Peter Steen was born and raised in northern New Jersey. He was one of three sons born to Herman and Gertrude Steen. Peter graduated from Eastern Christian Highschool (Academy) in, 1953. He received his B.A. from Calvin College in 1957 with majors in Greek and Dutch. His B.D. and Th.M. were received from Westminster Theological Seminary in 1960 and 1961. He completed one year of Th.D. research at the Free University of Amsterdam and a year of study at Calvin Theological Seminary.
With that background it is not surprising that Peter traveled much and became well known in Christian Reformed, Orthodox Presbyterian, and Reformed Presbyterian denominational circles. In many ways he followed the path of Dr. Cornelius Van Til in one direction and Dr. H. Evan Runner in the other.
In 1968 Pete Steen moved with his family to Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, where he accepted a position as Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Geneva College. Here too he won the hearts of many students to the historic values of Reformed Calvinism, convinced both students and colleagues of the value of Christian education, and witnessed to the need for a reformation of culture from out of a Reformed world and life view--one that sought to apply the Word of God with power and zeal to every area of life.
From 1972 to 1974 Pete was a "traveling teacher" for the Coalition for Christian Outreach, a regional carnpus ministry founded in 1971 to reach students for Christ on college and university campuses within a 200 mile radius of Pittsburgh. Today the "Coalition" places over 100 staff inerribers on nearly 50 campuses in this region and sponsors an annual "Jubilee" conference that attracts 3,000 students. Students attend "Jubilee" to hear stimulating speakers discuss the meaning of the Lordship of Christ in their lives, studies, and vocations.
Moving from Beaver Falls to Grove City in 1972, Pete increased his already strenuous lecturing schedule by teaching courses at several campuses in western Pennsylvania each week. From his home near the crossroads of Interstate highways 79 and 80, Pete literally drove all over western Pennsylvania, visiting campuses, churches, and small groups of people at every exit. "There he introduced the perspective and scholarly fruits of the Dutch Reformation under Kuyper to the heartland of American Presbyterianism. During this time he continued to promote, push, and sell reformational books and articles and began to compile a bibliography of reformed, evangelical and reformational literature in the English language that now numbers over 1,000 titles.
Communicating a biblical, kingdom vision of life and motivating people to appropriate the fruits of Christian scholarship in order to live their lives ad majorem Dei gloriam in every area of life, was for Peter Steen a passion that consumed his life. Countless are the students as well as people from all walks of life who benefited from that passion as they spent long hours listening to him lecture, preach, teach, and exhort-often into the early morning hours in an all-night coffee shop or under one of' those ubiquitous "golden arches."
On June 23, 1984, this covenant theologian, redemptive historical preacher, and promoter of reformational scholarship "fell asleep in Jesus" af the age of 48. Some have called him the Francis Schaeffer of western Pennsylvania, others the Billy Graham of the Christian Reformed Church. He was neither. Pete Steen was simply but zealously, Pete Steen, a unique and unforgettable servant of the Lord.