girls grades 6-9
June 24-28, 2013 (9 a.m. – 1 p.m.)
$195 before April 1, $215 after April 1

Day Camp for boys and girls grades 1-5
June 17-21, 2013 (9 – 11:15 a.m.)
June 24-28, 2013 (9 – 11:15 a.m.)
$105 before April 1, $125 after April 1

Residential Camp for boys grades 6-9
June 17-20, 2013
(Check-in on Monday, June 17 from 8-9:30 a.m. Departure on Thursday, June 20 at 5 p.m.)
$445 before April 1, $475 after April 1

For more information or to register online, visit the athletic website.

Soccer Camps, June 27-28 and July 12-13
Wheaton men's soccer team will run on four soccer academies this summer.
Wheaton College Elite Soccer Academy is an overnight camp designed for high-school aged boys interested in maximizing their soccer abilities over an intense two-day period. Campers will have the opportunity to receive personal coaching from Head Coach Dr. Mike Giuliano and assistant coaches Garrett Bireline and Joel DeLass. Camp sessions will be held June 27-28 or July 12-13. The $190 fee includes four meals, lodging and a t-shirt.

The Wheaton College Soccer Academy is a five-day long day camp for boys and girls in grades 3-8. Campers will be taught tools and techniques that will help them develop and reach their maximum potential. Camp sessions are scheduled for June 24-28 and July 8-12. Cost is $195.

All soccer camps offered 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 10 – July 26
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. Beginner-Intermediate campers will learn stroke fundamentals, scoring, strategy and sportsmanship, while stroke production, point play and match play will be emphasized in advanced camp. Pricing is based on the number of weeks attended. Rates range from $90 to $190 per week.

Beginner-Intermediate Camp- Ages 9-14 (9 - 10:30 a.m.)
Advanced Camp- Ages 13-18 (10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.)

Wrestling Camp, June 11-14 and July 15-19
Led by two-time Olympic wrestler and Wheaton College Head Wrestling Coach Jim Gruenwald, these wrestling camps will be geared towards grades 1-6 and 7-12 Camp goals include teaching character and leadership skills; high-percentage; low-risk techniques; and strategies to improve core strength and proper nutrition.

Day Camp for grades 1-6
June 11-14 (10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.)
$200 before April 1, $225 after April 1
July 15-19 (10 a.m.– 3:30 p.m.)
$250 before April 1, $275 after April 1

Day Camp for grades 7-12
June 11-14 (10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.)
$200 before April 1, $225 after April 1
July 15-21 (10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.)
$250 before April 1, $275 after April 1

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

Explore the Arts with Community School of the Arts
The Community School of the Arts (CSA) at Wheaton College offers a variety of programs this spring and summer that feature art, show choir, theater and early childhood music classes for students of all ages – from babies to adults.

Spring Arts, May 20-June 27
A 6-week intro to the arts for all ages. Spring Arts offers Suzuki Samplers in guitar, strings, flute, and harp. Visual Art classes include Superheroes, 3-D sculpture, and handbound books.

Summer Arts Junior, June 10-14, July 8-12
First arts experience designed in half-day sessions for children ages 6 months through 7 years. Summer Arts Junior offers art, music, and creative movement. The two sessions are different but complementary and students have the option to enroll both weeks.

Summer Arts Encounter, June 24-28
Adventure into the arts during this week-long day camp for students in 2nd–12th grade. Summer Arts Encounter offers show choir, theater, music, and visual arts including the creation of an outdoor art installation on the campus of Wheaton College.

Online registration will begin on March 4. Visit csa.wheaton.edu for a complete listing of programs and descriptions.

HoneyRock Residential Camp, June 24-August 9
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 24-August 9, 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.

Howard Hendricks (1924-2013): A Ministry of Multiplication

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0600

Dr. Howard Hendricks ’46, D.D. ’66 was one of the most influential Christian educators of the 20th century. The longtime professor at Dallas Theological Seminary died today at the age of 88. Dallas Theological Seminary has an obituary for Hendricks here; a tribute page is here.

Hendricks had a special connection to Wheaton College, where he met professors who took a personal interest in him and served as positive role models after his difficult childhood. “Wheaton College shaped my life more dramatically than any other exposure I’ve ever had,” he once said.

Later, Hendricks was professor, mentor and colleague to President Emeritus Dr. Duane Litfin.

“Howard Hendricks was a master teacher who marked for life whole generations of his students. None of us who sat at his feet were the same after being exposed to ‘Prof’ Hendricks,” Litfin says. “In my case, his tutelage continued after I became his faculty colleague, and he emerged as one of my greatest encouragers throughout my 17-year tenure as the president of his beloved Wheaton College. Howie and his wonderful wife Jean became our dear friends. We will miss him sorely.”

Here, you can listen to a chapel address Hendricks gave in 1998. Below is the text of an article about Hendricks by Dawn Kotapish ’92 that was published in the Autumn 1996 issue of Wheaton magazine.

A MINISTRY OF MULTIPLICATION
The dynamic ministry of Howard Hendricks has shaped the lives of many.
By Dawn Kotapish ’92
From Wheaton magazine, Autumn 1996

Last Alumni Weekend, members of the Class of 1947 gathered to celebrate their 50th college reunion. A lot had changed over the years, but some things remained the same, including the fact that the man at the microphone was the same individual who led his class fifty years ago as senior class president. Howie Hendricks ’46, D. D. ’66 was home.

Howard describes his more than 45 years of service as a ministry of multiplication, work committed to developing and shaping young lives. He articulated the importance and need for serious Christian educational training early on in his life, as Paul’s words of 2 Timothy 2:2 resonated with his own natural-born motivational gifts: “The things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” (NIV)

In 1950, with a master’s degree in theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, Howard founded what is today the 2,000-member McKinney Memorial Church in Fort Worth, Texas, with the support of his wife, Jeanne Wolfe Hendricks ’48. While serving in the pastorate, Howard realized that although he was trained to preach, he was unprepared for the educational leadership required. He began study in the field of Christian education at Wheaton’s Graduate School under Dr. Lois LeBar ’45 professor of Christian education emerita and the late Dr. Mary LeBar ’45, former professor of Christian education.

Later, Howard attended New York’s Biblical Seminary, and subsequently began to teach at his alma mater, Dallas Theological Seminary. In 1958 he founded the seminary’s first Christian education department, serving as professor and department chair. Howard also has served in various roles of church ministry, including pastor, assistant pastor, Christian education director and youth director. In 1976 he founded the seminary’s Center for Christian Leadership and continues to chair the center and serve as distinguished professor, teaching one semester a year.

“One of the most important principles I came to realize,” he says, “is that teaching is not primarily communicating a subject, it’s changing individuals. I found that I could give great lectures in the classroom, but that’s not really where I shaped lives.” And so the Hendrickses opened their home to a continual train of students, young men and women who came for small group discussions, discipleship, and friendship. “You can impress people at a distance, but you can only impact them up close,” he adds.

Among his former students are Dr. Joseph Stowell, president of Moody Bible Institute, Dr. Charles Swindoll, now president of Dallas Theological Seminary, and Wheaton’s own seventh president, Dr. Duane Litfin. On Alumni weekend 1996, Dr. Litfin presented his former professor with a 50-year Wheaton College “diploma.”

What comes as no surprise is that Howard, a great teacher, was once himself shaped by great teachers. Though winner of the senior English award in high school, Howard entered Wheaton as an underdeveloped freshman and tested into the lowest level of English. Flunking four major subjects during his first semester, he never had time to date or attend campus basketball or football games.

Then English Professor Dr. Laurence King stepped in.

“I can’t even put into words what that man did for me,” says Howard. “He shaped my thinking, developed my confidence, took a deep personal interest in my life. This was true of other Wheaton professors as well. “Raised in a broken home by family members who had never attended college, Howard had had few positive role models.

“I was like a piece of clay,” he says, “just looking for somebody to mold and shape me."

"Wheaton College shaped my life more dramatically than my any other exposure I’ve ever had.”

His Wheaton education in tow, Howard went on to become one of the century’s most powerful Christian educators. He has instructed countless students over his 45 years of teaching, ministered in 75 world nations, served on boards or advisory councils of more than 20 Christian organizations, served for eight years as chaplain of the Dallas Cowboys, authored, coauthored, or coedited 14 books, and preached on many national radio stations. He continues to serve as an active leader for the Promise Keepers ministry. In 1966, Wheaton conferred on him the honorary doctor of divinity degree.

Howard’s wife, Jeanne, was from the beginning an active participant in Howard’s ministry, which they describe as very much a team effort. For 10 years she facilitated a discipleship group in her home for the wives of Howard’s pupils, later reaching out to female students as the seminary’s student body diversified. She has spoken at a number of women’s conferences and joined Howard in presenting conferences for married couples.

