Paul Vander Clay's Background and Journey

Paul Vander Clay discusses his upbringing in the Christian Reformed Church of North America, tracing his family’s roots in a lineage of ministers. His great-grandfather, a Jewish immigrant from the Netherlands, played a vital role in shaping his family's identity and values after they assimilated into Dutch-American culture. Paul’s experiences growing up in a racially diverse community during the Civil Rights Movement uniquely influenced his understanding of racial reconciliation and shaped his political and ecclesiastical outlook. He highlights how his life’s trajectory connected him personally and theologically to his calling to ministry and modeling love and inclusivity.