H. Evan Runner
Encyclopedia
Howard Evan Runner, often referred to as H. Evan Runner, (January 28, 1916 in Oxford, Pennsylvania
– March 14, 2002) was professor of philosophy at Calvin College
, Grand Rapids, Michigan
, USA
from 1951 until his retirement in 1981.
He was a graduate of Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois
, Westminster Theological Seminary
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
(where he was deeply influenced by the thought of Professor Cornelius Van Til
), and The Free University
of Amsterdam
, Netherlands
. It was at the Free University that he was taught by Herman Dooyeweerd
and D. H. Th. Vollenhoven
, whose ideas relating to the construction of a whole new way of doing philosophy Christianly from a Biblical
basis radically changed the direction of his life, and whose teachings he later brought to North America. Runner's dissertation applied D. H. Th. Vollenhoven's problem-historical method to Aristotle
's Physics. Runner had also studied at Harvard University
, where he was a Junior Fellow of the Society of Fellows
, and at the University of Pennsylvania
, where he engaged in intensive studies in Greek
and Philosophy
.
Early in his career at Calvin College he organized the Groen van Prinsterer Society (known popularly as the 'Groen Club'), which brought him together with students specifically interested in discussing issues relating Christianity to culture, and the necessity Runner saw of Christian cultural organization. He was also greatly influential in the setting up of the Association for Reformed Scientific Studies (ARSS) in 1956 - which later became the Association for the Advancement of Christian Scholarship (AACS). The AACS eventually became the Institute for Christian Studies
(ICS). The ICS's first senior members were all students of Runner.
Currently, both Redeemer University College
(RUC) and the ICS have chairs in Runner's honor. RUC has the H. Evan Runner Chair in Philosophy, currently held by Craig Bartholomew
, while the ICS has the H. Evan Runner Chair in the History of Philosophy, currently held by Robert Sweetman.
Oxford, Pennsylvania
Oxford is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. Oxford is the closest town to Lincoln University. The population was 4,315 at the 2000 census.-History:The borough was once called Oxford Crossing and Oxford Village....
– March 14, 2002) was professor of philosophy at Calvin College
Calvin College
Calvin College is a comprehensive liberal arts college located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1876, Calvin College is an educational institution of the Christian Reformed Church and stands in the Reformed tradition of Protestantism...
, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from 1951 until his retirement in 1981.
He was a graduate of Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois
Wheaton, Illinois
Wheaton is an affluent community located in DuPage County, Illinois, approximately west of Chicago and Lake Michigan. Wheaton is the county seat of DuPage County...
, Westminster Theological Seminary
Westminster Theological Seminary
Westminster Theological Seminary is a Presbyterian and Reformed Christian graduate educational institution located in Glenside, Pennsylvania, with a satellite location in London.-History:...
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
(where he was deeply influenced by the thought of Professor Cornelius Van Til
Cornelius Van Til
Cornelius Van Til , born in Grootegast, the Netherlands, was a Christian philosopher, Reformed theologian, and presuppositional apologist.-Biography:...
), and The Free University
Vrije Universiteit
The Vrije Universiteit is a university in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Dutch name is often abbreviated as VU and in English the university uses the name "VU University". The university is located on a compact urban campus in the southern part of Amsterdam in the Buitenveldert district...
of Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. It was at the Free University that he was taught by Herman Dooyeweerd
Herman Dooyeweerd
Herman Dooyeweerd was a Dutch juridical scholar by training, who by vocation was a philosopher and the founder of the philosophy of the cosmonomic idea. He received early support for his work from his brother-in-law D. H. Th. Vollenhoven...
and D. H. Th. Vollenhoven
D. H. Th. Vollenhoven
Dirk Hendrik Theodoor Vollenhoven was with Herman Dooyeweerd the first generation of reformational philosophers, an intellectual movement with which Vollenhoven worked communally from his election in 1936 as President of the newly-organized group formed to advance the movement; the organization is...