Over the years, Jeanne has written a number of books, including a series written specially for women, such as Afternoon, A Woman for All Seasons, A Mother’s Legacy, and Women of Honor. Having always aspired to a career in writing and public relations, Jeanne has had ample opportunity to exercise her gifts in her work with Howard, attesting to the unique way in which God has worked to weave their individual talents and dreams together.

With four grown children attending to six daughters of their own, Howard and Jeanne plan to continue service at the seminary during the fall and maintain their active schedule of national and international travel during the remainder of the year. “Retirement is probably not for me,” Howard says. “As long as the Lord continues to give me health, I’m going to keep on going."

Artist Series Presents China National Symphony Orchestra February 21

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0600

The Wheaton College Artist Series presents the China National Symphony Orchestra in concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, February 21.

The China National Symphony Orchestra is one of the most outstanding professional symphony orchestras in China. The orchestra, founded almost 60 years ago, has been described as “solid, energetic and meticulously drilled” by The Washington Post.

The Thursday evening performance will feature Asian and European traditional compositions including Xia Guan’s Earth Requiem, Movement I and Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2.

“In keeping with our long tradition of presenting some of the world’s great orchestras, it is significant to present the China National Symphony Orchestra on the 2012-13 series--our first from a major Chinese city,” says Artist Series general manager Tony Payne.

A pre-concert event will be held in Edman Chapel at 6:30 PM on February 21 and is open to all. A representative of the Chinese Ministry of Culture will speak about the orchestra, the program and the arts in China.

Wheaton College Summer Basketball Camps

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0600

Wheaton College invites the community to take part in the 47^th session of Wheaton College Basketball Camps. Through the years more than 10,000 young men and women have attended the summer sessions especially designed for school aged children.

The camp program, which began under the leadership of Wheaton’s legendary coach Lee Pfund, teaches the fundamentals of offensive and defensive basketball while providing practical application of the sport within the context of Christian character development and sportsmanship.

The camps are staffed by nationally and locally recruited collegiate and high school coaches. Coach Mike Schauer, now in his fourth year as head coach of the Wheaton men’s basketball team, serves as camp director.

Day camps are available for boys and girls in 1st–9th grades. A one-week residential camp is available for 6th–9th grade boys.

Registration is now open for 2013 camps. Information for day camps and residential camps is listed below:

Day Camp for boys and girls grades 1-5
June 17-21, 2013 (9 – 11:15 a.m.)
June 24-28, 2013 (9 – 11:15 a.m.)
$105 before April 1, $125 after April 1

Day Camp for boys and girls grades 6-9
June 24-28, 2013 (9 – 1 p.m.)
$195 before April 1, $215 after April 1

Residential Camp for boys grades 6-9
June 17-20, 2013
(Check in on Monday, June 17 from 8-9:30 a.m. Departure on Thursday, June 20 at 5 p.m.)
$445 before April 1, $475 after April 1

Camp sessions take place in the King Arena, Eckert Recreation Center, and Coray Alumni Gym on campus. Residential campers are housed in the residence halls, have meals in the beautiful Anderson Commons and have access to Chrouser Natatorium’s Olympic-size indoor pool.

For more information, or to register online, visit the athletics website.

Wheaton College Senior Class Announces Class Gift to BRIDGE Program

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0600

The Wheaton College Class of 2013 will establish a new scholarship for students who complete a College-based summer enrichment program that prepares high school students for college, class leaders announced today.

The Senior Class Gift tradition began in 1876, when graduating seniors planted trees on Blanchard Lawn to show appreciation to their alma mater. In recent years, gifts have supported scholarships for international students and enriched the Wheaton Fund, which lowers the cost of tuition for future students.

This year’s seniors are raising funds to increase the number of students who can attend Wheaton College after completing the Building Roads to Intellectual Diversity and Great Education (B.R.I.D.G.E.), an intensive, four-week residential academic enrichment and leadership program that brings together first-generation, low-income, or African-American or Latino students from the Chicago area who are interested in preparing for college.

The free, two-year summer program prepares Christian high school students for college through a curriculum that fosters their intellectual, leadership and spiritual growth.

B.R.I.D.G.E. was developed by Veronica Ponce-Navarrette ’08, who envisioned and proposed the program as a Wheaton student and now coordinates it.

The Senior Class Gift committee voted to fund a scholarship this past weekend after considering five proposals.

“Our class agreed that giving the gift of a Wheaton education was one of the most precious legacies we could pass on,” says senior class president Chelsea O’Donnell. “The senior class gift committee chose to participate in the formation of the B.R.I.D.G.E. scholarship because we believe it will enhance the school environment as well as our mission as a College.”

Wheaton College President Dr. Philip Ryken has established deepening ethnic diversity as one of several strategic priorities for Wheaton’s future.

“Living in a diverse learning community that values cultural differences enriches the Wheaton experience for everyone and honors God’s intention for the body of Christ,” Ryken says. “I’m pleased that our seniors have a vision for deepening ethnic diversity on campus, and that they are choosing to do so in such a tangible way.”

Eighty-five students have participated in the program since its inception in 2009. Program graduates have matriculated at 24 colleges including Wheaton College, Trinity Christian College, Olivet Nazarene University, Carleton College, Denison University, Tuskegee University, and Fisk University.

To join the senior class in supporting B.R.I.D.G.E., visit wheaton.edu/giving.

Artist Series Presents Hubbard Street II Dance Company February 9

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0600

The Wheaton College Artist Series presents the Hubbard Street II Dance Company with the Wheaton College Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, February 9, at 7:30 p.m.

The Hubbard Street II Dance Company, formed in 1997, is directed by Taryn Kaschock Russell. The company is known internationally for its exuberant, athletic performances.

The six dancers will perform alongside the Wheaton College Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Daniel Sommerville, associate professor of orchestral music and conducting at Wheaton College. The program will include works by Johann Strauss, Georges Bizet, Alexander Glazunov, Bedrich Smetana, Henry Purcell, George Handel and more.

“We have been waiting a long time to present one of the great Chicago dance companies,” says Tony Payne, general manager of the Artist Series. “When Hubbard Street II Dance Company learned of the possibility of a symphonic collaboration with the Wheaton College Symphony Orchestra, they were highly motivated to make their debut on our series.”

As a pre-concert event, Hubbard Street II Dance Company director Taryn Kaschock Russell will speak on the topic “Get With the Program: An Invitation to Dance,” inviting guests into the complex and compelling world of dance from the perspective of a world-class dance company. The free pre-concert event takes place at 6:30 p.m. in the east wing of Edman Memorial Chapel.

New Archives Exhibit: Letters of Jonathan Edwards

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0600

The Wheaton College Archives & Special Collections of Buswell Memorial Library has mounted a new exhibit, titled “Jonathan Edwards: Puritan, Preacher, Philosopher.”

The exhibit is based on a collection of 16 letters related to Jonathan Edwards, noted theologian and prominent figure of the Great Awakening.

These original letters were written between 1752 and 1756. They were previously held by the Rhode Island Historical Society. The exhibit, placed on deposit at the Wheaton College Special Collections through the generosity of Brian and Sally Oxley, is on display through May 2013.

The Wheaton College Archives & Special Collections is located on the third floor of the Billy Graham Center, at 500 College Avenue in Wheaton, and is open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. For more information, call 630.752.5705.

Symposium on Child Slavery and Trauma in Haiti, January 22

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 10:07:00 -0600

Wheaton College's Humanitarian Disaster Institute (HDI) in partnership with the Restavek Freedom Foundation is hosting a symposium on child slavery and trauma in Haiti at 7 p.m. Tuesday, January 22 in the Phelps Room of the Todd M. Beamer Student Center

Restavek is a form of modern-day slavery that persists in Haiti, affecting one in every 15 children – around 300,000 in all. Typically born into poor rural families, restavek children are often given to relatives or strangers. In their new homes, they become domestic slaves, performing menial tasks for no pay.

The symposium will include presentations by Dr. Jamie Aten and Dr. David Boan, co-directors of Wheaton's Humanitarian Disaster Institute, Joan Conn, executive director of Restavek Freedom Foundation, and Dr. Rev. Wismick Jean Charles, Chancellor of University of Notre Dame – Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

In addition to the symposium, an exhibit titled "Restavek: A Day in the Life" will be on display from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. in the connecting Fireside Room. The exhibit is designed to shed light on the restavek system of child slavery in Haiti. It features video, large-scale visuals, audio and authentic Haitian articles, including a rigwaz whip still sold in markets today. It includes interactive stations that offer insight into the abuse, isolation and exhaustion typical of the restavek.

HDI is a college-wide interdisciplinary research center at Wheaton College dedicated to helping the vulnerable and underserved domestically and internationally.HDI is partnering with Restavek Freedom Foundation, Regent University's Child Trauma Institute, and local Haitian institutions to end the practice of restavek and heal the children affected by trauma.

