A Letter from the President

June 2, 2020

Dordt University abhors the killing of George Floyd, for which Derek Chauvin now faces murder charges and for which others involved have been fired. The injustice, brutality, and sorrowful history of race-based animosity between God’s image-bearers has no place in His Kingdom. And yet, tragically, it has had its place in the history of our nation.

The events of this week again call us to lament and repent before God. Dordt University met to pray together last night for the healing of our nation, starting with ourselves. This painful cultural moment has reminded us again just how totally depraved we are outside of the redemptive love of Jesus Christ. We confessed our individual sins of omission and commission—the things we have done and left undone, the things we have said and left unsaid—and lamented the state of our country and our world on the matter of race. We also professed our faith in Christ as the only sure hope for true justice and prayed for peace to take hold in our hearts and in our streets, petitioning God to heal our land.

We recommit ourselves to God’s work of reconciliation every time we pray in the manner Jesus taught us: that His Kingdom may come; and that His will may be done on earth, as it is in heaven. In this prayer, we are pleading for justice, an end to violence and hate, and for the shalom of God to be present through us and within our communities.

George Floyd’s brother, Terrence, recently visited and spoke at the site of his brother’s killing, referencing the abiding faith of their Christian family. He then called on all of us who seek justice to work for peaceful resolution, denouncing violence or retribution in any form, as a path toward healing. It is our prayer that his words will have a positive impact on our country in the days and weeks ahead.

Through Dordt’s mission to equip students, alumni, and the broader community to work effectively for Christ-centered renewal in every area of life, we hope to make such future acts unthinkable—for any person, of any color, in any city. While decrying every abuse of power, we affirm the good work of law enforcement and civil servants who faithfully serve and protect our communities. We seek to proclaim and enact biblical virtues of peace, equality, and justice until Christ returns to complete His redeeming work.

May it be so on our campus, in our country, and throughout the world.

Come, Lord Jesus.

President Erik Hoekstra