Trump, Putin and . . . Abraham Kuyper
Behind the headlines in an interview with CNN Senior Producer Ryan Struyk.
In mid-November, James Dekker interviewed Ryan Struyk, Grand Rapids native and life-long member of the Christian Reformed Church. Calvin University named Struyk its 2021 Young Alumni Award winner. Struyk is Senior Producer for CNN’s Sunday “State of the Union.” Ryan and the show’s team won a 2023 Emmy Award for their coverage of the first anniversary of the January 6, 2021 invasion of the U.S. Capitol. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
Christian Courier: On behalf of CC, thank you for this conversation, Ryan. The CRC’s Richard Ostling was Time Magazine’s Religion Editor for many years. What drew you to national journalism?
Ryan: When I started Calvin, I became interested in politics. The first two years I was discerning if partisan politics was my calling. But after dipping into that, I was frustrated how much that required toeing the party line and spinning for your candidate, that is, publishing some misleading information, not truth-telling; that never sat well. Also, journalism is a form of education and I loved teaching from a front seat in daily events.
CC: Describe working in that front seat.
Ryan: Some days that’s fun, exhilarating, but other days break your heart. Here I see the world’s rawness and what people’s lives are like – being a companion in people’s journeys.
CC: What exciting stories have you taken part in besides January 6?
Ryan: The most exciting was the 2016 election. I covered both conventions and some debates for ABC. On election night, exit polls first lined up with predictions – a narrow Hillary Clinton win. When results edged toward an unexpected Trump victory, we were in Times Square until 3 AM when Trump claimed victory. After 45 minutes of sleep, by 7 AM I was back in our Times Square control room for “Good Morning America,” watching President-elect Trump. Maybe it was the sleep deprivation, but it was a shocking yet really compelling moment to be a part of.
CC: Have you worked internationally?
Ryan: I was in Helsinki with [State of the Union’s] Jake Tapper. Trump met Vladimir Putin and had that famous moment siding with Russian intelligence over American intelligence. But mostly I’m back home behind the desk.
CC: How did your faith impact choosing journalism?
Ryan: At first I thought politics was a messy business. Back then I hadn’t fully understood or bought into Kuyper’s “every square inch” idea and had reservations about how politics fit with my faith. But in many ways being a political journalist overlaps with being a Christian, most importantly telling the truth. Often, though, people don’t like to hear their “truths” require unraveling of deceit, spin, and distortion. It always breaks my heart to see Christians buy into fake news.
Journalists also help amplify often marginalized voices – giving a platform to people facing hardship, death in war, or social groups standing up against injustice. It’s easy to reduce people to cliches, get cynical. But it’s important to remember that each individual bears God’s image, reflects God’s Self. Journalists can honour that.
CC: Have colleagues challenged you about your faith?
Ryan: My colleagues have life experiences, backgrounds, and are familiar with issues different from mine. I try to bring my evangelical upbringing and Christian beliefs to work. I might see an issue differently than some coworkers. But having that voice at the table strengthens our ability to cover issues. I haven’t experienced opposition or hostility. My coworkers have been really affirming of my faith. Jake Tapper covered the CRC’s Synod for a few minutes last June, so I think there’s deep respect.
CC: You weren’t an “every square inch” person before. Are you a “three-quarters square inch” person now?
Ryan: I’m more a square inch-and-a-half person now. Journalism dips into so many areas of life – religion, foreign policy, domestic politics. All that helps me see journalism as a Christian calling. I’ve seen people working in those areas and recognize redemptive work happening in every sphere. I truly believe that there’s no work that doesn’t glisten before God, no matter how vile or sordid, to borrow from John Calvin.
CC: How do people know you’re Christian?
Ryan: I’m sure some don’t. But I’m not the only person in the office with forehead ashes on Ash Wednesday. A couple of anchors have worn ashes on air. A few years back I sat behind Senator Tim Kaine at Ash Wednesday worship. Some coworkers are Jewish or Muslim. So, expressing faith is not taboo.
CC: Has being a gay man made any impact on your work?
Ryan: It really hasn’t made any difference. A lot of my coworkers are gay. That I’m a Christian often seems to be a more noteworthy attribute than that I’m gay.
CC: Could you offer some thoughts as to how you’ve been dealing with the Christian Reformed Church’s Human Sexuality Report?
Ryan: I served on the CRC’s 2016 committee on pastoral guidance. We unanimously agreed on all but three points of the majority report. Synod, though, wanted nothing to do with any of that and adopted only the conservative minority report. Then synod established a new committee whose members had to agree with synod’s 1973 report on homosexuality.
In 2022 and 2023 synod declared same-sex marriage to be confessionally prohibited. That is just so different from Calvin’s [University] mission – being willing to have hard conversations among people who disagree. Then we dive into those questions without needing a clear answer, always willing to hold the conversation open. Synods have shown no interest in having any conversation. That’s unfortunate because great arguments on the progressive side have not been acknowledged. The confessional status decision is essentially a gag order.
CC: How are you personally dealing with synod’s decisions in your relationship with the Lord and with friends?
Ryan: It depends on the day. The CRC has been a major contributor to depression the last few years. It’s very difficult to keep a relationship with Calvin.
My congregation has been great, though. We passed an affirming statement a year ago. Now we’re discerning what our future looks like, as other churches are doing.
I just keep thinking about CRC kids who one day will come out. But now, we can’t even talk about it; the CRC has an answer and it’s over. My heart breaks for the LGBTQ kids and their parents. Their worlds are going to get turned upside down – and the church’s pastors’ hands are tied.
Thanks, Jim Dekker, for this interview. I found it encouraging to hear about Kuyper’s phrase that is being ‘lived out’ rather than used as a slogan only. I hope we can have more of these articles in CC.