Both restavek events take place in the lower level of the Beamer Center, located at 421 Chase Street in Wheaton. The exhibit is intended for an audience 12 years old and older. For more information, about the exhibit or the Center, call 630.752.5104.

Wheaton College's 'Pirates' Adds Contemporary Laughs to Classic Opera

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 16:31:00 -0600

When Wheaton College's Opera Music Theater presents Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic opera "The Pirates of Penzance" this week, theatergoers can expect a performance that sticks faithfully to the original, as performed in 1879.

Mostly.

“There may or may not be a little rap, maybe a little Gagnam Style,” hints director Andy Mangin, referring to the South Korean dance song that went viral last year. “Other than that, it’s a classic opera.”

Mangin says his light adaptation of the work—adding a few jokes specifically for college and community audiences—is in line with Gilbert and Sullivan’s satirical treatment of life and duty during the 1800s.

“Gilbert and Sullivan were able to poke fun at a lot of things that were contemporary during the turn of the century,” he says. “The reason that they were successful is they touched on themes that carry across generations, and packed some really smart material into some really smart tunes.”

The fully staged production includes a cast of singers and an orchestra led by Professor of Choral Music and Conducting Mary Hopper. Cindy Trowbrdge is music director, and choreography is by Linda Fortunato.

Mangin says working with a cast that includes students from beyond Wheaton College’s Conservatory and theater programs has allowed him to challenge the actors to dig deeply into their roles.

“What’s been exciting is saying to the singers, ‘You sing really well, but what else is funny, true, and engaging about your character?’” Mangin says. “The result is a lot of really fine performances by individual actors that makes for a production that’s satisfying as a whole.”

One thing that’s consistent across the centuries? Theatergoers should expect to laugh, says senior Tabitha Burchett, one of two students sharing the role of Mabel. “Don’t come thinking you’re going to see an opera where everything is stuffy, and we’re just standing there singing,” she says. “There’s so much for people to see, and receive, and laugh along with in this show.”

The show will run from January 16-19 at 7:30 p.m. All performances will take place in Pierce Memorial Chapel, located on the southeast corner of Washington and Franklin streets in Wheaton. General audience tickets are $10 and may be purchased at the door, or in advance by visiting the Wheaton College Ticket and Information Office, located at 418 North Chase Street in Wheaton. For more information, call the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music at 630.752.5099.

Wheaton College Professor to Lead Papyrus Research Project

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0600

Dr. Karen Jobes, the Gerald F. Hawthorne Professor of New Testament Greek and Exegesis at Wheaton College, has been selected to research a rare papyrus text owned by The Green Collection, the world’s largest private collection of rare biblical texts and artifacts. The Green Scholars Initiative announced the selection this week.

Jobes will lead a team of several ancient language majors who will transcribe, translate, and identify the text, then compare it to previous editions. The project will be displayed on campus later this semester, and submitted for publication in a volume published by Brill.

Jobes joins a growing group of internationally known academics at more than 30 colleges, universities and seminaries around the world who are conducting similar research projects on items in The Green Collection through the Green Scholars Initiative. The collection is named for the family who founded national arts and crafts retailer Hobby Lobby.

The initiative brings together young and established scholars to pioneer groundbreaking research on The Green Collection’s more than 40,000 rare biblical texts and artifacts, which will be displayed at a national Bible museum in Washington, D.C. The project also includes a companion lecture series.

Jobes was selected to join the initiative because of her academic background in Septuagint and Greek-language studies and her desire to mentor Wheaton College students in the research project. She is the author of various publications on the book of Esther, having served as translator for the British Library’s Codex Sinaiticus Esther. Jobes recently published Letters to the Church: A Survey of Hebrews and the General Epistles (Zondervan, 2011) and was general editor for Bringing the Bible to Life Series (Zondervan, 2008–2010).

“Few people have a career path with as much in-line and in-depth Septuagint and Greek study as Dr. Jobes,” says Dr. Jerry Pattengale ’81, executive director of the Green Scholars Initiative. “Dr. Jobes is very highly regarded by her peers in the academic community; in fact, she was among the first scholars I contacted when we began this program. She has been persistent in seeing this project launched now that the papyrus is ready for study.”

Jobes says her students will benefit from participating in the project in several ways.

“I’m hoping that participation in the project will stimulate my students’ interest in the continued study of texts from the ancient world, and will better help them understand how knowledge has been transmitted to us from the ancient world, including knowledge from biblical texts,” Jobes says.

“It would be nice if one of them developed an interest in specializing in papyrology in graduate school, but I’m hoping that all of them will experience the joy of discovery,” she adds. “Because we don’t know exactly what this text is, working on it together and enjoying it together will be an exciting experience.”

More information about the Green Scholars Initiative is available at demossnews.com/greencollection.

Wheaton College Professor Lends Expertise to the Battle Against Sexual Exploitation

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0600

Wheaton College psychology professor Dr. William Struthers teaches classes like “Behavioral Neuroscience” and “Men and Addictions.” The author of Wired for Intimacy: How Pornography Hijacks the Male Brain (InterVarsity Press, 2009), Struthers’ clinical research on compulsive sexuality and pornography use and his theoretical work on neuroethics have made him an authoritative voice for the movement to curb pornography access and sex-trafficking. His work is the subject of an upcoming documentary being produced for Australian churches.

During recent trips to the U.K. and Thailand, Struthers lent his professional expertise within two dramatically different contexts—the British Parliament and Thailand’s notorious red-light district, Nana Plaza.

In May, Struthers visited London to speak at Youthwork Summit, a one-day youth ministry convention sponsored by Premier Christian Radio, one of the largest Christian stations in the U.K. The radio station is involved in lobbying efforts to support legislation that would require Internet service providers to offer individuals the choice to opt into sexually explicit content when they begin their service.

With a parliamentary inquiry into online child protection underway in the U.K., Struthers was asked to share his research on how pornography exposure affects children. He presented his findings at a public meeting in the House of Commons before members of parliament and interested individuals.

"Right thinking about sexuality is a battle that has to be fought with each generation,” he says. “But this generation is being forced to wage it on a battleground that previous generations never had to, and that is the digital battleground.”

During the meeting, Struthers cited his recent survey of recovering pornography addicts that examines the subjects’ first exposure to pornography, their experience and reaction to that exposure, and measures of distress after the exposure. His research found that pornography accelerates sexual behaviors in children and leads to confusion and distress.

“You have material intended for adult eyes that’s being foisted upon a brain that’s not properly prepared for it,” he says. “What we’re finding in some of the research that I’ve been doing is that children more often than not are stumbling across this material. It’s unwanted, and they don’t know what to do with it.”

According to Struthers’ study, more than 80 percent of children, when exposed to pornography, never talk to anyone about it. “That first exposure is a very difficult, distressing event, and they never process it with anyone.”

With digital media making pornography harder than ever to avoid, Struthers says it is not uncommon for 6-, 7-, and 8-year-olds to be exposed to explicit material. Struthers believes that if “opt-in” legislation is passed in the U.K. and in other countries such as Australia, where he will present his research to parliament this spring, children will be less likely to stumble across pornography online.

Struthers’ next journey took him far from the halls of Westminster and into the grimy heart of the sex industry. In Thailand, Struthers and his wife met with Wheaton alumnus Jim Larson ’79 to learn about Servant Works, the ministry Larson founded to help women escape prostitution, drug abuse, and domestic violence. At Servant Works’ Bangkok facility, Struthers met with some of the women, who now make jewelry and garments as their new trade.

“I got to interview some of the women, to hear some of their stories of spiritual formation and stories of deliverance. I also got a chance to help them understand things at a deeper level psychologically,” he says.

The women had questions about the drug yaba, a methamphetamine and caffeine mixture, which has caused many of them to take up smoking as they go through withdrawal and recovery. Women who are dealing with alcoholism also smoke to cope with the recovery process. As a pharmacologist, Struthers helped them understand how nicotine can act as a stimulant or a depressant, depending on whether it is ingested in short puffs or long drags. “Nicotine is being used in this community as a way for them to deal with consequences of two very different types of drug addiction problems,” says Struthers. “Yaba’s a stimulant, and alcohol’s a depressant. They had never heard anything like that before.”

Struthers observed Servant Works’ ministry to at-risk children in rural communities. Many of these children are the children of sex-workers in Bangkok. The goal of this work is to help the children develop a Christian identity so that they avoid the sex trade. “There is an after-school program teaching them English and other things,” Struthers says. “They are putting together this model to go into the rural communities and not just do evangelism but also do rural community development.”

Bangkok’s red-light district, Nana Plaza, represents the ugliness that threatens to steal these children’s innocence. The three-tiered prostitution plaza is the world’s largest outdoor sex market, drawing men from various nationalities to participate in different forms of sexual exploitation.

