Eric Metaxas will deliver this spring’s commencement address, the Provost’s office announced on Tuesday.
Metaxas is a well-known writer of many genres and mediums, including children’s literature and television, as well as popular theology and history. His biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer went on to be a New York Times best-seller in 2011.
Senior class president Josh Andrew said the class officers – who, with President Larry Arnn, selected Metaxas – were looking for someone who could “speak to us without knowing us.” Metaxas, Andrew said, has formed his life around the pursuit of truth, meaning he should be able to say something Hillsdale students want to hear on commencement day.
“More significantly, he wrote for Veggie Tales,” Andrew said.
Born in New York City in 1963, Metaxas graduated from Yale University in 1984. He’s written book and movie reviews, essays, and poetry for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Christianity Today, National Review Online, and First Things, according to his website.
For Veggie Tales, he wrote the book “The Pirates Who (Usually) Don’t Do Anything” and the film “Lyle the Kindly Viking,” in addition to other stories, for the faith-themed animation company.
Besides Veggie Tales, he’s been involved in several other children’s media companies, including Rabbit Ears Production, which produced videos, books, and radio programs.
In 2007, HarperOne published his book “Amazing Grace,” a biography of British abolitionist William Wilberforce and companion book to the movie of the same name.
He’s written a series of popular apologetics books, the first of which was titled “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About God (but were afraid to ask).” His biography of Bonhoeffer, titled “Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy,” received numerous awards and critical acclaim.
Senior Vice President Garrett Holt said they intentionally sought a speaker who was not a politician.
“This whole Pax America thing is great, but I’ve had enough empire building in my commencements for the next few years,” Holt said, referring to last year’s commencement speaker, Sen. Ted Cruz, R., Texas.
The senior class officers began their search for a speaker collecting suggestions from the student body. They deliberated over the list with President Larry Arnn, and, relatively quickly, decided that Metaxas was their guy.
Andrew said he hopes the speech will reach beyond economic and political structures to a discussion of the end that those means point to: happiness.
“If you can speak to that, then you are doing what humans should do,” Andrew said. “And I think Metaxas will do that.”
Provost David Whalen said that while his exposure to Metaxas is limited, certain things about the man are apparent, such as his gift of “ready humor” and “genuine wonder.”
“He is captivated by the vision of Christians who exercise their faith in impossible, hostile, and heroic circumstances. He has captivated others with this vision as well,” Whalen said. “The odds are that there is something to be learned from this man.”
