Courtesy | Hillsdale College Archives
Cody Strecker is an assistant professor of theology. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
If you could have an unconventional pet, what would you choose?
Growing up I always wanted a monkey, but that sounds really messy now.
What are your hobbies?
I love to go for distance runs and playing Lego with my kids.
What is one piece of common knowledge you learned way too late in life?
I still have trouble immediately knowing which one is called a fork and which one is a knife. Half the time I call it the wrong thing.
Who is one famous person or historical figure you look up to?
As a kid, I was entranced by David Livingstone, the explorer and missionary.
Do you have any controversial food opinions?
I hate ketchup. To my knowledge, I’ve never eaten any and it makes me disgusted even to think about, which is a problem because my kids love it.
Did you have any favorite ’90s toys or video games growing up?
Pogs. I still wish I had my slammer.
Has anyone ever played a really good prank on you?
My roommates in college hid some Chinese food at the bottom of one of my drawers, but it had so much MSG in it that it never smelled and I didn’t know about it til the end of the school year. They just got frustrated and pulled it out.
What is one memory from your college years that stands out to you?
I won second place in the Hillsdale Idol competition, singing with a friend the “Aladdin” song “A Whole New World,” dressed up as Jasmine. I got carried in on a flying carpet.
What is the most memorable gift you’ve ever given or received?
Does a wedding ring count? I don’t wear any other jewelry, but I do love my ring.
If you were stranded on a desert island, which three books would you like to have with you other than the Bible?
“Moby Dick,” Auden’s poetry, and Augustine’s “City of God.”
What is something funny or sweet one of your kids has said to you?
My two year old has watched a little too much “Daniel Tiger” and thinks he is Prince Wednesday and calls me King Friday every day when I come home from work. “King Friday, you came back!” He thinks his bedroom is his castle.
What is one movie you think everyone should watch?
“Jurassic Park.”
What is your favorite Bible verse?
Galatians 4:6. “God has sent the spirit of his son into our hearts, crying ‘Abba, Father!’”
What is one historical place you’d like to live in for a day?
Paris in the 1920s. All of the artists and philosophers and theologians and general culture—it was pretty miraculous who was interacting.
What is one thing a lot of people don’t know about you?
I’m a slow reader.
What is one piece of advice you try to live by?
Don’t go to bed angry.