Rev. Trygve and Kristen Johnson, Hope College

The Rev. Dr. Trygve Johnson is a 1996 Northwestern College graduate who earned his M.Div. at Western Theological Seminary and his Ph.D. at the University of St. Andrews. He served as chaplain at Northwestern College from 1999-2002 and has served as the Hinga-Boersma Dean of the Chapel at Hope College since 2005. He leads and oversees their campus ministries office with a team of chaplains facilitating programs related to Christian formation. These include a chapel program as well as discipleship and mission opportunities.

Trygve preaches regularly in chapel services and a Sunday evening service called The Gathering. He also preaches nationally in churches, at Christian conferences and at other college campuses. He is ordained in the Reformed Church of America, is an adjunct professor of preaching at Western Theological Seminary, and is the author of The Preacher as Liturgical Artist (Cascade Press, 2014).

Kristen Deede Johnson is associate professor of theology and Christian formation at Western Theological Seminary. She earned a B.A. at the University of Virginia and a Ph.D. at the University of St. Andrews. Before joining the faculty of Western Theological Seminary, Kristen was the founding director of the studies in ministry minor and the Center for Ministry Studies at Hope College, programs dedicated to upholding the significance of theological formation, spiritual growth, cultural engagement and vocational discernment. Through her teaching and writing, Kristen seeks to help Christians become increasingly aware of the importance of theological formation and cultural discernment. She has written Theology, Political Theory and Pluralism: Beyond Tolerance and Difference and, with Bethany Hanke Hoang, The Justice Calling: Where Passion Meets Perseverance.  

The Johnsons met at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland while in graduate school. Together they have two young children, Trygve and Ella, and a big dog named Whidbey.