Recent activities for August 2025

My Global Scholars newsletter for August is now posted. Included are two reviews of my latest book, an interview with a Canadian Tory, a modal analysis of two metrical psalters, an online conversation with a group of young people, and a tribute to a recently departed teacher and scholar.

Cardus NextGen event

Last evening, at the invitation of Stephen Lazarus, I spoke with this year's Cardus NextGen cohort of young people who are being mentored towards service in public life. I have done this annually for a few years now. Those in the programme read selections from two of my books, Political Visions and Illusions and Citizenship Without Illusions, both published by IVP Academic. This is the first group to have read both of these books, given that the latter came out less than a year ago. As before, I enjoyed my conversation with these young people and wish them God's blessings as they seek his will for their lives and work in his kingdom.

The last Koyzis

I've not spent a lot of effort exploring the origins of my exceedingly rare surname, but this is the best I can do: The last Koyzis. An excerpt:

My Dutch Canadian friends and acquaintances tell stories of how, in 1811, Napoleon compelled residents of the Netherlands to adopt surnames. Prior to that year, many people in the Low Countries had gone by patronymics based on their respective fathers’ first names. Assuming that surnames were a passing fashion, many Netherlanders adopted humorous names, with which, two centuries later, their descendants are still stuck.

In my father’s native island of Cyprus, fixed surnames weren’t adopted until the island’s independence in 1960. Thus my father was born with only a first name and a patronymic: Theodoros Antoniou – Theodore son of Anthony.

 Read the rest of the article here.

Calvin Seerveld (1930-2025)

Calvin Seerveld was the longtime senior member in aesthetic philosophy at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. I myself was a junior member (student) there in the late 1970s and had the privilege of sitting in one of his seminar courses. Although he was not my principal mentor, I recall his inimitable teaching style and the enthusiasm he brought to the subject matter.

As I write, I am looking at my notes from one of Seerveld's lectures from 20 September 1978. In my youthful handwriting, I quoted him: "The world is a created theatre of God," and "One finds meaning in Jesus Christ." Seerveld was above all a faithful servant of Christ and a memorable teacher.

Should churches endorse political candidates?

Bruce Barron, of Bruce's gently provocative thoughts, has published a lengthy review of Citizenship Without Illusions, under this title: Should churches endorse political candidates? An excerpt:

Koyzis lays the groundwork for a deeper understanding of Christian citizenship by discussing what he calls “pluriformity”—the fact that societies are composed of “a multiplicity of social formations, each of which has its proper place and normative task in God’s world.” We have allegiances to family, church, neighborhood, schools, workplace, social clubs, multiple levels of government, and more. We engage in many spheres of life, such as education, healthcare, and culture. And as Christians, we must balance our responsibilities to our country, to all humanity, and to the kingdom of God.

In this context, politics is one important venue, but not the only one.

Do read the rest of the review here.