Paul Tyson's A Christian Theology of Science

 

A Christian Theology of Science: Reimagining a theological vision of natural knowledge

Paul Tyson

Baker Academic £17.99

978-1-5409-6551-6

Tyson, a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities at the University of Queensland, explores the role of science as the "first truth discourse" in "secular academic modernity." He suggests that science has replaced theology as a first truth discourse. However, this is not always the case - there is a distrust of theology but also a distrust of science - even though during the Covid pandemic we were told: “we are following the science”. Yet there is a distrust not only of scientists but also experts.

Tyson in this book attempts to understand science theologically. He “seeks to presuppose Christian theology as a first truth discourse when thinking about science; it seeks to recover and reimagine the theology of science.” 

We might well as the question: Why a theology of science? Why not a philosophy of science? Isn’t theology just as much an academic discipline as science? 

The book is written in an academic style as so won’t be accessible to the “layperson in the pew”. It presupposes some knowledge at least of philosophy.

There is much in this book that is good - for example, he shows how “modern science is the love child of Christian theology and a devotion to the Creator by means of understanding the wonders of creation.” He shows the false presuppositions that underlie much of the science and religion debate which sees them in conflict. He exposes the reliance of modern science on “three foundational philosophical and methodologically applied commitments: empiricism, rationalism, and physical reductionism”. And the absence of focus on specific scientific results or ideas is the book's most notable flaw. Instead, the book deals with how science affects our thinking. His development of a Christian theological epistemology is to be applauded.

There is a helpful glossary of key terms and a 9-page bibliography.

My thanks to Baker Academic for supplying an ARC.

Justin Bailey’s Interpreting Your World - a review

 Interpreting Your World

Five Lenses for Engaging Theology and Culture

Justin Ariel Bailey

Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2022

ISBN-13: 9781540965066

Justin Bailey is an assistant professor at Dordt College. This is a book about culture and theology, a lived-out everyday life. He wrote this book in part “in part because I am troubled by the dismissive tone with which many of my fellow Christians (and particularly my fellow Calvinists) approach culture”. 

 Karl Marx’s eleventh of his Theses on Feuerbach is: “Philosophers have hitherto only interpreted the world in various ways; the point is to change it.” Here Bailey writes on ways to interpret the world but as Marx observes interpretation must move on to engagement and where needed transformation. But then before transformation must come interpretation.

 Culture is an elastic term. Bailey is rightly concerned that we do not adopt a thin view of culture or a reductive view of culture. To avoid that he discusses five lenses or “penta-focal lenses” through which culture can be observed and interpreted. He doesn’t define exactly what he means by culture – perhaps that is deliberate? One of the best definitions is that of Christian philosopher Herman Dooyeweerd – who is surprisingly absent from Bailey’s writings. Dooyeweerd in his Roots of Western Culture describes culture as “… the term culture refers to whatever owes its existence to human formation in contrast to whatever develops in ‘nature’.

 Bailey’s five lenses are:

 1.         The Meaning Dimension: Culture as Immune System

2.         The Power Dimension: Culture as Power Play

3.         The Ethical Dimension: Culture as Moral Boundary

4.         The Religious Dimension: Culture as Sacred Experience

5.         The Aesthetic Dimension: Culture as Poetic Project

 

For each of the dimensions, he identifies a practice. For the meaning dimension the practice is hosting; for the power dimension the practice is iconoclasm; for the ethical dimension the practice is servant hood; for the religious dimension the practice is discernment; and for the aesthetic dimension the practice is making. These provide constructive and interesting insights into how we respond to, approach, and shape culture. 

He correctly realises that cultural participation must go beyond resistance and critique. It also needs to include the cultivation of beautiful things. And helpfully identifies some “characteristic flaws” in Christians’ approach to culture:

intellectualism (overreliance on analysis), triumphalism (overestimation of our ability to “transform the culture”), and parochialism (underappreciation of the gifts on the outside).

Sadly, these have often marred a distinctly Christian approach. Hopefully, Bailey’s book will go towards helping alleviate these unbiblical traits.

Bailey notes that

I was attracted to the Dutch “Reformational” tradition because of the way it trained me to recognize the multifaceted glory of creation and the beauty of ordinary life. This tradition has trained me to oppose reductionism at every turn.

 And there are obvious echoes of this tradition in what Bailey writes, but, surprisingly, there is no interaction with Dooyeweerd – though Kuyper, Herman and J.H. Bavinck do get some mentions. Dooyeweerd identifies fifteen different modal aspects, and it would have been good to see all of these aspects explored concerning culture. 

 The book is well written and provides some excellent questions for reflection and discussion at the end of each chapter. The appendix also has a set of thought-provoking questions. Even though this book doesn’t have all the answers to Christian cultural interaction it does pose important questions and offers some wisdom into how we approach culture.

 

My thanks to Baker Academic for supplying an ARC.

Christian Atheists?

