.
By Paul Bremer, March 2011
Collection Overview
Abstract
Professor of philosophy at Calvin College. The collection includes biographical and autobiographical information; course notes; correspondence; speeches, lectures, and sermons; materials regarding the Groen van Prinsterer Club; articles and book reviews; positions papers; D. H. Vollenhoven and H. Dooyeweerd material; creation/evolution debate material; an unpublished book, Perspectives in Philosophy, material; subject files with comments and reflections; Association for the Advancement of Christian Scholarship (AACS), Association of Reformed Scientific Studies (ARSS), Christian Labor Association (CLA), Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC ), National Association for Christian Political Action (NACPA), and Institute for Christian Studies (ICS) materials; and select papers written by other authors. [See also the Campus Titles Database.]
Biographical Note
Howard Evan Runner, known as H. Evan Runner or simply Evan Runner, was born in 1916 in Oxford, Pennsylvania, to Howard Clinton Runner and Sara Mabel Watterson. In his early years Runner had a love of philosophy and language-and a desire to be a missionary. He graduated from West Philadelphia High School in 1932; from Wheaton College in 1936. Although he received a scholarship to study at the University of Illinois, he went to Westminster Seminary for advanced studies. Cornelius Van Til of Westminster convinced him to learn the Dutch language so he would be able to pursue some significant thinkers of the Netherlands. Runner went to the Netherlands in 1939 and studied with Klaas Schilder and Seakle Greijdanus at the Theological School in Kampen. He returned to the US in early 1940 and went to Harvard, studing with Werner Jaeger and was a Junior Fellow of the Society of Fellows at Harvard University from 1941-1943.
After leaving Harvard he taught English and Latin at Eastern Academy in Paterson, New Jersey. He returned to the Netherlands in 1946 to study at the Free University and began to appreciate the work of reformational philosophers Herman Dooyeweerd and Dirk Hendrik Theodoor Vollenhoven. He received his doctorate in1951 cum laude.
In 1950 he joined the Philosophy Department at Calvin College. He taught with zeal and gathered students from various disciplines into the Groen van Prinsterer Society. These students became his friends and collegues. His dedication and teaching a new vision of Christian Philosphy earned Runner the Faith and Teaching Award from the Calvin Alumni Association.
He developed a program of study which included "who the Puritans were, the meaning of the Enlightenment, its influence in America, the basic ideas of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, the nature of Scholasticism, particularly as manifested in Reformed theology, the concept of natural law, the religious ground-motives that have successively given order to the experience of Western man, the origins of capitalsm, the rise of the labor movement, etc."
Runner was instrumental in formation and leadership of the Association for the Advancement of Christian Scholarship. Many of his students established their own careers, often at Christian colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.
Runner was married to Elisabeth Hendrika Wichers. They had three children, Evan, Cathy, and Jocelyn. He died in 2002.
Administrative Information
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Runner Biographical and Autobiographical, 1928-2004],
[
Series 2: Seminary Course Notes, undated],
[
Series 3: Correspondence, 1930-1999],
[
Series 4: Groen van Prinsterer Society, 1951-1976],
[
Series 5: D. H. Vollenhoven Material, 1942-1981],
[
Series 6: H. Dooyeweerd Material, 1933-1994],
[
Series 7: Creation/Evolution Debate Material, 1953-1994],
[
Series 8: Lecture Notes, 1952-1984, undated],
[
Series 9: Speeches, Lectures, and Sermons, 1953-1990],
[
Series 10: Papers Written, 1951-1981],
[
Series 11: Perspectives Material, undated],
[Series 12: Subject Files and Comments/Reflections, 1954-1987],
[
Series 13: Material re: National Association for Christian Political Action (NACPA), Association for Reformed Scientific Studies (ARSS), Institute for Christian Studies (ICS), and Christian Labor Association (CLA), 1961-1997],
[
Series 14: Papers by Authors Other than H. Evan Runner, 1938-1992],
[
Series 15: Varia, 1939-1981],
[
Series 16: Photographs],
[
All]
- Series 12: Subject Files and Comments/Reflections --- 1954-1987
- Box 26
- Folder 12: Reflections on Christian action --- undated
- Folder 13: Reflections on Aristotle --- undated
- Folder 14: Reflections on Cambridge School --- undated