Accompanied by staff from the MST (Men in the Sex Trade) Project, a ministry of Youth With a Mission, Struthers went on an outreach prayer walk through Nana Plaza, moving through each level and praying for both the men and the women. The MST Project is specifically about reaching the men who are soliciting sex, a goal that interests Struthers, who has written extensively about men and sexual addiction.

Struthers describes the work of the MST Project, which he hopes to revisit on a future consulting trip: “Some of it is challenging the men, some of it is getting men to understand why they are there and that it’s their brokenness that’s gotten them there. It’s in that space they are able to share Christ with them.”

In his vastly different visits to London and Bangkok, Struthers found a common thread: the same battle is being waged on two ends of a spectrum. “On one end you’ve got this ivory tower scholarship influencing policy,” he says. “Then on the other end you’ve got the dirt-under-the-nails, real-world life of people impacted by sexual exploitation. It’s good for me to see both ends of that spectrum because I tend to live in the middle. Sexual brokenness is a battle ground that’s not going to go away, because it’s a part of nature and a part of the human condition.”

Wheaton's HHS Suit Reinstated

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0600

Yesterday, a federal appeals court in Washington, D.C. handed Wheaton College and Belmont Abbey College a substantial victory in their challenges to the HHS mandate.

Wheaton’s religious convictions prevent it from providing its employees with access to abortion-causing drugs as mandated by the federal government. Wheaton College’s lawsuit, filed July 18, 2012, seeks to preserve its right to offer health insurance to employees that aligns with its beliefs.

Last summer, two lower courts dismissed the Wheaton and Belmont cases as premature. On Tuesday, the appellate court reinstated those cases, and ordered the Obama Administration to report back every 60 days—starting in mid-February—until the Administration makes good on its promise to issue a new rule that protects the Colleges’ religious freedom. The new rule must be issued by March 31, 2013.

"We are grateful that the Circuit Court's ruling—which is substantially a victory for Wheaton College—makes it clear that the original judge was wrong to dismiss our case and that we are suffering real harm as a result of the HHS mandate,” said Wheaton College president Dr. Philip Ryken. “We stand ready to resume our pending lawsuit if the federal government fails to respect our rights of religious conscience by providing the exemption we have requested."

The court based its decision on two concessions that government lawyers made in open court. First, the government promised “it would never enforce [the mandate] in its current form” against Wheaton, Belmont Abbey or other similarly situated religious groups. Second, the government promised it would publish a proposed new rule “in the first quarter of 2013” and would finalize it by next August. The administration made both concessions under intense questioning by the appellate judges.

The court deemed the concessions a “binding commitment” and has retained jurisdiction over the case to ensure the government follows through.

“This is a win not just for Belmont Abbey and Wheaton, but for all religious non-profits challenging the mandate,” said Kyle Duncan, General Counsel of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which represents Wheaton College in its case. “The government has now been forced to promise that it will never enforce the current mandate against religious employers like Wheaton and Belmont Abbey and a federal appellate court will hold the government to its word.”

While the government had previously announced plans to create a new rule, it has not yet taken the steps necessary to make that promise legally binding. Lower courts dismissed the colleges’ cases while the government contemplated a new rule, but the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit decided the cases should stay alive while it scrutinizes whether the government will meet its promised deadlines. The court acted quickly, issuing Tuesday’s order just days after hearing lengthy arguments.

More information regarding the College’s lawsuit is available via its July 18 news release, and its Frequently Asked Questions. A Case Summary, Frequently Asked Questions about legal challenges to the HHS mandate, and a Media Information Sheet are available on the Becket Fund website.

Wheaton Faculty Publish Books on History, Politics, Christian Formation, and More

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 16:37:00 -0600

Wheaton College faculty members regularly publish books and articles. Recently published books include:

Prophetic Evangelicals: Envisioning a Just and Peaceable Kingdom
(Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2012)
In this inaugural volume in a series on prophetic Christianity, 15 contributors share their visions for a biblically centered, culturally engaged, and historically infused evangelicalism. Edited by Professor of Philosophy Dr. Bruce Ellis Benson ’83, Dr. Malinda Elizabeth Berry, and the Rev. Dr. Peter Goodwin Heltzel ’94, it also contains contributions by Dr. Vincent Bacote, associate professor of theology and director of the Center for Applied Christian Ethics.

Dr. Matthew Lundin ’96
Assistant Professor of History
Paper Memory: A Sixteenth-Century Townsman Writes His World
(Harvard University Press, 2012)
Dr. Lundin tells the story of one man’s mission to preserve for posterity the memory of everyday life in 16th-century Germany.

Dr. Brian M. Howell
Associate Professor of Anthropology
Short-Term Mission: An Ethnography of Christian Travel Narrative and Experience
(IVP Academic, 2012)
Dr. Howell shows how short-term mission combines elements of the anthropology of tourism and pilgrimage with Christian purposes of mission, creating its own narrative.

Dr. Daniel I. Block
Gunther H. Knoedler Professor of Old Testament
Deuteronomy, The NIV Application Commentary series
(Zondervan, 2012)
This book shows how the message of Deuteronomy can have the same powerful impact today as when it was written.

Dr. Tom Schwanda
Associate Professor of Christian Formation and Ministry
Soul Recreation: The Contemplative-Mystical Piety of Puritanism
(Pickwick Publications, 2012)
A study of English Puritan Isacc Ambrose while recognizing the Western Catholic tradition, this book provides a foundation for recovering the contemplative life.

Dr. Amy E. Black
Associate Professor of Political Science
Honoring God in Red or Blue: Approaching Politics with Humility, Grace, and Reason
(Moody Publishers, 2012)
Dr. Black challenges readers to raise their standards when speaking about political issues.

Dr. Jon C. Laansma
Associate Professor of Ancient Languages and New Testament
Dr. Daniel J. Treier, Professor of theology
Christology, Hermeneutics, and Hebrews: Profiles from the History of Interpretation
(T & T Clark, 2012)
Assessing the study and interpretation of Hebrews across the last two millennia, contributors engage with it from a theological perspective.

Wheaton College Symphony Orchestra Earns American Prize Competition Honors

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0600

The Wheaton College Symphony Orchestra recently placed third in the American Prize in Orchestral Performance competition.

The competition recognizes and rewards the best performances in America, based on submitted applications. Under the direction of Conductor Daniel Sommerville, the orchestra placed third behind the University of North Carolina and University of Denver in the College/University Division.

The Wheaton College Symphony Orchestra, an 80-member ensemble comprised of students studying music at the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music, tours regularly throughout the United States and recently played for the 2012 College Orchestra Directors Association national conference at Northwestern University.

“We are thrilled to receive third place in the American Prize,” says Dr. Daniel Sommerville, associate professor of music and conducting at the Conservatory. “The award is an honor not only to the Wheaton College Symphony Orchestra and myself, but also to our fine faculty who teach and prepare our students in lessons, in coaching sessions, and in the classroom.”

The orchestra regularly performs with Maestro John Nelson on such works as Britten’s War Requiem, Berlioz’s Requiem, Handel's Messiah, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, and Brahms' German Requiem.

The submitted recording of Wheaton College’s Symphony Orchestra was recorded and produced by Brian Porick, a producer in the College’s Academic and Media Technology department.

"This accolade is a substantial honor for the Symphony Orchestra – Maestro Sommerville and ensemble members – as well as for Wheaton College,” says Dr. Michael Wilder, Dean of the Conservatory, Arts and Communication. “I am extremely grateful for this opportunity to again celebrate all that is a part of the excellence in the arts that makes this such an amazing institution.”

More information about the Wheaton College Symphony Orchestra is available on wheaton.edu/conservatory. A selection of Orchestra performances is available on wetn.org.

Rediscover Christmas through the Billy Graham Center's Evangelism Advent Calendar

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:08:00 -0600

The final month of the year arrives with the hectic hustle and bustle of holiday shopping, traveling, and party planning. Yet it also marks the beginning of Advent, a time of peaceful reflection and anticipation leading up to Christmas Day.

The Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College invites you to observe the days of Advent with a special online Evangelism Advent Calendar at www.bgc-advent.org.

“Christmas is the best time of the year for caring witness with our neighbors, co-workers, family, and friends,” says Lon Allison, executive director of the Billy Graham Center. “This calendar is designed to give practical tips for sharing the good news of Jesus during the holidays.”

Each day of Advent, open a new box on the calendar and discover a new way in which to share the glad tidings of God’s greatest gift to the world. Visitors to the site can also sign up to receive each tip by e-mail.

To explore the Evangelism Advent Calendar and make this a season of gospel sharing, visit wheaton.edu/bgc-advent. The Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College exists to accelerate global evangelism. More information about the Center and its programs is available at wheaton.edu/bgc.

Billy Graham Center Museum to Host Children's Interactive Advent Meditations

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 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. The events will take place over the first three weekends of December.