Christian Atheist: Belonging Without Believing

Brian Mountford

ISBN 978-1-84694-439-0

John Hunt Publishing, 2011

The term Christian Atheist is something of an oxymoron. It could be described as “Christianity - good, God - a bit iffy”. This book was written when Mountford - who by his own admission is a liberal Christian - a Vicar of the University Church, Oxford. It seeks to explore why there are atheists who attend church services and appreciate Christian aesthetics, liturgy, values, morals and so forth without any belief in God. This is an interesting phenomenon that Mountford explores through interviews. Unfortunately, the “research” method is flawed as it is based on opportunity sampling - he interviews those he knows. Nevertheless, he makes some interesting points based on the interviews he has conducted. All those interviewed are “Anglican” in disposition, so the book might better be titled Anglican Atheists. It would be interesting to do a much broader study of those in different denominations. Could there be Calvinist Atheists?

Eco-warriors, tree worship, and creation care: a course

 

The translators of Herman Bavinck

My piece on "You should know: the translators of Bavinck" is now on line at the Laymen's Lounge

 

Have I missed anyone?

What needs to be translated into English by Bavink?

Some new neo-Calvinist books

 

Neo-Calvinism in Spanish

My article You Should Know: Neo-Calvinism has been translated into Spanish. The Spanish version can be found here.

 

Neo-Calvinist doctoral theses: On Vollenhoven, on Dooyeweerd, & on Schilder

Theses on Vollenhoven

Garrood, A. P. 1982 Forming Karl Marx's Philosophical Conception: A Transcendental Argument Concerning D. H. T. Vollenhoven's Christian Philosophy University of Kent.

Ive, Jeremy 2012 A Critically Comparative Kuyperian Analysis and A Trinitarian, 'Perichoretic' Reconstruction of The Reformational Philosophies of Dirk H. Th. Vollenhoven And Herman Dooyeweerd King's College London.

Kok, John Henry 1992 Vollenhoven: His Early Development VU Amsterdam.

Tol, A. 2010 Philosophy In the Making: D. H. Th. Vollenhoven And The Emergence Of Reformed Philosophy, Together With The Text-Critical Edition Of His Isagoge Philosophiae. VU Amsterdam.

Theses on Dooyeweerd

Brümmer, Vincent 1961 Transcendental Criticism and Christian Philosophy: A Presentation and Evaluation of Herman Dooyeweerd's "Philosophy of The Cosmonomic Idea." Stellenbosch

Chaplin, Jonathan 1993 Pluralism, Society and the State: the neo-Calvinist Political Theory of Herman Dooyeweerd (1894-1977). London School of Economics

Choi, Yong-Joon 1999 Dialogue and Antithesis: A Study of Dooyeweerd's Critique of Culture Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education.

Clouser, Roy A. 1972 Transcendental Critique, Ontological Reduction and Religious Belief in The Philosophy Of Herman Dooyeweerd University of Pennsylvania

Conradie, A.L. 1957 The Neo-Calvinistic Concept of Philosophy with Special Reference To H. Dooyeweerd: A Study In The Problem Of Philosophic Communication University of Cape Town

Henderson, Roger D. 1994.     Illuminating Law: The Construction of Herman Dooyeweerd's Philosophy 1918-1928.     VU Amsterdam.

Marcel, Pierre 1956 Translated and published as: The Christian Philosophy of Herman Dooyeweerd Vol 1 And 2 (Wordbridge, 2013). The Original Was in French Montpellier

Skillen, James 1973 The Development of Calvinistic Political Theory in the Netherlands with Special Reference to the Thought of Herman Dooyeweerd Duke University

Steen, Peter 1970 The Idea of Religious Transcendence in The Philosophy of Herman Dooyeweerd, With Reference To Its Significance For Reformed Theology WTS

Verburg, Marcel E. 1989 Translated and published as: Herman Dooyeweerd: The Life and Work of a Christian Philosopher (Paideia, 2015) VU Amsterdam

Young, William 1943 The Development of a Protestant Philosophy in Dutch Calvinist Thought Since the Time Of Abraham Kuyper. 

Union Theological

Utilising Dooyeweerd

Aiyenitaju, O. T. 2017 Understanding ICT Classroom Issues Encountered by Teachers: The Application Of Dooyeweerd's Philosophy University of Salford

Berenyi, Robert Otto 2001 The Conservation of Buildings: A Philosophical Examination University of Salford.

De Luliis, Manila 2010 A Dooyeweerdian Approach to Time In Sustainable Development University of Salford.

Joneidy, S. 2015 Making Sense of The Information Systems Use Field University of Salford.

Jones, Gareth Owen 2007 Dooyeweerdian Philosophy, Knowledge-Based Systems, And Sustainability University of Salford.

