Michael R. Wagenman

Research Area:

My area of research is the formulation of a distinctly neocalvinist contribution to ecclesiology (the doctrine of the church) within the discipline of systematic theology. In particular, I am interested in how the theological and philosophical insights of the Kuyperian Reformed tradition, developed during a time when the place and role of the church in mainstream society was assumed and taken for granted, can be brought to bear on a renewed understanding of the nature and calling of the church in the post-Christian cultural landscape of North America. It is my hope not only to mine the depths of the late 19th and early 20th century Dutch Reformed tradition in this endeavour but also explore how this particular Kuyperian tradition has manifested itself in the theological insights of ecumenical and southern hemisphere Christians in better understanding the church's identity and mission around the world. The North American church can learn much from our brothers and sisters in the global south for our witness and work today in Canada and the US.

About Mike:

I currently serve as the Christian Reformed Chaplain and Director of the Kuyper Centre for Emerging Scholars at the University of Western Ontario. The Kuyper Centre is a Christian study centre where students engage in study and research to integrate faith and academics across a wide spectrum of disciplines. I am also married and the father of three wonderful teenage daughters. I enjoy hiking, canoeing, downhill skiing, and reading short stories and contemporary Canadian fiction.