Mary S. Hulst

Education

• PhD (2006) – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, communication ethics and the philosophy of religion
• MDiv (1995) – Calvin Theological Seminary
• BA (1991) – Calvin College, classical studies

Professional experience

Calvin Theological Seminary

• 2007-2009 – Assistant Professor of Homiletics (tenure track) 

Calvin College

• 2009-present – University Pastor
• 2006-2007 – Assistant Professor of Communication Art and Sciences (term appointment)

Eastern Avenue Christian Reformed Church

• 1995-2003 – Pastor

Biography

Rev. Dr. Mary S. Hulst has served as University Pastor since 2009. Before coming to Calvin College, she spent eight years serving as the senior pastor at Eastern Avenue Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids before leaving to pursue a PhD in communication ethics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her bachelor’s degree is in classical studies from Calvin College, and her master of divinity was granted by Calvin Theological Seminary. Dr. Hulst taught for one year in the Communications Arts and Sciences Department at Calvin College and then for two years at Calvin Theological Seminary, as Assistant Professor of Preaching, where she still teaches on occasion. You can follow her on Twitter @PastorMary2U and find her on Facebook as “Pastor Mary.

Book a Meeting with Pastor Mary using a Calvin email here.

Professional services

• Living Our Faith Together (LOFT) sermons available at calvin.edu.
• Podcast available at iTunes.
• Q&A with Calvin Chimes. February 26, 2016.

Assorted Works By Topic:

• Bible and Theology
  • "Is There Misogyny in the Bible?" January 23, 2023. (article)
  • "Why Does the Resurrection of Jesus Christ Matter?" April 11, 2022. (article)
  • “How Do We Know if a Biblical Passage is Prescriptive or Descriptive?” November 29, 2021. (article)
  • “Why Do We Blame God for Natural Disasters?” January 18, 2021. (article)
  • "How Can We Trust the Bible?" December 9, 2019. (article)
  • “Was the Virgin Birth Real?” November 19, 2018. (article)
  • “Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?” March 26, 2018. (article)
  • “Reading the Bible Well.” January 1, 2010. (article)
• Church and Faith  
  • “Why Millennials are the Hope of the Church.” January 5, 2018. (video)
  • "Is Faith in God a Crutch for Weak People?" April 29, 2019. (article)
  • "The Art of Following." December 10, 2015. (article)
  • "Choosing a Church." February 1, 2007. (article)
• Gender & Sexuality
  
  • Caring for the LGBTQ+ Community with Pastor Mary Hulst. January 23, 2023. (podcast)
  • Presentation on Human Sexuality at Alger Park. April 24, 2022. (video)
  • “Where does the historic position of the church on same-sex relationships come from (and why does it matter)?” April 22, 2018. (video)
  • “Understanding and Caring for our LGBT Friends.” April 24, 2016. (video)
  • “What Does it Mean to be a Godly Woman?” April 17, 2016. (video)
• Lust and Pornography
  • "Resting from Lust." February 24, 2019. (article)
  • "On Modesty." April 11, 2014. (article)
• Mental Health
  • "A Depression Story." September 23, 2019. (article)
  • "Pentecost Dreaming." April 5, 2012. (article)
  • "Day Off...or Sabbath?" July 1, 2011. (article)
• Preaching
  • "Preaching without Notes." Center for Excellence in Preaching. (video)
  • “Physical Space in Preaching.” Center for Excellence in Preaching. (video)
  • "Five Questions for Better Sermons." April 9, 2019. (video)
  • "Practical Wisdom for Preaching." April 30, 2018. (podcast)
  • "Ten Practical Ways to a Better Sermon." Seminary Now.
  • “Preachers are Like Peaches.” December 23, 2013. (article)
  • “The Care and Feeding of Your Preacher.” May 31, 2013. (article)
• Relationships
  • “1 Corinthians 6:12-20: Sex and God and You and Me.” February 9, 2022. (video)
  • “Is there ‘The One’: Dating and the Will of God.” April 3, 2016. (video)
  • “Relationships: How to Adult When Your Parents Think You’re a Kid.” May 6, 2018. (video)
  • “Relationships: A Flourishing Single Life.” April 29, 2018. (video)
  • “Understanding and Caring for our Parents.” May 1, 2016. (video)