The Kerux is a Calvin Theological Seminary student publication that has served a variety of purposes over the years including being a place for news, opinions, interviews, announcements, prayer requests, and classifieds. Kerux has been regularly published since 1965 (based on the current volume number). At times, Kerux was a bi-weekly publication but in recent years it has often been a monthly publication. During the 2006-2007 school year the editorial staff decided that Kerux would be published primarily online. Since that time, it has occasionally been primarily online, while at other times in print as well, depending on the team of editors. Currently volumes 32 (1998) through 49 (current) can be found and read online (see the side bar if you are interested). Kerux has ranged from a two page publication to at least twenty pages at times and has had various formats over the years.
This year during the first CTS Student Senate meeting the idea of discontinuing this publication was seriously considered due to Senate discussions surrounding its purpose due to E-news and the CTS website taking over some of the prior roles of the Kerux in bringing news, and delay in finding enough editors. Due to these conversations and initial uncertainty concerning who the editorial staff would be this year, this initial publication was significantly delayed. After some discussion it was decided that as the only student run-publication, Kerux has played an important role in the past and still has a role to play in CTS student life as the primary voice of the student body. The editors this year include Monica Brands and three Student Senators, Ronald Hunsucker, Bob VanLonkhuyzen, and Robert Van Zanen. While continuing the many positive traditions of The Kerux, we also hope to bring some focus on the CTS community to elicit greater involvement from the student body.
As an editorial team, we will publish monthly editions of Volume 49 of Kerux beginning with this first edition. Our hope is to engage you, the reader, in discussion on various topics that are related to life at CTS. The old mission statement read, “The Kerux is a newsletter by the Student Body, usually published bi-weekly, of journalistic articles that include news, events, interviews, and opinions relevant to the seminary community, as well as other information students wish to share with each other.” We have revised this statement to read, “The Kerux is a forum published in print monthly for the purpose of promoting dialogue on issues pertaining to life at the seminary, discussions on various theological topics, and reflections on life as a student of the Word.”
We seek feedback from CTS students as this is a publication for the students and by the students. Kerux, a publication that is 49 years old, hopes to find new life in a new format and its new mission this year. We look forward to any comments you have for us, letters to the editors, articles, or other contributions to Kerux this year. Please email us your thoughts about Kerux or any of the articles: kerux@calvinseminary.edu
Written by Robert Van Zanen