The January Series of Calvin College

John Swinton is a Scottish theologian and former psychiatric nurse. He is professor in Practical Theology and Pastoral Care and Chair in Divinity and Religious Studies at the University of Aberdeen. He is also founder of the university's Centre for Spirituality, Health and Disability. John is a major figure in the development of disability theology. In 2016, he was awarded the Michael Ramsey Prize for theological writing for his book Dementia: Living in the Memories of God. In 2017, his most recent book Becoming Friends of Time: Time, Disability and the Art of Gentle Discipleship won the award of merit for theology and ethics in the Christianity Today book awards.

Kevin Palau, son of international evangelist Luis Palau, joined the family business in 1985 and began directing the day-to-day operation of the ministry in the late 1990s. Under his leadership, the Luis Palau Association has produced some of the largest Christian events ever staged, created a worldwide network of hundreds of partner evangelists, and developed new models for citywide outreach that integrate major community service initiatives with open-air evangelistic gatherings. Kevin is also the founding editor of GospelMovements.org, a place for leaders to connect and share ideas on how to transform their cities by meeting needs and sharing the love of Jesus Christ.

Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum is a psychologist, administrator, and educator who has conducted research and written books on the topic of race, focusing specifically on race in education, racial identity development in teenagers, and assimilation of black families and youth in white neighborhoods. Tatum served from 2002 to 2015 as the ninth president of Spelman College, the oldest historically black women’s college in the United States. Tatum’s important book Why Do All the Black Kids Sit Together in the Cafeteria is being re-released for its 20th anniversary this fall.

Rev. Laura Sumner Truax is the senior pastor of LaSalle Street Church, a non-denominational church in downtown Chicago. She holds degrees in divinity, pastoral studies, and spirituality from Loyola University Divinity School and is currently working toward her Doctor of Ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary. She also serves as a teaching pastor for World Vision and for the University of Chicago Divinity School and is the author of two books. In Love Let Go she shares how her church community was transformed by the startling truth that money can buy happiness – when you give it away – and explores the connection of human flourishing to generosity.

John Inazu is the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis and a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture at the University of Virginia. He teaches courses in criminal law, the First Amendment, and religion and law. His scholarship focuses on the First Amendment freedoms of speech, assembly, and religion, and related issues of political and legal theory. John’s book, Confident Pluralism, argues that we can and must live together peaceably in spite of deep and sometimes irresolvable differences over politics, religion, sexuality, and other important matters.

Pashon Murray has an unrelenting drive for waste reduction, recycling, and reuse of materials. She is helping to change the carbon footprint of Detroit through revitalizing neighborhoods, finding solutions for everyday waste, and eliminating trips to the landfill. In 2010 Murray co-founded Detroit Dirt, a local composting and biomass collection company that specializes in providing compost and biomass solutions for the metro Detroit community. In May of 2014, Newsweek named Murray as one of its “13 Women in Business to Bet On” and in 2015 she was invited to present her innovative business plan at the White House.

Shane Claiborne is a prominent speaker, activist, and best-selling author who worked with Mother Teresa in Calcutta and founded The Simple Way, a faith community in inner-city Philadelphia that has helped birth and connect radical faith communities around the world. He heads up Red Letter Christians, a movement of folks who are committed to living "as if Jesus meant the things he said." Shane is a champion for grace, which has led him to jail advocating for the homeless, and to places like Iraq and Afghanistan to stand against war. And now grace fuels his passion to end the death penalty.

Randy Lewis bet his career that he could create an inclusive workplace at one of America’s biggest corporations where people with disabilities could not just succeed, but thrive. No Greatness without Goodness is the story of a corporate executive who, after watching the world through the eyes of his own child with autism, realized that we all have a greater responsibility to make the world a better place for everyone, including those with disabilities. As the Senior Vice President of Walgreens, Randy created thousands of full-time jobs for people with disabilities and has created a model to follow for other employers in the United States and around the world. He gives a firsthand account of what it takes to lead with courage in order to change people’s lives for the better.

David Williams is the Norman Professor of Public Health at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health and professor of African and African American Studies at Harvard University. His research has helped us understand the ways in which race, racism, socioeconomic status, stress, health behaviors, and religious involvement can affect physical and mental health. In 2014, Thomas Reuters ranked Williams as one of the World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds.

Mary Hulst has served as the Calvin College Chaplain since 2009 where she integrates her love for scripture with her love for college students. She preaches for students weekly on Sunday evenings at the Calvin LOFT services (Living Our Faith Together). Known as “Pastor Mary” on campus, she loves to meet with any student to talk about life, faith, or anything else. When her schedule allows, Dr. Hulst also lectures around the country on preaching, teaches workshops for preachers, and consults with churches and search committees on how to listen to sermons.