, whose ideas relating to the construction of a whole new way of doing philosophy Christianly from a Biblical
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
basis radically changed the direction of his life, and whose teachings he later brought to North America. Runner's dissertation applied D. H. Th. Vollenhoven's problem-historical method to Aristotle
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
's Physics. Runner had also studied at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, where he was a Junior Fellow of the Society of Fellows
Harvard Society of Fellows
The Harvard Society of Fellows is a group of scholars selected at the beginning of their careers by Harvard University for extraordinary scholarly potential, upon whom distinctive academic and intellectual opportunities are bestowed in order to foster their individual growth and intellectual...
, and at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, where he engaged in intensive studies in Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
and Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
.
Early in his career at Calvin College he organized the Groen van Prinsterer Society (known popularly as the 'Groen Club'), which brought him together with students specifically interested in discussing issues relating Christianity to culture, and the necessity Runner saw of Christian cultural organization. He was also greatly influential in the setting up of the Association for Reformed Scientific Studies (ARSS) in 1956 - which later became the Association for the Advancement of Christian Scholarship (AACS). The AACS eventually became the Institute for Christian Studies
Institute for Christian Studies
The Institute for Christian Studies Toronto, Ontario is one of several unrelated institutions bearing that name.ICS Toronto is an independent graduate school of inter-disciplinary philosophy. At ICS, Junior Members and Senior members take part in shared learning through participatory seminars,...
(ICS). The ICS's first senior members were all students of Runner.
Currently, both Redeemer University College
Redeemer University College
Redeemer University College is an undergraduate Christian Liberal Arts and Science University located in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1982, Redeemer stands in the Reformed Tradition and offers Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Education, and Bachelor of Science degrees.-History:The college...
(RUC) and the ICS have chairs in Runner's honor. RUC has the H. Evan Runner Chair in Philosophy, currently held by Craig Bartholomew
Craig Bartholomew
Craig Bartholomew is the H. Evan Runner Professor of philosophy at Redeemer University College. He has published a great number of works, and is involved in a number of different Academic communities...
, while the ICS has the H. Evan Runner Chair in the History of Philosophy, currently held by Robert Sweetman.
Works
- The Relation of the Bible to Learning Reprint: Toronto: Wedge, 1974.
- Scriptural Religion and Political Task Reprint: Toronto: Wedge, 1974.
- 'ARSS and its reorganization' Calvinist Contact 1962: 5-7
- 'Dooyeweerd's Passing: An Appreciation' The Banner April 22, 1977: 20-23.
- 'Interview with Dr. H. Evan Runner' by Harry Van Dyke and Albert M. WoltersAlbert M. WoltersAlbert Wolters is a professor of Religion & Theology, and Classical Studies at Redeemer University College in Ancaster, Ontario and has provided expert commentary for the Copper Scroll in the Encyclopedia of the Dead Sea Scrolls , and also in a Nova documentary.After World War II, his family left...
in Hearing and Doing pp.333-361 - Vollenhoven's History of the Presocratic Philosophers http://www.freewebs.com/presocratics/
- Verbonds-geschiedenis (Promise and Deliverance) by S.G. De Graaf; Translated by H. Evan Runner and his wife Ellen.
Festschrifts
- Bernard ZylstraBernard ZylstraBernard Zylstra was the principal and the professor of political theory at the Institute for Christian Studies, Toronto, Canada.-Personal:...
, "Preface to Runner," In The Relation of the Bible to Learning (Paideia Press, 1982, 5th edn) extract - John Kraay & Anthony Tol (eds), Hearing and Doing: Philosophical Essays dedicated to H. Evan Runner (Wedge, 1979)
- Life Is Religion: Essays in Honor of H. Evan Runner (Paideia Press, 1981)
External links
- Al Wolters The importance of H. Evan Runner
- Theodore Plantinga H. Evan Runner: Man of Passion, Man of Conviction
- H. Evan Runner Blog Lecture notes etc.