- Folder 15: Notes on presentations given by various people at Calvin --- 1987
- Folder 16: Notes on the Christian University Association --- undated
- Folder 17: Material for Calvinistic Study Conference --- 1957
- Folder 18: Reflections on Europe and the fortunes of Calvinism --- undated
- Folder 19: Reflections on "The Unity of Western Christendom" --- undated
- Folder 20: Notes on The Origin of Attic Comedy --- undated
- Folder 21: Notes on Comte and Positivism for Philosophy 151 --- 1978-1979
- Folder 22: Notes on Ernst Cassirer (1874-1945) --- 1956
- Folder 23: Reflections on church publications --- undated
- Folder 24: Reflections on Catholic and Reformed perspectives --- undated
- Folder 25: Reflections on the Calvinist Culture Association --- 1954-1955
- Folder 26: Notes on visit with Chuck Colson --- undated
- Folder 27: Reflections on Common Grace --- undated
- Box 27
- Folder 1: Notes on "The Present Task of Calvinism in America" --- undated
- Folder 2: Reflections on Augustine's De Beata Vita --- undated
- Folder 3: Notes on philosophy of Petrus Damian --- undated
- Folder 4: Notes on Fredrich Loofs' History of Dogma --- undated
- Folder 5: Notes on Encyclopaedia, the Discovery of the Mind --- undated
- Folder 6: Notes on Albert Einstein --- undated
- Folder 7: Notes on the history of philosophy in education --- undated
- Folder 8: Reflections on "Content of Dialectic of Enlightenment" --- undated
- Folder 9: Notes on Paul Hazard The European Mind - the Critical Years --- undated
- Folder 10: Reflections on eschatology --- undated
- Folder 11: Notes on "Testimony of Faith" of general Synod of Reformed Churches in the Netherlands --- undated
- Folder 12: Reflections on the law and the Word of God --- undated
- Folder 13: Notes on Schleiermacher and Prussia - German Idealism course --- undated
- Folder 14: Notes on Greek thought --- undated
- Folder 15: Notes on lecture by Cyrus Gordon --- 1965
- Folder 16: Notes on the Hellenistic Age --- undated
- Folder 17: Notes on "The Haldanes" --- undated
- Folder 18: Notes on Hegel --- undated
- Folder 19: Notes on Johann Gottfried Herder - German Idealism course --- undated
- Folder 20: Notes on lecture by H. Jellema "the Reality of History" --- undated
- Folder 21: Notes on post-Kantian Idealism and Fichte --- undated
- Folder 22: Notes on C. Veenhof's book on A. Kuyper --- 1939
- Folder 23: Notes on "Incongruence" problem - scientific knowledge versus reality --- undated
- Folder 24: Lecture notes on "The Kingdom and Life in the World" --- undated
- Folder 25: Notes on Klapwyk lecture re: "Themes in Dooyeweerd" --- 1980
- Folder 26: Notes on Kant's vocabulary --- 1937-1938
- Box 28
- Folder 1: Notes on book by Otto Jespersen Lauguage, its Nature, Development and Origin --- undated
- Folder 2: Notes on law --- undated
- Folder 3: Notes on Locke --- undated
- Folder 4: Reflections on liberalism and conservatism --- undated
- Folder 5: Notes on elements affecting development of ancient Christian literature
- Folder 6: Reflections on love --- undated
- Folder 7: Material re: man - body and soul --- undated
- Folder 8: Research material on modal scale --- 1970-1985
- Folder 9: Notes on Neo-Marxism --- undated
- Folder 10: Notes on the importance of Christian principles in politics --- undated
- Folder 11: Reflections on American political system --- undated
- Folder 12: Miscellaneous notes on politics and religion --- 1966-1980
- Folder 13: Reflections on book by Charles Bigg, The Christian Platonists of Alexandria --- undated
- Folder 14: Notes on the writings of Plato --- undated
- Folder 15: Material for Plato Club meeting --- 1968
- Folder 16: Notes on "Semi-contradictory" (Theory of Priority) --- undated
- Folder 17: Notes on Protestant Orthodoxy --- undated
- Folder 18: Notes on book by Kroner Speculation in Pre-Christian Philosophy --- undated
- Folder 19: Notes on American philosophy --- undated
- Folder 20: Notes on modern philosophy by H. Evan Runner and C. Seerveld --- undated
- Folder 21: Notes on ancient philosophy --- undated
- Folder 22: Notes on synthesis - philosophy --- undated
- Folder 23: Notes on modern philosophy and religion --- undated
- Folder 24: Notes on Greek (Hellenistic) philosophy --- undated
- Folder 25: Notes on philosophy --- 1962-1963
- Folder 26: Notes on philosophy (author unknown) --- undated
- Folder 27: Notes on tradition re: philosophy and study of scripture --- undated
- Folder 28: Notes on worldview and its relation to philosophy --- undated
- Box 29
- Folder 1: Notes on Reformation topics --- undated
- Folder 2: Notes on book by H.B. Workman Christian Thought to Reformation --- undated
- Folder 3: Notes on Apologia Reformata --- undated
- Folder 4: Random notes --- undated
