WKTV Staff
Calvin College’s January Series of lectures, always an intellectual bright light in the often dark days of mid-winter in West Michigan, has never shied away important if not always pleasant topics and often bright national speakers to local audiences.
The 2018 edition is no different, with weighty topics discussed including poverty and racism, and speakers including a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, a New York Times best-selling author and a former technology adviser to the White House.
But Kristi Potter, director of the January Series, says there was a conscience effort this year to bring “positive and encouraging stories” to the college’s Covenant Fine Arts Center.
“This year as I reflected on what was happening in the news and what conversations would be good to have on the series in 2018, I felt a strong need to bring positive and encouraging stories,” Potter said in supplied material. “So as always, we will hear from speakers on a number of difficult topics like poverty, racism, pollution, restorative justice and dementia, but we will also hear stories of how we can make a difference in the world with our influence, our power, our money or even our mindset.”
From Wednesday, Jan. 3, through Tuesday, Jan. 23, attendees will hear 15 speakers who are leading voices in some of the nation’s — and world’s — most pivotal and timely discussions.
Among the featured presenters are Katherine Boo, a staff writer for The New Yorker whose work has been honored by a MacArthur Foundation “genius” grant and Pulitzer Prize, and Jeremy McCarter, co-author of “Hamilton: The Revolution” and a person who witnessed the Broadway show’s journey from concept to cultural phenomenon.
Among the other notable, if possibly lesser known lecturers, are Kevin Olusola, who is best known as the beatboxing member of the Grammy-winning vocal quintet Pentatonix but has re-imagined the cello by mashing it together and the urban art of beatboxing into a new musical genre called cello-boxing. He will talk Wednesday, Jan. 17.
Also notable, if under-the-radar, lecturers are Shane Clairborne, who on Monday, Jan. 8, will present a talk titled “Executing Grace: How the Death Penalty Killed Jesus and Why it is Killing Us; and John Swinton, who on Tuesday, Jan, 23, will present a talk titled “Still Waters Run Deep: Reimagining Dementia and Humanness”.
And, also as is the January Series overriding theme, spirituality plays a central role in many lectures.
“I think this year’s lineup reminds us to have hope that God is in control and there are good things happening in the world and good people leading this work,” Potter said. “And we can be a part of it.”
The series runs from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday through Friday in the Covenant Fine Arts Center on Calvin’s campus. A repeat performance and conversation with Olusola will take place on Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. No tickets required for the day or one evening events (but they do fill up quickly, so do not be late).
For more information about the January Series visit www.calvin.edu/january.
