MAY 2026 NEWSLETTER

I am pleased to report some rather good news to everyone who has supported my work financially and with their prayers. I have just signed a contract for my next book, provisionally titled, "Belonging to God: A Catechism's Relevance for Private and Public Life." The publisher is Cascade, a division of Wipf & Stock. I had submitted a proposal in late March, just before my travels to the annual Kuyper Conference at Calvin University. The manuscript is in fact complete and simply needs to be formatted to conform to the publisher's requirements.

The earliest material in the book dates to around 2009 when I wrote a series of commentaries on the Ten Commandments for the benefit of my students. In 2016 I decided to write a fuller exploration of the Heidelberg Catechism, incorporating much of this material, although I was not yet clear as to its purpose. I completed this during the summer of that year. The following year I was caught up in the events surrounding the loss of my teaching position and efforts to find something new. In the short term this led to a revision of my first book, Political Visions and Illusions, which came out in a second edition in 2019. This was followed by translations in Portuguese and Spanish. By then I was affiliated with Global Scholars Canada, an association I have found extremely fruitful for advancing my work. Then came Citizenship Without Illusions, something of a sequel to my first book, applying its principles to the practice of citizenship.

In the meantime, I kept tinkering with the Catechism manuscript, adjusting its contents and adding to it in light of more recent developments, both in my thinking and in daily life. Finally, as of early this year I was happy with the structure and contents of the manuscript. I was armed with endorsements for an earlier version from Richard Mouw and Lyle Bierma, and these I submitted to the publisher along with the rest of the proposal.

This new book represents an effort to mine the 16th-century Heidelberg Catechism for its implications for our life in God's world, including public life in a diverse and pluriform society. Why the Heidelberg? Because it is the most ecumenical confessional document in the Reformed tradition and uniquely communicates a faith that addresses the heart while covering the typical elements of Reformation-era catechisms, including the Apostles' Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord's Prayer. For some time I had wanted to write a book that would testify to my personal faith in God through Jesus Christ, but I wanted to do so in such a way as to demonstrate my adherence to a common faith: the faith of the larger church catholic as expressed in an historic and widely accepted confession.

I now see this new book as foundational for my three other published volumes, as it elucidates the faith that underpins them. If my books are to be read in logical order, proceeding from faith basics to application, one will eventually begin with "Belonging to God," then proceed to We Answer to Another: Authority, Office, and the Image of God, then Political Visions and Illusions, and finally Citizenship Without Illusions. I will keep readers informed of the progress of this new project as it moves towards publication.

Two more items are worth mentioning. 

First, I have recently read Roel Kuiper's important new book, The Antirevolutionary, the first English-language biography of Guillaume Groen van Prinsterer. It's a must-read for anyone in the Neo-Calvinist tradition and for those interested in learning about one of Abraham Kuyper’s principal mentors. I have reviewed the book here.

Second, my wife Nancy and I recently travelled into the mid-Atlantic states for three purposes. First, I myself participated in my third semi-annual board meeting of the Center for Public Justice, once more leading an orientation session for new board members. Second, Nancy and I were both exploring our genealogical origins in Maryland, about which I have written here, here, and here. Among other things I discovered that three of my maternal 9th great grandfathers served in Maryland's colonial assembly in the late 17th century. And, third, Nancy and I were celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary, revisiting some of the places we went to on our honeymoon. We are back home now, and I am working on formatting my manuscript, which I hope to complete in the near future.

As always, I am grateful for your ongoing support for my work. If you have contributed financially on a one-time basis in the past, please consider a regular monthly contribution, as it makes it easier for Global Scholars to set an annual budget, including the modest salary I receive from the organization. GSC's page for giving can be found here. Once you are in the page, scroll down to the heading marked DONATION DETAILS, and then choose one of the options under FUND. Americans may donate through our sister organization in the US.

Or, if you prefer, Canadian donors can donate publicly traded securities (shares or mutual funds) directly to charities without having to pay the capital gains tax. This is a cost-effective and painless way to make a donation that comes with a substantial tax incentive. By donating securities, donors pay no tax on capital gains, receive a tax receipt for the fair market value of the securities, as well as reduce their taxes. Watch this video for more information about this option: Link Charity Canada: Donation of Securities. If interested, please visit the Link Charity Canada Inc. website, and call for details at 1-800-387-8146. Link Charity Canada is a partner organization of Global Scholars Canada, so Link Charity can easily direct funds for my work. Thank you!

Yours in God's service,

David Koyzis, Global Scholar