Through a unique storytelling format and multi-sensory materials, children will explore stories from the Bible about the birth of Jesus. Participants have the opportunity to respond to the presentations with simple arts and crafts, prayer, journaling, reading, visual arts, and hands-on materials for retelling their own story.

This is the second year the Museum has offered the interactive Advent meditations, which are arranged by Wheaton College experts in Christian formation and directed by worship leaders from local churches.

“We’re so excited to offer these events to the community,” says Museum Coordinator Eric Durbin. “What is so powerful about the intergenerational aspect of the worship experience is that adults have the opportunity to have their paradigm of workshop expanded, and the youngest participants have the chance to have their sense of worship affirmed.”

The events take place on Saturdays December 1, 8, and 15 at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and on Sundays December 2, 9, and 16 at 4 p.m. Stories in the same weekend are identical. The events are free and open to the public and take place in the Billy Graham Center Museum Rotunda area. No RSVP is required. 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, call 630.752.5909 or visit bgcmuseum.com.

"Uncle Lar's Christmas Attic" to Broadcast Eclectic Christmas Cheer

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 14:55:00 -0600

This year, as WETN, Wheaton College’s FM radio station, continues its annual tradition of broadcasting the area’s widest variety of Christmas music, “Uncle Lar’s Christmas Attic” also returns to the airwaves.

Now in its 11th year, the program is hosted by Dr. Larry Eskridge. Eskridge, associate director of Wheaton College's Institute for the Study of American Evangelicals, is volunteer Christmas music director at WETN and the source of most of the 2400 Christmas songs it broadcasts from November to January.

This year, the program will air on December 1, 8, 15, and 22 from 3-6 p.m. Each show will be rebroadcast the following Wednesdays from. 7-10 p.m.

Each show is organized around a theme. Upcoming programs include a sampling of new Christmas releases, to air December 1 and 5; Christmas songs from movies and TV, airing on December 8 and 12; top Christmas hits through the years, airing on December 15 and 19; and a collection of unconventional yuletide fare, airing December 22.

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.

ROTC Hosts Leadership Training Seminar November 29

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 17:13:00 -0600

The Wheaton College Rolling Thunder Battalion is hosting a leadership seminar at 7 p.m. Thursday, November 29. Col. Steve Banach will deliver a lecture titled "Mastering Complexity: Be an Adaptive Problem Solver."

Col. Banach is a retired United States Army Infantry Colonel. During his 27 years of service he was deployed to six combat zones.

Seminar topics Col. Banach will cover include: optimizing strategic direction and business model design; strategic decision making and leadership; risk mitigation and organizational sustainability; overcoming the limitations of current strategic planning models; mastering complexity; and becoming adaptive problem solvers.

Free and open to the public, this event is co-sponsored by Wheaton College ROTC, The Center for Applied Christian Ethics, The J. Dennis Hastert Center for Economics, Government and Public Policy, and the Student Activities Department. For more information, call 630.752.5121.

November 28 Lecture: "Metaphors, Rights and Race In America"

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 16:58:00 -0600

The Communication Department at Wheaton College presents a lecture by Mr. Theon Hill at 7 p.m. Wednesday, November 28. The title of Hill's lecture is "Metaphors, Rights & Race in America."

Hill is a PhD candidate at Purdue University who teaches in the School of Communication. He is specializing in Rhetoric Communication.

Free and open to the public, this event takes place in the Phelps Room in the Todd M. Beamer Student Center, located at 421 Chase Street in Wheaton. For more information, call 630.752.5095.

Wade Center Hosts Lecture on C.S. Lewis' Theology of Love

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 16:52:00 -0600

Worship. Veneration. Idolatry. What is the difference? The Marion E. Wade Center at Wheaton College welcomes Jason Lepojärvi to campus at 7 p.m. Wednesday, November 28. He will deliver a lecture titled C.S. Lewis' Theology of Love.

Lepojärvi is a lecturer in philosophy, theology and ethics at the University of Helinski in Finland. A PhD candidate studying Theology, his dissertation focuses on C.S. Lewis and the theology of love, looking at Lewis' contribution to the 20th century's philosophical-theological discussion on eros vs. agape.

Free and open to the public, this event will take place at the Marion E. Wade Center, located at 351 East Lincoln Avenue in Wheaton. For more information, call 630.752.5908 or visit www.wheaton.edu/wadecenter.

WETN to Broadcast More than 2,000 Christmas Songs Locally and Around the World

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0600

WETN, the FM radio station at Wheaton College, continues its annual tradition of broadcasting more than 2,000 Christmas songs between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. No radio station in Chicagoland offers more variety in its Christmas music.

Starting Friday, November 23 and ending January 1, WETN listeners can enjoy an incredible variety of Christmas selections—from traditional to eclectic, from sacred to popular, and from classic to current.

On Sundays from midnight until 6 p.m., WETN will highlight traditional Christmas music.

WETN is available 24 hours a day on radio, on television, and online at wetn.org. 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.

Fulbright Grants Fund International Study and Research

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0600

Three members of the Wheaton College community recently won Fulbright grants to participate in international research and teaching opportunities in Bulgaria, Kosovo, and Costa Rica.

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields.

Juliana Wilhoit, who graduated from Wheaton College in 2011, received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program scholarship to Bulgaria for an English Teaching Assistantship. Wilhoit teaches at a selective public foreign language secondary school. She is also participating in community development work within the Roma community.

Wilhoit first visited Bulgaria’s capital city, Sophia, in 2010 through the “Iron Sharpens Iron” program at Wheaton College’s J. Dennis Hastert Center for Economics, Government, and Public Policy. The program is an immersion experience that allows students to study cultural, political, economic and business structures in various countries. The trip left her with a desire to return to Bulgaria.

She says her participation in other academic opportunities, including the College’s Wheaton in Chicago semester and a course on Christian philosopher Jacques Ellul, prepared her to serve in Bulgaria. “My experience at Wheaton helped me learn how to conduct research and how to develop a heart for justice,” she says.

Wilhoit is one of more than 1700 U.S. citizens who will travel abroad for the 2012-2013 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.

Dr. Sandra Joireman, Professor of Politics and International Relations, received a Fulbright Scholar grant to conduct research in Kosovo. Joireman’s research project is on the restoration of property rights in post-conflict settings in Kosovo with attention to the role of local government.

“Where there has been violent conflict and people have fled their communities to seek safety elsewhere, one of the major tasks of the government is to restore communities by bringing people back and enabling them to reclaim homes, businesses, farms or other property,” Joireman says. “This particular project allows me to study the role of property in post-conflict reconstruction with the aim of increasing knowledge and developing better policy prescriptions for countries that are trying to emerge from the effects of violent conflict.“

In addition to her research, Joireman will teach a class on Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict at the American University of Kosovo in Pristina during the 2012-2013 academic year.

Dr. Rod Scott, Associate Professor of Genetics, received a Fulbright Scholar research and teaching grant enabling him to spend five months pursuing projects in conservation genetics at the Universidad de Costa Rica in San Jose last spring.

In collaboration with local specialists, he collected DNA samples from turtles in order to study the population genetics of these species. This type of study has never been done before with these species, and his work will enable Scott and other scientists to assess the genetic health of the populations he studied.

Several biological supply companies, including Quiagen and Promega, donated more than $10,000 in chemical reagents, supplies, and equipment to the Universidad de Costa Rica and the Universidad Naciónal in Heredia to assist Scott in his research.

Scott and Joireman are two of approximately 1,100 U.S. faculty and professionals to travel abroad via the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program in 2012-2013.

"Don't Give Up on Me: Interrupting Urban Violence and Poverty"

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0600

The documentary "The Interrupters" will be shown at Wheaton College at 7 p.m. Friday, November 9.

Film director Steve James and bestselling author Alex Kotlowitz created the documentary by following the lives of three community activists fighting to interrupt the violence haunting the city of Chicago.

Eddie Bocanegra, one of the community activists featured in the documentary and Dr. Bradley Stolbach, a nationally renowned trauma expert, will be joined by a panel of individuals from community-based organizations and churches from the south side of Chicago in a discussion following the film.

Bocanegra is a congregational organizer for the Community Renewal Society. Haunted by a murder he committed when he was 18 he is now using the experiences from his past to stop gang violence by working with CeaseFire, a Chicago violence prevention program.As one of CeaseFire's Violence Interrupters, Bocanegra leverages his knowledge of the city to diffuse tensions and promote peaceful reactions to violence.

Dr. Stolbach is the program director of the Chicago Child Trauma Center at La Rabida Children's Hospital and associate professor of Clinical Pediatrics at The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine.

Free and open to the public, this event takes place in Barrows Auditorium, located in the east wing of the Billy Graham Center at 500 College Avenue in Wheaton. This event is co-sponsored by Wheaton College's Graduate Psychology Diversity and Justice Committee, the Psychology Department, Sociology/Anthropology Department, Urban Studies Department, Urban Studies Student Group, Student Government Community Diversity Committee, Humanitarian Disaster Institute (HDI), and Outreach Community Ministries at Wheaton College. For more information, call 630.752.5104.

