ynod 2026 voted to approve Christopher Fantuzzo, Ph.D., to a position as professor of Old Testament at Calvin Theological Seminary. Among other positions, Fantuzzo previously served as a lecturer in Old Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia and as a visiting professor of Old Testament at the Evangelical Reformed Seminary of Ukraine in Kyiv.
Synod is the annual general assembly of the Christian Reformed Church in North America. It is meeting June 12-18 in Grand Rapids, Mich., on the campus of Calvin University. Synod votes to approve appointments to the faculty of Calvin Theological Seminary.
Mark VerBruggen, Classis Hamilton, a member of the seminary’s Board of Trustees, along with seminary president Jul Medenblik, presented Fantuzzo to the synod assembly.
He was interviewed by Aaron Vriesman, Classis Zeeland, prior to a time for questions from the body of delegates.
Jean Gomes, Classis Grandville, asked Fantuzzo to speak on his understanding of covenant doctrine. Fantuzzo shared interpretations of the Mosaic covenant, the covenants in Genesis 15 and 17, and God’s covenant with Noah. Fantuzzo referenced the Belgic Confession and how covenants are relationship markers throughout Scripture. “Often I see covenant as coming in to reaffirm or to fully articulate that relationship.”
Cedric Parsels, Classis Illiana, asked about the place for Reformed hermeneutics and historical criticism when reading the Bible. Noting points of controversy around the authorship of some parts of the Bible, Parsels asked, “Did Isaiah write Isaiah?” Fantuzzo highlighted historical complexities but emphasized that “there is a unity to the book of Isaiah; this is not a book that has been spliced together with gross inconsistencies, such that there’s no final coherence.”
In response to a question from Dan Vos, Classis Atlantic Northeast, Fantuzzo shared that his “dream course” to teach at the seminary would be on instances where the Old Testament is used in the writing of the New Testament.
Fantuzzo has experience as a pastor and as an academic. He is ordained in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. Vriesman asked what led Fantuzzo to return to serve in academia after spending time in a congregational setting. Fantuzzo shared a story from seminary, where his preaching professor highlighted his talent for exegesis.
“Looking back, I can see the Lord’s hand in various ways,” Fantuzzo said of his journey to the CRC. His faculty adviser at Westminster Seminary was an ordained CRC minister, and some of the first books Fantuzzo read when he became a Christian were from Christian Reformed theologians. “I feel like I’ve been on a kind of journey towards the CRC,” Fantuzzo said.
At Vriesman’s request, Fantuzzo affirmed his agreement with the CRC’s position on human sexuality. He shared that reading through the denomination’s Human Sexuality Report helped his congregation find tools to address the issue. “While I am welcoming of all, for instance, in my church, we are not affirming of homosexual practice.”
Delegates entered executive session to vote on Fantuzzo’s appointment as seminary faculty.
Upon return from executive session, synod president Chad Steenwyk announced that Fantuzzo’s appointment had been approved “overwhelmingly.”
John Lee, Classis Iakota, led Synod in a prayer over Fantuzzo and his wife Emily.
Synod 2026, the annual general assembly of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, is meeting June 12-18 on the campus of Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Mich. Go to crcna.org/synod for the livestream, photos, reports, and a live blog of synod proceedings and decisions. Find daily news and our video Synod Recap at thebanner.org/synod.