Calvin University Presents January Series in July

On three Wednesdays in July, Calvin University shared lectures on prison programs, Calvin’s nature preserve, and the archive and collections at the Grand Rapids Public Museum.

Committed to lifelong learning, Calvin University offers a number of ways to engage public interest through the year. The popular January Series of lectures presented on Calvin’s campus each winter has been running for nearly 40 years. The January Series in July is a more recent development; 2025 is the fourth year of the shorter, summer series of lectures.

Presentations this year included God Behind Bars, a rebroadcast of the Apr. 22, 2025, Paul B. Henry Lecture, on July 9; 40 Years at the Calvin Ecosystem Preserve and Native Gardens on July 16; and Behind the Scenes at the Grand Rapids Public Museum Archives on July 23.

Here’s a brief review of God Behind Bars:

The July 9 conversation about faith, incarceration, and the public square included Todd Cioffi, senior adviser of the Calvin Prison Initiative and professor of ministry leadership; Shawn England, a Calvin Prison Initiative alumnus and current student at Calvin Theological Seminary; and Noah Nagy, warden of the Parnall Correctional Facility in Jackson County, Mich.

Michael Watson, director of the Paul B. Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics, introduced the panel and noted with appreciation the presence of Michigan Department of Corrections director Heidi Washington in the audience. 

Cioffi then began the presentation with an introduction to the correctional system in Michigan and some of the programs starting to make positive differences in prisons across the state. He shared some statistics showing that the number of people incarcerated in the U.S jumped from approximately 300,000 in 1980 to 1.8 million in 2024; that in 2022 approximately 5.5 million Americans were either incarcerated, on parole, or on probation; and that Michigan’s prison and jail population peaked at around 50,000 in 2008. He also noted that one fifth of Michigan’s annual budget goes to incarceration costs.

Cioffi also showed some videos to introduce the audience to people who were able to participate in beneficial prison programs. For example, Wilson Rivera, incarcerated with a life sentence, was not eligible for most prison programs, but he was able to join the Calvin Prison Initiative. He graduated from the program and was later transferred to another prison facility, where he is now enrolled in the Western Michigan University college program.

The Calvin Prison Initiative allows incarcerated individuals to study full-time, year-round for five years, during which they earn first a certificate, then an associate’s degree, and finally a bachelor’s degree in faith and community leadership and human services. Students from any or no faith background are welcomed into the program and learn leadership skills.

Prisons that have implemented higher education into their programs for incarcerated individuals have seen positive changes such as lower levels of violence, more positive interactions between inmates, and lower rates of recidivism, said Cioffi.

Cioffi added that students in prison programs are eager to learn, not taking for granted the availability of education. “I always tell professors when they teach for our program, ‘These are the students you were dreaming of in grad school.’”

The students are encouraged to serve in ministry, academic work such as tutoring, or peer mentoring – and these disciplines help to build closer relationships among students and within the prison community as a whole. 

The now 10-year-old Calvin Prison Initiative has awarded 77 bachelor’s degrees, 121 associate degrees, and 159 certificates. 

In a wide-ranging discussion for their presentation, Cioffi, England, and Nagy discussed prison reforms in other countries (such as in Scandinavia) that have focused on relationships, choices, counseling, and individual needs to help inmates seek rehabilitation through higher education programs and vocational villages that provide skilled-trades training. 

The presenters also noted that prison administrators and government representatives are beginning to recognize that the better prepared an incarcerated individual is to reenter regular life, the more likely they are to succeed in finding work and living in society without reengaging in criminal activity.

England also expressed appreciation for churches within prisons, such as Celebration Fellowship at the Handlon Correctional Facility in Ionia, Mich., which fosters faith, relationships, and leadership. “I was a member of that church,” he said, “for almost 10 years. And never once did I feel like somebody was trying to make me less than human. And that is an amazing thing – to share Christ with people who love you, who build thick relationships with you. And that's the type of thing that prepares you to accept that when you get out of prison.”

Nagy and Cioffi pointed out that creating better opportunities for incarcerated individuals creates benefits on several levels. When inmates have purpose, dreams, and goals, they are more positive and less likely to engage in destructive or violent behavior. This creates a more positive environment within the prison, which helps the mental health of both inmates and staff. Nagy also noted that it’s in the best interests of both officers and inmates to have incarcerated individuals prepared to live law-abiding lives when they are released, since they share public space and become part of society again. Less recidivism also means lower overall costs of incarceration over time.

For a look at the other January Series in July offerings, visit 40 Years at the Calvin Ecosystem Preserve and Native Gardens (July 16) and Behind the Scenes at the Grand Rapids Public Museum Archives (July 23).