A Public Gospel: Evangelicals, Neo-Calvinists, and Society
May 21-23, 2025
Mackenzie University, Sao Paulo, Brazil
SPONSORS
Overview
Evangelicalism is a global Christian movement whose expansive public impact has been felt around the world in the societal spheres of politics, business, media, science, and culture. Neo-Calvinism and its unique approach to faith and public life is both intimately linked to and importantly distinct from Evangelicalism.
In May 2025 an interdisciplinary collection of scholars and students from around the world will gather in Sao Paulo, Brazil to explore and interrogate the relationship between these two traditions and their respective approaches to faith and public life, especially in South America. This conference will mark the first of three international gatherings dedicated to exploring the increasingly global character of Neo-Calvinist thought and practice. While the first conference will be hosted in South America, the second and third gatherings will occur in Asia and Africa.
By invitation of the Mackenzie Chancellery and hosted on the Higienópolis campus of Mackenzie Presbyterian University, this 2025 conference is being organized in partnership with scholars from the University of Edinburgh, Fuller Theological Seminary, and the Theological University Utrecht.
Plenary speakers and panels will cultivate a critical dialogue between Evangelical and Neo-Calvinist approaches to faith and public life considering questions such as:
- Historically speaking, how have these two traditions related to one another in diverse global contexts like the Netherlands, Brazil, South Africa, and elsewhere?
- Theologically speaking, how has the theological character and methods of Evangelicalism and Neo-Calvinism informed their postures and practices in public life?
- Ethically speaking, how might one evaluate the moral judgments of Evangelicals and Neo-Calvinists in the spheres of politics, the arts, economics, education, etc.?
- In what ways might these two global traditions inform, challenge, and transform one another in more productive ways in the future?
Conference Organizers
Dr. James Eglinton is the Meldrum Senior Lecturer in Reformed Theology at New College, the University of Edinburgh, and serves as Associate Editor of the Journal of Reformed Theology, published by Brill. Prior to this, he was a postdoctoral research fellow, and then senior researcher in systematic and historical theology, at the Theologische Universiteit Kampen. He holds undergraduate degrees in law (LLB Hons, Aberdeen) and theology (BTh Dist., Glasgow).
Dr. George Harinck (1958) is historian. He studied at Leiden University and earned his PhD in 1993 at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. He works at the Vrije Universiteit since 1985. From 2003-2018 he was director of the HDC. In 1997 he became director of the Archive- and Documentation Center in Kampen. In 2003 he was appointed special professor of the history of Neo-Calvinism at Theological University Kampen (since 2022: Utrecht). In 2007 he became full professor of the history of Neo-Calvinism at Vrije Universiteit, and in 2018 full professor of the history of Neo-Calvinism at Theological University Kampen/Utrecht, and director of the newly founded Neo-Calvinism Research Institute (NRI) at this university. In 2022 he was installed as rector magnificus of Theological University Utrecht. He was visiting professor Fuller Theological Seminary (2009) and Princeton Theological Seminary (2010), and since 2008 he is honorary research fellow aan het A.C. Van Raalte Institute, Hope College, Holland MI.
Dr. Matthew Kaemingk is the Richard John Mouw Associate Professor of Faith and Public Life at Fuller Theological Seminary where he also serves as the director of the Richard John Mouw Institute of Faith and Public Life.Before taking the Mouw Chair, Kaemingk served as assistant professor of Christian ethics and associate dean of Fuller Texas. Kaemingk earned his Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and holds doctoral degrees in systematic theology from the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam and in Christian ethics from Fuller Theological Seminary. In 2011 he was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study political theology and the European conflict over Muslim immigration in Amsterdam. An ordained minister in the Christian Reformed Church, Kaemingk lives near St. Louis with his wife, Heather, and their three sons, Calvin, Kees, and Caedmon.
Confirmed Speakers
Rev. Guilherme de Carvalho studied theology at Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie in São Paulo, Brazil (bachelor), Faculdade Teológica Batista de São Paulo (Th.M.), Universidade Metodista de São Paulo (MSc, Science of Religion). He was a theology professor for several years and is currently the pastor of Igreja Esperança in Belo Horizonte and the director of L’Abri Fellowship Brazil.
Dr. Robinson Grangeiro is the chancellor of the Mackenzie Presbyterian University in São Paulo (SP), and senior pastor of the Tambaú Presbyterian Church in João Pessoa (PB). Holds a PhD in Education, Art, and Cultural History (Mackenzie Presbyterian University), a Doctorate in Ministry from the joint program of Reformed Theological Seminary (USA) and Andrew Jumper Graduate Center in São Paulo (SP). He pursues a Master's in Social Psychology (Federal University of Paraíba), and a MBA in People Management from the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV).
Dr. Jessica Joustra is an Associate Professor of Religion and Theology at Redeemer and an Associate Researcher at the Neo-Calvinist Research Institute of the Theologische Universiteit Kampen. Jessica is also the program director for Religion and Theology as well as the Director of Redeemer’s Albert M. Wolters Centre for Christian Scholarship. She earned a Ph.D. in Christian Ethics from Fuller Theological Seminary and the Free University and an M.Div from Calvin Theological Seminary. She is an editor and translator (with John Bolt, et al) of Herman Bavinck’s Reformed Ethics Vol. 1: Created, Fallen, and Converted Humanity (Baker Academic, 2019) and Reformed Ethics Vol. 2: The Duties of the Christian Life (Baker Academic, 2021). She is also co-editor (with Robert Joustra) of Calvinism for a Secular Age: A Twenty-First Century Reading of Abraham Kuyper’s Stone Lectures (Intervarsity Press, 2022).
Paper Proposals and Travel Support
While papers related to the conference theme are encouraged, proposals for papers and concurrent sessions are also welcome on topics that engage with Neo-Calvinism and public theology more broadly. Papers from historical as well as philosophical, ecumenical, critical, practical, missional, and constructive perspectives are welcome. Proposals from graduate students are especially encouraged. Scholars and students who present papers may be invited to publish their work with the new academic journal Neocalviniana.
In addition to the advancement of scholarship, this conference aims to foster personal and professional networks of scholars, pastors, ministry professionals, civic leaders, and practitioners with interests in Neo-Calvinist theology, history, philosophy, and ethics.
Paper Proposals
One-page paper proposals should include a proposed paper title or roundtable theme, a brief description of the focus of the presentation (one to three paragraphs up to 250 words), and the presenter’s institutional affiliation and contact information, including email address. Proposals received after the December 15, 2024 deadline will be considered on a space-available basis.
Individual paper and/or complete session proposals, as well as questions about the conference, may be sent to: Ednardo Duarte, Conference Coordinator, [email protected].
Travel Support
Please note that travel scholarships are available for students and emerging scholars who wish to present a paper. Latin American students and scholars are especially encouraged to apply for travel assistance. If you hope to present a paper at this conference and are in need of travel assistance, please contact us for a formal invitation to apply for travel support before December 15, 2024.
Ednardo Duarte
Conference Coordinator
[email protected]