- Folder 5: Notes on the Reformation --- undated
- Folder 6: Notes on revolution and rebellion --- undated
- Folder 7: Notes on Reformed action --- undated
- Folder 8: Notes on Hans Rookmaaker --- undated
- Folder 9: Notes on "A Line of Historical Connection" for Adam Smith --- undated
- Folder 10: Notes on Henry Stob lectures --- undated
- Folder 11: Notes on subjectivism and objectivity --- undated
- Folder 12: Notes on science and pre-science --- undated
- Folder 13: Reflections on lecture by Egbert Schuurman at Calvin --- 1979
- Folder 14: Notes on sphere sovereignty --- undated
- Folder 15: Notes on Subjectivisme Voor Socrates --- undated
- Folder 16: Notes on "Tradition and Experience" --- 1983
- Folder 17: Notes "A Thing is More than the Sum of its Aspect-Parts" --- undated
- Folder 18: Notes on Synopsis Purioris Theologiae --- undated
- Folder 19: Notes on 16th and 17th century thought --- undated
- Folder 20: Notes on history of modern theology --- undated
- Folder 21: Notes on materials for translation --- 1961
- Folder 22: Notes on scientific and prescientific thought --- undated
- Folder 23: Notes on the Union Question --- undated
- Folder 24: Notes on various subjects --- undated
- Folder 25: Notes on H. Van Kleist --- undated
- Folder 26: Notes on various topics and authors --- undated
- Folder 27: Notes on John Witte seminar --- 1981-1982
- Folder 28: Material re: "Women in Office" --- 1984-1985
- Folder 29: Notes on Christian Wolff --- undated
- Folder 30: Notes on zoology --- undated
- Box 30
- Folder 1: Reflections on political morality by Rockne McCarthy with comments by H. Evan Runner --- 1984
- Folder 2: Chapter VII of Berkhouwer's Man: The Image of God with comments by H. Evan Runner --- undated
- Folder 3: Reflections on man as "heart" in Dutch philosophy (pages 12-30) --- undated
- Folder 4: Reflections on development of Calvinistic philosophy --- undated
- Folder 5: Reflections on German Idealism --- 1976-1977
- Folder 6: Reflections on man as "heart" in Dutch philosophy (pages 67-115) --- undated
- Folder 7: Reflections on man as "heart" in Dutch philosophy (pages 116-150) --- undated
- Folder 8: Reflections on man as "heart" in Dutch philosophy (pages 151-179) --- undated
- Folder 9: Reflections on impact of Greek philosophy and Biblical accommodation to it --- undated
- Folder 10: Reflections on the term "Philosophy in Greek Thought" --- undated
- Folder 11: Reflections on politics in America --- undated
- Folder 12: Reflections on German Pietism --- undated
- Folder 13: Reflections on J.H. VandenBerg's book Russian and American Psychology --- 1953
- Folder 14: "Critical Reflections on Wolterstorff's Reason Within the Bounds of Religion" by Hendrick Hart --- 1980
- Folder 15: Reflections on the problem of systematic philosophy --- undated
- Folder 16: Reflections on sphere sovereignty --- undated
- Folder 17: Reflections on the Sabbath --- undated
- Folder 18: Reflections on women in office issue --- undated
- Folder 19: Paper by W. Kuyk "Philosophy of Mathematics" with notations by H. Evan Runner --- undated
- Folder 20: Comments on G.S. Petrov's Het Evangelie Ende Moderne Mensche --- undated
- Folder 21: Views on education --- undated
- Folder 22: Reaction to article "Through a Glass Darkly" in wrf comment --- 1984
- Folder 23: Comments on workshops by James Skillen --- undated
- Folder 24: Comments on articles in The Banner --- 1970-1984
- Folder 25: Notations in periodical articles --- 1970-1984
- Folder 26: Notes on book A Brief Sketch of Greek Church History --- undated
- Folder 27: Reflections on Calvin College and the CRC --- undated
- Folder 28: Reflections on Jacques Paul Migne --- undated
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Runner Biographical and Autobiographical, 1928-2004],
[
Series 2: Seminary Course Notes, undated],
[
Series 3: Correspondence, 1930-1999],
[
Series 4: Groen van Prinsterer Society, 1951-1976],
[
Series 5: D. H. Vollenhoven Material, 1942-1981],
[
Series 6: H. Dooyeweerd Material, 1933-1994],
[
Series 7: Creation/Evolution Debate Material, 1953-1994],
[
Series 8: Lecture Notes, 1952-1984, undated],
[
Series 9: Speeches, Lectures, and Sermons, 1953-1990],
[
Series 10: Papers Written, 1951-1981],
[
Series 11: Perspectives Material, undated],
[Series 12: Subject Files and Comments/Reflections, 1954-1987],
[
Series 13: Material re: National Association for Christian Political Action (NACPA), Association for Reformed Scientific Studies (ARSS), Institute for Christian Studies (ICS), and Christian Labor Association (CLA), 1961-1997],
[
Series 14: Papers by Authors Other than H. Evan Runner, 1938-1992],
[
Series 15: Varia, 1939-1981],
[
Series 16: Photographs],
[
All]