Wheaton College Alumni Magazine Winter 2013 | Page 9

CAMPUS NEWS

Wheaton Acquires Papers
of John Piper
The Wheaton College Archives &
Special Collections recently acquired the
papers of theologian and pastor Dr. John
Piper ’68. The papers include physical
and electronic materials comprised of
Dr. Piper’s spiritual journals, sermon
manuscripts, correspondence, and
historical items related to Bethlehem
Baptist Church, where he has served for
more than 30 years. “Studying John Piper’s
life and ministry through his eyes—as
he preaches Christ crucified, engages the
world around him, and articulates his joys
and struggles through these documents—
will provide scholars with great
opportunities to understand this moment
in Christian history,” says David Malone
M.A.’92, associate professor of library
science and head of Wheaton’s Archives
& Special Collections department. More
information on the holdings of the
Wheaton College Archives & Special
Collections, including the Piper papers,
may be found at archon.wheaton.edu.

Observatory Opened for Transit of Venus
The planet Venus passed between Earth
America on June 5 and in Asia, Australia,
and the front of the sun, briefly appearing Africa, and Europe on June 6. The rare
to touch it, on June 5, 2012, and in
alignment of the two bodies allowed
honor of this event the Wheaton College
early astronomers to measure the size
Astronomical Observatory opened to the
of the solar system. The Venus Transit
College and the community. “This was
occurs as a pair of events separated by
a very rare event—the kind of thing you
eight years. The first of the current cycle
can only see once in a lifetime,” says Dr.
of events took place in June 2004. The
Arend J. Poelarends, Wheaton assistant
last complete Venus Transit took place in
professor of physics and astronomy.
December 1874 and December 1882; the
The phenomenon was visible in North
next will happen in 2117.

The 2012 Missionary Book Mailing
Upwards of 500 alumni families serving as missionaries in more than 70 countries
receive Christmas gift packages of books from Wheaton College each year.
Publishers donate the books and Wheaton’s Board of Trustees donates funds
for the shipping costs. This year’s package included Does God Know How to Tie
Shoes? written by Nancy White Carlstrom ’70 and illustrated by Lori McElrathEslick (Eerdmans Publishing); Giving and Getting in the Kingdom: A Field Guide,
by Dr. R. Mark Dillon hon (Moody Publishers); Liberal Arts for the Christian Life,
edited by Drs. Jeffry C. Davis ’83 and Philip G. Ryken ’88 (Crossway Books);
Running in Circles: How False Spirituality Traps Us in Unhealthy Relationships,
by Dr. Kim V. Engelmann, with foreword by Dr. John Ortberg ’79 (IVP Books); and
Lion of Babylon, by Davis Bunn (Bethany House). Missionary families also received
one of the following Wheaton Conservatory of Music CDs: SING!, Love’s Pure Light
(with Sylvia McNair ’78), Life and Death—by the Concert Choir, Dr. Paul W. Wiens,
conductor; My Song is Love Unknown, Lead Gently Lord—Women’s Chorale,
Dr. Mary Hopper ’73, conductor; Concentricity, Percussion Ensemble, Dr. Kathleen
Kastner ’71, conductor; and The Spirit of Romanticism, Symphony Orchestra,
Dr. Daniel Sommerville, conductor.
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