Gardner Receives National Communication Association Award

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0600

Associate Professor of Communication Dr. Christine Gardner was recently recognized with the Stephen E. Lucas Debut Publication Award by the National Communication Association.

The Stephen E. Lucas Debut Publication Award highlights groundbreaking contributions to the discipline of communication by first-time authors of scholarly books.

Gardner received the award for her book, Making Chastity Sexy: The Rhetoric of Evangelical Abstinence Campaigns (University of California Press, 2011). The book explores rhetorical strategies used by evangelical organizations to promote abstinence, identifying contrasts between the rhetoric used to promote abstinence in the U.S. compared to that used in sub-Saharan Africa.

The book critiques strategies Gardner says use sex to sell abstinence. “Some campaigns use the very thing they are prohibiting to admonish young people to wait by saying, ‘If you are abstinent now, you will have amazing sex when you are married,’” Gardner says. “The argument then becomes a promise of marriage.”

Gardner argues that such messages do not address the challenges of singleness, or even of marriage. “If marriage isn’t just about sex, then what is it for? The time is right for the church to begin speaking up and providing some answers.”

The process of interviewing teenagers for Making Chastity Sexy reminded Gardner of the struggles many teenagers face in understanding their sexuality.

“I met dozens of young people who are struggling with their sexuality,” she says. “Some see it as a gift, but many see it as a burden. In nearly all cases, the young people I met are trying their best to be obedient to God.”

Gardner has been a member of Wheaton’s faculty since 2004. She teaches courses on topics including gender and sexuality, public sphere theory, social movements, rhetoric of religion, and HIV/AIDS. Gardner will be presented with the award at the National Communication Association convention next week.

Chicago Piano Duo in Concert

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The Wheaton College Conservatory of Music presents the Chicago Piano Duo in concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday, November 2.

The artistic duo, featuring pianist Dr. Brian Lee and his mentor Dr. William Phemister, performs on the same campus where Lee began weekly piano lessons with Phemister two decades ago. Now as the Chicago Piano Duo, Phemister and Lee match skills and musicianship to create great music from a wide variety of literature. Friday’s program will include selections by Holst, Schubert, Debussy, and Brahms.

Since their debut two years ago at Wheaton College, Lee and Phemister have performed in various Chicago-area venues, including Fourth Prestyberian Church, Moody Memorial Church and Moody Bible Institute, St. Michael’s Catholic Church, and Gary Memorial Methodist Church.

Lee, a 1995 graduate of the College, is professor of music at Moody Bible Institute. After graduating from Wheaton, Lee attended the New England Conservatory and the Juilliard School.

Phemister is professor emeritus of piano at Wheaton College. A graduate of the Juilliard School and the Peabody Conservatory, he continues to write, perform, and work with select students.

The concert is part of this year's Faculty Recital Series, and takes place in Pierce Memorial Chapel, located on the southeast corner of Washington and Franklin streets in Wheaton. Tickets are available only at the door and cost $10 for general audience and $5 for seniors over 60, and free with Wheaton ID or for anyone 18 and under. For more information, call the Conservatory of Music at 630.752.5099.

Humanitarian Disaster Institute to Co-Sponsor Training November 7

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College (HDI) will sponsor a training and workshop session titled “Faithful Readiness: Preparing to Respond…Preparing to Recover” on Wednesday, November 7 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The training will take place in Barrows Auditorium, located in the east wing of the Billy Graham Center at 500 College Avenue in Wheaton.

The training session is co-sponsored with the American Red Cross, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region V and state and local representatives from northeastern Illinois, southeastern Wisconsin and northwest Indiana. The training is focused on faith-based and community leaders and preparedness experts and practitioners. It supports an effort by the Department of Homeland Security Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships to help people prepare for emergencies.

Those who complete the training can earn certificates in Emergency Preparedness Fundamentals and Community Preparedness from FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute.

According to a recent FEMA survey, nearly half of the population expects their neighbors to help them through the first 72 hours of a disaster. People often turn to local houses of worship for assistance following disasters.

Dr. Jamie Aten, co-director of HDI, says emergency preparedness enables churches to meet the needs of their communities following disasters. “Our main goal for this workshop is to help equip congregations to better prepare for potential disasters, and ultimately, to foster greater community resilience,” he says.

Aten says training topics will include best practices in faith and community engagement, including practical steps to help organizations learn how to serve as a disaster shelter, and how to connect with resources and develop partnerships before and after disasters. Participants will also learn about activities and initiatives to help educate church members about basic preparedness and teach them how to help neighbors in an emergency.

The event is free to the public. To register, visit the website of the American Red Cross. For more information, please contact Yvette Alexander (Yvette.Alexander@redcross.org) or Marcus Coleman (Marcus.Coleman@dhs.gov).

The Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College is the first faith-based academic disaster research center in the country, and one of the few disaster or humanitarian centers in the Midwest. More information about the Humanitarian Disaster Institute is available at wheaton.edu/HDI.

Urban Studies Professor Appointed to Senior Fellowship at University of Chicago

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 15:20:00 -0500

Dr. Noah Toly, associate professor of Urban Studies and Politics & International Relations, has been appointed a Senior Fellow at the University of Chicago Divinity School’s Martin Marty Center for the Advanced Study of Religion.

Senior fellows are provided with resources to pursue scholarly projects at the Marty Center while on sabbatical from their home institutions. The goal of the yearlong fellowship is to advance interdisciplinary scholarship at the intersection of the study of religion and other academic disciplines.

“In my research and teaching, I find explorations at the intersection of theological ethics and urban and environmental politics to be the most intriguing, challenging, and rewarding work that I do,” Toly says. “The most important outcome of this fellowship would be the ability to do that work better.”

Toly is working on several research and writing projects during the fellowship. He will also attend courses in theology and ethics at the University of Chicago and participate in a seminar with other fellows.

“The most substantial project I’m working on is a book relating theological and ethical thought to the problems of scarcity, tragedy, and risk in modern environmental thought and global environmental governance,” Toly says. “Hopefully, when that is finished, I'll have built a framework that will be the basis for a future book on the city, as well.”

Toly, who directs the Urban Studies program at Wheaton College, will present his work at a Senior Fellow Symposium at the University of Chicago in May 2013.

President Ryken to Keynote Preaching Conference Oct 23-24

Sat, 13 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Wheaton College President Dr. Philip Ryken is the keynote speaker at “Stories that Change Lives: Applying Old Testament Narratives,” the 2012 Preaching Conference at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. The conference will take place October 23 and 24.

WETN, Wheaton College’s FM radio station, will link to a live stream of the conference on its webpage, wetn.org.

Ryken will provide encouragement and practical instruction through the following addresses, which will be streamed live.

Tuesday, October 23
“Mine is the Kingdom” at 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, October 24
“Applying Old Testament Narrative” at 9 a.m.
“Thirty-one Reasons to Preach the Old Testament” at 10:30 a.m.
“Hedonism, Meaningless and Otherwise” at 7 p.m.

Dr. Carl Trueman, Dr. James Garretson, and Steve Estes will also address preaching and ministry topics in conference seminars.

“To me, preaching Christ from the Old Testament is one of the greatest pleasures in life and one of the great privileges of being in gospel ministry,” Ryken says. “When Jesus and the apostles preached the gospel, they did so from the Old Testament texts. We see again and again in the sermons in Acts, for example, that the standard New Testament way of preaching the gospel is from the Old Testament.”

After graduating from Wheaton College in 1988, Ryken earned a Master of Divinity from Westminster Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. in historical theology from the University of Oxford. He returned from England to join the pastoral staff at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia in 1995, preaching there until his appointment at Wheaton College in 2010.

Ryken has published more than 30 books, including expository commentaries on Exodus, Jeremiah and other books of the Bible. His upcoming book, Grace Transforming (Crossway) will be available October 31.

More information about the conference is available at Westminster Theological Seminary.

Billy Graham Center Museum Exhibit: "Beauty Given by Grace"

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The Billy Graham Center Museum at Wheaton College presents "Beauty Given by Grace", a new traveling exhibit featuring the work of Japanese printmaker Sadao Watanabe, October 8, 2012 – March 24, 2013.

The Billy Graham Center Museum proudly serves as the inaugural venue for this exhibit comprised of 50 of the artist's original stencil prints, calendars, and cards. This collection of work with biblical themes presents a Japanese artist of critical acclaim, profound originality, and relentless spiritual dedication.

Sadao Watanabe (1913-1996) converted from Buddhism to Christianity at 17 years old. He expressed stories of his new faith in indigenous Japanese language and style, depicting biblical themes using a traditional folk art of hand-cut-stencil dyeing called katazome. Watanabe’s works impart a unique visual legacy to contemporary sacred art.

