“A goal of any Christ follower is to cultivate a sound and reflective faith. This is developed in part by the practice of honest, respectful, and stimulating dialogue both in and outside of the church. When I was a student at Cornell in the 90s, I didn’t have a formal community with whom I could regularly engage in this intellectual wrestling, and my worldview wasn’t challenged and sharpened as much as it could have been. Then came the Chesterton House, which was like manna from heaven for many students on campus. Returning to Cornell as a faculty member in 2017, I was delighted to see how the Chesterton House had grown over the years and, looking ahead to the future, I am optimistic and excited about its potential and promise.”
Praveen Sethupathy, Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences at Cornell University
“Chesterton House has been an exemplary model of the integration of faith and reason in a college chaplaincy. Karl’s spiritually grounded and intellectually rigorous leadership has enriched the Cornell community, as evidenced by high levels of student and faculty involvement, as well as by alumni/ae response to the ministry’s development initiatives. Chesterton House has bridged not only the real and perceived gaps between the life of the mind and the life of the spirit but also the sacred and the secular.”
Rev. Dr. Kenneth I. Clarke Sr., Former Director, Cornell United Religious Work (CURW)
“One of the most exciting movements of our time is the rise of study centers that come alongside the university and its students with the rich intellectual and spiritual resources of historic Christian faith. Chesterton House was not only one of the first study centers in the Ivy League; it is still one of the best. It’s a magnificent gift to Cornell and the wider Christian community.”
Andy Crouch (A.B. Cornell 1990), Author, Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling
“Chesterton House is at the top of university organizations helping students experience the intellectual depth of the historic Christian faith.”
Elaine Howard Ecklund (PhD Cornell 2004), Professor, Rice University
“I have been an excited observer of Chesterton House from before its beginning. Here’s why: In Acts 19:8-10 we read of Paul in Ephesus renting the lecture hall of Tyrannus—down the street from the synagogue—where he argued daily for two years. It seems that he did not primarily preach, but that he argued, debated, persuaded, reasoned in open discussion, allowing two-way communication. In today’s pluralistic world, there is a greater need than ever for this kind of discussion and interaction. But the question that weighs heavily on me is—where in the world is this happening today? Chesterton House, located “down the street” from one of the world’s great universities, is such a place!”
Dick Keyes, L’Abri Fellowship
“When I first came to Cornell and read the design of Chesterton House, I thought, if I had the power to create a chaplaincy program, it would be Chesterton House. It’s the platonic form of effective chaplaincy. Karl had not only the genius to imagine Chesterton House, but the courage to shape his life around it. He is an incredibly important person in my own life and in the life of this university.”
Fr. Bob Smith, Former Director, Cornell Catholic Community
“One of the most encouraging recent developments on the academic scene is the emergence of Christian Studies centers at universities across the country. A salient example is Chesterton House, affiliated with Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., a model of robust Christian faith that welcomes intellectual engagement. For students, faculty, and the community at large, ChestertonHouse is an indispensable resource, faithful in spirit to its namesake, the irrepressible GKC.”
John Wilson, Former Editor, Books & Culture
