About Cornelius Plantinga Jr.
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Biography
Cornelius (Neal) Plantinga Jr. (b. 1946) is a writer, preacher, and theologian who is president emeritus of Calvin Theological Seminary (2001–2011) and an emeritus senior research fellow at the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship (2012–2024). His prior roles within the Calvin community include professor of systematic theology at Calvin Theological Seminary (1979–1996) and dean of the chapel at Calvin College, now University (1996–2001).
Plantinga was ordained in the Christian Reformed Church in North America in 1971 and served as pastor of Webster CRC in Webster, New York, from 1971 through 1975. He has been an active preacher and speaker throughout his career, including appearances at Calvin’s January Series (1993, 1997, 2013) and frequent participation in the Calvin Symposium on Worship and the Calvin Festival of Faith & Writing.
Plantinga is the author of several books, including Gratitude (2024), Under the Wings of God (2023), Morning and Evening Prayers (2021), Reading for Preaching (2013), Engaging God’s World (2002), Beyond Doubt (2001), and Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be (1996).
For more than a decade while on staff at CICW, Plantinga co-hosted a summer seminar for preachers in conjunction with the Center for Excellence in Preaching at Calvin Theological Seminary. These seminars led to the publication of Reading for Preaching, one of three of his books—along with Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be and Engaging God’s World—that have been named Book of the Year by Christianity Today.
Plantinga has had more than 230 articles and essays published in periodicals such as The Banner, Reformed Journal, Perspectives, Theology Today, The Thomist, First Things, Christianity Today, The Christian Century, and Books & Culture. He has served in editorial roles for Books & Culture, Calvin Theological Journal, and First Things.
Plantinga earned an AB degree from Calvin College (1967), a BD degree from Calvin Theological Seminary (1971), and a PhD from Princeton Theological Seminary (1982). He has also been a visiting scholar at St. Edmund’s College, University of Cambridge.
Publication Date
7-17-2024
Recommended Citation
Plantinga, Cornelius Jr., "About Cornelius Plantinga Jr." (2024). CICW Emeriti Staff. 5.
https://digitalcommons.calvin.edu/cicw-staff-work/5
Significant Works on Calvin Digital Commons (click author name above for full search results)