When I was a student at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., in the early 1980s, there was a fairly widespread notion that being a Christian in a culture that embraced greed and militarism meant never having to go along with the program.

It was a time when a disheveled philosophy professor built a course around an analysis of mainstream media coverage of President Reagan's policies toward Nicaragua. When Reagan came to town, professor Steve Dykstra and his students protested the multitude of sins committed by his administration.

Anti-apartheid activist Allan Boesak taught a popular course on the dignity of black South African protest to the North American cousins of the fascists who ruled his country.

Once upon a time, Calvin students and faculty were so contrarian that Amway co-founder Jay van Andel couldn't get a friendly reception at his alma mater despite years of generous donations. I remember his mounting indignation when his Horatio Alger-style mythologizing was met with skeptical hoots from the audience during a Q & A.

Though we were an irritating minority on campus even then, we didn't care. We wore out our Bruce Cockburn records, consumed copious amounts of coffee and cigarettes, recited passages from Jacques Ellul and dated Canadians because they reminded us of Palestinians with their keffiyeh scarves and nose rings.

All along, we struggled to integrate faith and politics in a way that honored God without resorting to a culturally inauthentic witness. In the "greed is good" era, even the campus Republicans understood the necessity of maintaining a respectful distance from the powers-that-be.

Things have changed. The kind of wastrels and do-gooders who dominated the campus when I was a student are gone, replaced by a pragmatic and sober crew that "understands" the value of a friendship with Karl Rove.

Tomorrow, President Bush will address the 2005 graduating class of Calvin College. While the conservatives who felt besieged during my era are ecstatic, many consider Bush's appearance a retreat from the school's principles.

But instead of sulking, one third of the faculty and hundreds of alumni signed an ad that will run in the Grand Rapids Press stating exactly what they think about the president's appearance. It is consistent with Calvin's tradition of radical independence and Christian witness:

"An Open Letter to President George W. Bush.

"On May 21, 2005, you will give the commencement address at Calvin College. We, the undersigned, respect your office, and we join the college in welcoming you to our campus. Like you, we recognize the importance of a religious commitment in American political life. We seek open and honest dialogue about the Christian faith and how it is best expressed in the political sphere.

"While recognizing God as sovereign over individuals and institutions alike, we understand that no single political position should be identified with God's will, and we are conscious that this applies to our own views as well as those of others. At the same time we see conflicts between our understanding of what Christians are called to do and many of the policies of your administration.

"As Christians we are called to be peacemakers and to initiate war only as a last resort. We believe your administration has launched an unjust and unjustified war in Iraq.

"As Christian we are called to lift up the hungry and impoverished. We believe your administration has taken actions that favor the wealthy of our society and burden the poor.

"As Christians we are called to actions characterized by love, gentleness, and concern for the most vulnerable among us. We believe your administration has fostered intolerance and divisiveness and has often failed to listen to those with whom it disagrees.

"As Christians we are called to be caretakers of God's good creation. We believe your environmental policies have harmed creation and have not promoted long-term stewardship of our natural environment.

"Our passion for these matters arises out of the Christian faith that we share with you. We ask you, Mr. President, to re-examine your policies in light of our God-given duty to pursue justice with mercy, and we pray for wisdom for you and all world leaders.

"Concerned faculty, staff and emeriti of Calvin College."

What a bunch of subversives, eh?