On Friday, October 12, the Museum will host an opening reception and book signing from 4 -7 p.m. in its rotunda and gallery. After a short program at 6 p.m.,contributors to the exhibition's accompanying book will be available to sign copies. The book includes full-page reproductions of Watanabe's prints as well as background essays by experts in contemporary sacred art, including Watanabe's translator Dr. John Hesselink, artist and collector Sandra Bowden, journalist and collector John A. Kohan, and Japanese-American artist Makoto Fujimura. The book will be available for purchase.

These events are free and open to the public. "Beauty Given by Grace" is brought to the Billy Graham Center Museum in partnership with CIVA (Christians in the Visual Arts.) The Billy Graham Center, located at 500 College Avenue in Wheaton, offers free parking and is wheelchair accessible. For more information, call 630.752.5909 or visit the website at www.bgcmuseum.org.

Panel Discussion on Energy Markets and Politics Oct 30

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The J. Dennis Hastert Center for Economics, Government and Public Policy invites the community to a Panel Discussion titled “Energy Markets and Politics: Responsible Stewardship of God’s Resources,” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 30.

Panelists include J. Dennis Hastert, former Speaker of the House of Representatives; Floyd Kvamme, government advisor; and Bob Inglis, executive director of the Energy and Enterprise Initiative. The focus of the discussion will be on political, economic, and practical insights into our nation’s energy needs.

J. Dennis Hastert held the longest Republican Speakership in the history of the U.S. House of Representatives. One of his many roles included serving on the Commerce Committee which has jurisdiction over energy policy.

Floyd Kvamme served as Co-Chairman of President Bush’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, providing counsel on technology issues including energy generation. Kvamme is also a contributor to the newly released book, The 4% Solution: Unleashing the Economic Growth America Needs – available for purchase at this event.

Bob Inglis, former U.S. Representative for South Carolina and currently the Executive Director of the Energy and Enterprise Initiative.

This event is free and open to the public. It will be held in Coray Alumni Gym, located in the
Todd M. Beamer Student at 421 N. Chase Street in Wheaton. A light reception will follow the presentation. For more information, contact the Hastert Center at 630.752.5975.

Wheaton's ROTC to Host Open House

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 15:20:00 -0500

The Wheaton College Rolling Thunder Battalion is hosting an Open House on Thursday, October 11 offering two opportunities to experience life as an Army ROTC cadet.

Members of the community can join cadets in their early morning Physical Training from 6-7:30 a.m. and practice leadership skills with the cadets as they work through Field Squad Tactics from 3:15-6 p.m.

Scholarship and enrollment officer Gregory Caruso says the open house is designed to give participants a small taste of military life—starting with its physical and mental demands.

“Our physical training activities can be more demanding than many other athletic activities,” he says. “Participants will feel what it’s like to push themselves to the limit.”

The field squad tactics exercise will provide an opportunity to develop leadership and teamwork skills. “People will get to see how the military decision-making process works at the level of a team or squad,” Caruso says. “They’ll experience the teamwork and brotherhood we experience. It’s all about helping each other out—that’s what we’re hoping to give the community a taste of.”

Those interested should meet at 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 Wednesday, October 10.

The Rolling Thunder Batallion includes students from Wheaton College, Benedictine University, Aurora University, North Central College, Lewis University, the University of St. Francis, and Elmhurst College.

Wheaton College’s ROTC program celebrated its 60^th anniversary this past spring; several of its cadets recently attended the Leader’s Training Course, the premier leadership program of its kind in the United States.

For more information about the open house, or to RSVP, email Cadet Tiffany Carlson at tyfcarlson@gmail.com.

Wheaton Archives and Special Collections Acquires Papers of John Piper

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The Wheaton College Archives and Special Collections recently acquired the papers of theologian and pastor John Piper.

The papers include more than 16 cubic feet of physical and electronic materials and are comprised of Piper’s spiritual journals, sermon manuscripts, correspondence, and historical items related to Bethlehem Baptist Church, where he has served for more than 30 years.

Piper, a 1968 graduate of Wheaton College, donated the papers last spring. Associate Professor David Malone, who heads the Archives and Special Collections, says portions of the papers will be made available to the public within the next few months.

Malone says the materials will provide researchers with rich insights into American Protestantism through the records and documents of a widely influential figure.

“American religion, and particularly Protestantism, has always had large figures, whether Charles Finney or Jonathan Edwards, or individuals closer to our time, like Billy Graham or Bishop Fulton Sheen. These people become the embodiment of some aspect of American religion,” Malone says.

“Studying John Piper’s life and ministry through his eyes—as he preaches Christ crucified, engages the world around him, and articulates his joys and struggles through these documents—will provide scholars with great opportunities to understand this moment in Christian history,” he adds. “These papers are a fine addition to similar collections we steward in Wheaton’s archives.”

More information on the holdings of the Wheaton College Archives & Special Collections, including the Piper papers, may be found at archon.wheaton.edu.

Wheaton College Homecoming: October 5-6

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Alumni from the classes of 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002 and 2007 will be back on campus to visit their alma mater during Wheaton College’s 2012 Homecoming Weekend Friday, October 5 and Saturday, October 6. Special reunion events are planned to give returning alumni the opportunity to reconnect with friends and professors.

The public is welcome to attend the following events:

Wheaton Thunder Sporting Events:

Women’s Soccer vs. Trinity University
Friday 4:30 p.m. - Joe Bean Stadium

Women’s Volleyball vs. Endicott College
Friday 5 p.m. - Sports & Recreation Complex, King Arena

Men’s Soccer vs. University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Friday 7 p.m. - Joe Bean Stadium

Homecoming 5k – Ramie Harris Run
Saturday 8 a.m. - Edman Plaza

Football Game vs. Carthage College
Saturday 1 p.m. - McCully Stadium

Additional Homecoming Events:

Artist Reception for Photographer Douglas Gilbert
Friday 4:30 p.m. - Adams Hall

Wheaton Improv Performance
Friday 7 p.m. - Armerding Lecture Hall

John Walford Festschrift Presentation
Saturday 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. - Adams Hall

Homecoming BBQ
Saturday - 11 a.m.–1 p.m. The Quad
Come and hang out before the football game. Lunch includes an outdoor barbecue, Thundertown (an activity area for children), and lots of blue and orange!
Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 5-12, and free for children 4 and under.

Homecoming Fall Concert:
Saturday 7:30 p.m. - Edman Memorial Chapel
The Conservatory Concert features the Wheaton College Symphony Orchestra.
Tickets are available at the door: $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, and free for people under 18.

The Wheaton College Alumni Association will honor Jonathan E. Lederhouse ’74 and Dr. Jillian Nerhus Lederhouse ’75 with the 2012 Alumni of the Year of Distinguished Service to Alma Mater awards. Jon serves as head swimming coach and aquatics director and has been on staff for 37 years. He is being recognized for his dedication to inspiring and training athletes to achieve their very best; his heart for athletic ministry and his years of extraordinary team-building leadership.

Jill serves as professor and chair of the education department. A faculty member for 34 years, she is being recognized for her commitment to preparing young teachers to reach each of their students; her exemplary leadership; and her work at the state and national levels on behalf of Wheaton College and its mission.

For more information about Homecoming activities, visit alumni.wheaton.edu.

Wheaton Faculty Publish Books on Theology, Philosophy and More

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Wheaton College faculty regularly publish books and articles. Recent books include:

Associate Professor of English Jeffry C. Davis ’83 and President Philip G. Ryken ’88
Liberal Arts for the Christian Life

(Crossway, 2012)
This festschrift is published in honor of Professor Emeritus of English Leland Ryken upon his retirement after 44 years at Wheaton. The compilation carries on his legacy of applying a Christian liberal arts education to all areas of life. Its five sections explore the background of a Christian liberal arts education, its theological basis, habits and virtues, differing approaches, and ultimate aims. Contributors include seventeen Wheaton College faculty, seven administrators (including President Emeritus Duane Litfin), and an alumnus who studied under Professor Ryken.

Dr. Jill Peláez Baumgaertner, Professor of English, Dean of Humanities and Theological Studies
Imago Dei: Poems from Christianity and Literature

(Abilene Christian University Press, 2012)
This anthology consists of poems published in the journal Christianity and Literature over the past 60 years. Dr. Baumgaertner edited this collection of rich and varied poems addressing ultimate questions of life and faith.

Dr. Keith L. Johnson, Assistant Professor of Theology
Karl Barth and the Analogia Entis

(T & T Clark, 2012)
Beginning with Barth’s rejection of the analogia entis doctrine and his evolving response to it, Dr. Johnson points to new possibilities for discussion between Protestants and Roman Catholics.

