Calvin Religion Major Wins Research Prize
Elena van Stee presented her paper at the American Academy of Religion's regional conference in Muncie, Ind.
Calvin College
When Calvin College sophomore Elena van Stee’s religion paper proposal was accepted to be presented at the regional meeting of the American Academy of Religion (AAR), she had no idea how much recognition it would receive.
Van Stee’s paper, titled “Karl Rahner: Sources and Soteriology,” was awarded the undergraduate research prize, which is given annually to the best paper submitted by an undergraduate student at the conference.
The conference was held March 3-4 at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., where van Stee and six other undergraduate students presented their research and answered questions from the audience.
Van Stee had originally written her paper for her theory and method religion class with professor Richard Plantinga. “In Theory and Method, we discussed what theology is and how one goes about doing theology,” van Stee said.
“More specifically, we looked at the various responses that modern theologians have offered in an attempt to reconcile Christianity with modernism and postmodernism.”
Van Stee chose to write about Karl Rahner, a prominent Catholic theologian in the 20th century, for the assigned task of analyzing the theological method of a particular theologian.
“I'm fascinated by Rahner because he wrestles with the question of what it looks like to be a Christian in the post-Enlightenment age of modern philosophy and religious plurality,” van Stee said.
“I focused my research more specifically on Rahner's soteriology—his theology of salvation. Rahner is deeply committed to his belief in Jesus Christ as a divine and salvific historical person, but he also sees evidence of God's radical self-communication to people outside the church. He believes that all humans are able to have real, albeit limited, intuitive knowledge of God.”
Calvin College religion professor Laura Smit accompanied van Stee to the regional meeting, as she presented her own paper as well on philosopher Bonaventure. Smit taught van Stee in a Religion 131 class and is also her advisor.
“Not only was the paper very well written, but Ms. van Stee did an exemplary job of reading it and of responding to questions posed by the faculty responder,” Smit said.
