Albertus C. Van Raalte accomplished more in his life than most men of his time, as preacher, immigrant leader, community builder and social entrepreneur. He was the undisputed leader of all Reformed Hollanders in the Midwest. Parishioners were captivated by his sermons and counseling; his colony became the engine for making West Michigan the Dutch center of North America, and his real estate dealings would have made him a millionaire in today’s dollars. Most remarkably, he would have eschewed all accolades. In his mind, he faced more failures than successes. He experienced bitter church schisms in the Netherlands and in North America. His path to the ministry in the church of his birth was blocked unjustly by church authorities, but he refused to concede even minor points of church rules and regulations. Join us as we delve into Swierenga's recently published and more comprehensive biography of Van Raalte.  

The book is recommended but not required for the course. A. C. Van Raalte: Pastor by Vocation, Entrepreneur by Necessity, ISBN# 978-1956060010, is available in the Calvin University campus store. 

Robert Swierenga has conducted research and written on Dutch immigration and related topics since the 1960s. In addition to writing or editing more than three dozen books, he has written more than 250 journal articles and lectured widely on issues related to the Dutch in America. His book “Holland, Michigan: From Dutch Colony to Dynamic City,” for which he spent more than 10 years conducting research and writing, received a State History Award from the Historical Society of Michigan in 2014. He has been with the Van Raalte Institute at Hope College since 1996, when he retired from the faculty of Kent State University. He previously taught at Calvin University (1961-62, 1965-68) and Pella (Iowa) Christian High School (1958-61).