Dr. R. Mark Dillon, Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Relations
Giving and Getting in the Kingdom: A Field Guide

(Moody, 2012)
Dr. Dillon presents fundraising as a noble task that is an occasion for joyful giving. He delivers much-needed perspectives on the eternal significance of Christian philanthropy.

Dr. W. Jay Wood, Professor of Philosophy
God (Central Problems of Philosophy)

(McGill-Queen's University Press, 2011)
Questions concerning God's existence and character have exercised philosophers since antiquity. Dr. Wood provides a sustained and fresh examination of these central questions

Dr. Daniel I. Block, Gunther H. Knoedler Professor of Old Testament
The Gospel according to Moses: Theological and Ethical Reflections on the Book of Deuteronomy

(Wipf & Stock, 2012)
Reflections range from explorations into the origins of Deuteronomy to considerations of the book’s ethical and homiletical relevance.

Dr. Duane Litfin, President Emeritus
Word Versus Deed: Resetting the Scales to a Biblical Balance
(Crossway, 2012)
Joining the controversy regarding competing emphases of verbal proclamation and actions expressing faith, Dr. Litfin steers the conversation toward the biblical harmony of word and deed.
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Artist Series Presents Cashore Marionettes

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The Artist Series at Wheaton College presents the Cashore Marionettes in performances on September 21 at 7:30 p.m. and September 22 at 4 p.m.

Joseph Cashore has performed with his marionettes for more than 30 years. His programs are storytelling experiences featuring scenes choreographed to works by Beethoven, Copland, Vivaldi and Strauss.

“The Cashore Marionettes are captivating and life-affirming. Joseph Cashore’s artistry is dramatic and elegant—he is a master of complexity,” says Tony Payne, general manager of the Artist Series. “We chose to present this program because we know it will resonate with children and families.”

Performances will be held in Barrows Auditorium in the Billy Graham Center, located at 500 College Avenue in Wheaton All seating is general admission, and tickets cost $15. For more information, or to order tickets, call the Ticket and Information Office at 630.752.5010.

Korean Ambassador to Lecture on Campus

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Wheaton College is pleased to host Korean Ambassador to the United States Y.J. Choi, who will lecture on the campus of Wheaton College at 2 p.m. on Monday, September 24.

Ambassador Choi will speak about East-West relations, the enduring alliance between the U.S. and the Republic of Korea, human rights in North Korea, and other areas of mutual interest. Congressman Peter Roskam, Ambassador Choi’s host for his visit to the Chicago area, will accompany Ambassador Choi to the lecture.

This event is co-sponsored by Wheaton College's Center for Applied Christian Ethics and the Department of Politics and International Relations. Free and open to the public, it will take place in room 302 of the Memorial Student Center, located in the center of campus at 500 College Avenue in Wheaton. For more information, call the Center for Applied Christian Ethics at 630.752.5886 or visit wheaton.edu/CACE.

Planetary Scientist Roger Wiens to Lecture on Mars Mission

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Dr. Roger Wiens will deliver a lecture titled "Mars Curiosity Mission" at 7 p.m. Monday, September 24.

Wiens, a senior scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, is a 1982 graduate of Wheaton College. He is the principal investigator leading the ChemCam team on the Mars Curiosity Mission.

On August 5, NASA landed its one-ton Curiosity rover on Mars with the goal of studying whether life can thrive on the red planet. Curiosity features a mobile laboratory consisting of 10 scientific instruments, including ChemCam, a remote sensing laser instrument designed to determine whether rocks and soils on Mars have been altered by water and contain chemicals necessary for life.

Wiens helped originate the concept of ChemCam 10 years ago. The device works by firing laser pulses at rock and soil samples from up to 25 feet away and recording the flash of light from the impact spot. The color of the light produced when a small amount of rock is vaporized gives scientists insight into the rock’s composition. ChemCam also takes high-resolution photos of samples for analysis.

In Monday’s lecture, Wiens will discuss the rover and its mission, with highlights from the landing and a travelogue of the rover’s first month on Mars.

“For me, this work is the product of a long-standing desire to explore Mars, going back to my childhood,” Wiens wrote in a recent article. A Wheaton College physics professor helped Wiens in his initial studies on the composition of Mars.

More information about ChemCam is available on its website, msl-chemcam.com. The lecture takes place in room 145 of the Science Center, located at 430 Howard Street in Wheaton. For more information about the lecture, call the Wheaton College Physics Department at 630.752.5069.

Wheaton College Gospel Choir to Compete in Verizon's "How Sweet The Sound" Competition

Fri, 14 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The Wheaton College Gospel Choir has been selected to compete in “How Sweet the Sound,” a competition for gospel choirs sponsored by Verizon Wireless.

The competition, one of the largest choir competitions in the nation, identifies the top choirs in seven regions. Those choirs then perform before the local community and are assessed by a panel of judges including gospel greats Donald Lawrence, Yolanda Adams, Erica Campbell of Mary Mary, Fred Hammond, Bishop Hezekiah Walker, and CeCe Winans. The contest offers the opportunity to win $50,000 in cash and prizes.

Wheaton's choir is the first non-church-affiliated gospel choir to advance to regional competition in the five-year history of the competition.

The Wheaton College Gospel Choir will perform at 7:30 p.m. September 17 at United Center in Chicago. If the choir advances in the competition, members will perform in a finale event in New York November 4.

In advance of Monday's competition, members of the choir are scheduled to be interviewed by Yolanda Adams and to perform during the 7 a.m. hour of WGN-TV's morning news show. The show airs locally on Channel 9, and can be viewed through the station's livestream at wgntv.com/news/livestreaming.

Choir director Tanya Egler says the choir members see the competition not only as an opportunity to perform for a large audience, but also as a chance to celebrate their faith.

“It’s already a blessing to be recognized among the top choirs in Chicago,” Egler says. “We’re looking forward to this opportunity to proclaim God’s awesome power and who he is to more than 20,000 people and the whole nation by competing in Verizon’s contest.”

Founded in 1986 with 6 members, the Wheaton College Gospel Choir has had as many as 120 students participating in musical worship and ministry, and has performed throughout the U.S. and internationally. The choir celebrated its 25^th anniversary earlier this year with the release of a CD titled “Legacy.”

More information, and a link to purchase tickets, can be found on howsweetthesound.com.

September 17 Update:
Here's a link to view the choir's performance on the WGN-TV morning news show.

Lee Joins Business and Economics Faculty at Wheaton College

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Dr. Min-Dong Paul Lee recently joined the Wheaton College faculty as the Norris A. Aldeen Chair and Associate Professor of Business.

Lee is a graduate of the University of Toronto, where he earned a B.A. in History and East Asian Studies and an M.A. in East Asian Studies and Political Science. He completed an M.Div. at Regent College and a Ph.D. in economic and organizational sociology at Cornell University.

“Dr. Lee comes to Wheaton with a deep sense of mission to teach students how the principles of corporate social responsibility interface with the demands of the business world,” says Wheaton provost Dr. Stanton Jones.

Lee was previously an assistant professor of management at the University of South Florida. His research examines how organizations become more responsible by reducing harmful impacts on society while also generating more value for society; the source and effect of compassion in organizations; and the relationship between religious ethics and economic actions.

“I chose corporate social responsibility as my research area not only because I have worked in the field, but also because I consider corporate social responsibility to be an ideal conceptual frame to bring biblical values and organizational research together,” Lee says.

Lee is also a columnist for a weekly broadcast on Christian economics that airs on radio station KGBC-1190 in Los Angeles.

“Wheaton provides an environment where I can critically engage my discipline from a perspective that includes God’s revelation through his Son and the Scriptures,” he says. “I am excited that, at Wheaton, I can continue my research with a more explicit aim of integrating a biblical worldview with the principles of business and the economy.”

Townsend Joins Applied Health Science Faculty at Wheaton College

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Dr. Dana K. Townsend recently joined the Wheaton College faculty as Associate Professor of Applied Health Science.

Previously, Townsend was an instructor of anatomy and physiology at Kansas State University and Kansas University School of Medicine.

Townsend is a graduate of Kansas State University, where she earned a B.S. and an M.S. in biology, and a Ph.D. in physiology.

Her professional specialty is teaching anatomy to medical students, and she has more than 15 years as an instructor and administrator for an integrated anatomy and physiology course that served 160-200 students each semester. In 2011, Townsend was recognized as Professor of the Year at Kansas State University.

Townsend’s research interests include early insulin resistance and its effects on arteries and blood vessels.

“I’m excited to use my experience and expertise to help with the growth and development of a fairly new major—Applied Health Science—at Wheaton College,” Townsend says. “The opportunity to be influenced by and part of a community of faith has also drawn me here.”

“Dr. Townsend has received acclaim for her rigorous, thorough, incredibly effective teaching in Kansas,” says Wheaton College provost Dr. Stanton Jones. “She is an outstanding appointment, and will contribute much to the College’s efforts to prepare students for health-related professions.”