Kane, Suzanne Colette 2005 Multi-Aspectual Interview Technique (M.A.I.T.) University of Salford

Khojah, Ghadah M. A 2018 Using Dooyeweerd's Aspects to Understand Down To Earth Issues In Use Of Medical Records University of Salford

Kimani, A. G. 2017 A New Framework for Defining, Identifying and Explicating Tacit Knowledge: Qualitative Research Using Aspectual Analysis on SMEs University of Salford

Lombardi, Patrizia Lucia 1999 Understanding Sustainability in the Built Environment: A Framework For Evaluation In Urban Planning And Design University of Salford.

McGibbon, S. 2018 Towards An Aspectual Conception of Trust University of Salford

Winfield, Michael James 2000 Multi-Aspectual Knowledge Elicitation University of Salford

Theses on Schilder

De Jong, A. C. 1954.  The Well-Meant Gospel Offer: The Views of H. Hoeksema and K. 

Schilder. Franeker: T. Wever.

DeJong, Jackobus 1990 Accommodatio Dei: A Theme in K. Schilder's Theology of Revelation, (Kampen: Mondiss, 1990). TU Kampen

Douma, Jochem 2017. Common Grace in Kuyper, Schilder, and Calvin: Exposition, 

Comparison, and Evaluation.  Hamilton: Lucerna, 2017.

De Jong, Marinus 2019 The church is the means, the world is the end: the development of Klaas Schilder's thought on the relationship between the church and the world. TU Kampen

Asia Kuyper Institute 2nd International Seminar 22 September 2022

 

Abraham Kuyper and evolution

 My article on Kuyper and evolution has now been published:

Bishop, S., 2022. Abraham Kuyper and evolution. KOERS — Bulletin for Christian Scholarship, 87(1). Available at: https://doi.org/10.19108/KOERS.87.1.2510

Doctoral Theses on Abraham Kuyper

 Here are some of the doctoral dissertation on Kuyper

In English

Bacote, Vincent 2002 The role of the Holy Spirit in creation and history with special reference to Abraham Kuyper Drew University. 

Campbell-Jack, Walter Campbell 1992 Grace without Christ? The doctrine of common grace in Dutch-American neo-Calvinism University of Edinburgh.

Casey, Ramon J. 1988 Abraham Kuyper’s Political Worldview Regent University, Virginia.

Chiu, Agnes S.  2016.   Common Grace and Common Good For China: An Exposition Of Abraham Kuyper And Leo Xiii On Labor Struggles In Twenty-First Century China Fuller Theological Seminary.

Dagley, Logan  2018 The Missional Church As An Institution And Organism: How Abraham Kuyper’s Ecclesiological Distinction Clarifies The Church’s Mission In Relation To Selected Contemporary Missiological Challenges. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. 

Duk, Kwang 1999 Ecclesiology and social ethics: A comparative study of the social and ethical role of the Church in the views of Abraham Kuyper and Stanley Hauerwas Kampen.

Douma, Jochem   1966   Common Grace in Kuyper, Schilder, and Calvin: Exposition, Comparison, and Evaluation.    Lucerna: Crts Publications, 2017.

Greeson, Dennis 2021 Common Grace, Providence, and the Saeculum: Abraham Kuyper’s Theology of Culture Revisited. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Harefa, Surya Hadianto 2020 A free church in a free state: the possibilities of Abraham Kuyper's ecclesiology for Japanese evangelical Christians. Kampen. 

Heslam, Peter S. 1993 Abraham Kuyper’s lectures on Calvinism: an historical study Oxford University Published as Creating a Christian Worldview, Paternoster, 1998.

Himes, Brant Micah 2015. For a better worldliness: The theological discipleship of Abraham Kuyper and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Fuller Theological Seminary, Center for Advanced Theological Study. 

Jones, Timothy 2022 Saving Common Grace: Kuyper and Present Possibilities for Public Theology in the UK.   King’s College London.

Kaemingk, Matthew 2013 “Mecca and Amsterdam: Christian Ethics between Islam and Liberalism Vrije Universiteit and Fuller Seminary. 

Kobes, Wayne A. 1993 Sphere sovereignty and the university: theological foundations of Abraham Kuyper’s view of the university and its role in society Florida State University.

Langley, McKendree R. 1995. Emancipation and apologetics: the formation of Abraham Kuyper’s Anti-Revolutionary Party in the Netherlands, 1872–1880 Westminster Theological Seminary.

Naylor, Wendy Fish 2006 Abraham Kuyper and the emergence of neo-calvinist pluralism in the Dutch school struggle University of Chicago.

Park, Jae-Eun              2016 Driven By God: Active Justification and Definitive Sanctification in the Soteriology of Bavinck, Comrie, Witsius, and Kuyper. Calvin Theological Seminary. Published by V&R, 2018.

Porter, Jacob         2011 Abraham Kuyper’s Sphere Sovereignty: Theological Comparisons And Application To Poverty. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary 

Prideaux, Louise 2020 Approaching the Complex, Cultural Other: Towards a Renewal of Christian Cultural Engagement in the Reformed Tradition University of Exeter.

Rooy, Sidney H. 1956 Kuyper vs. Warfield: an historical approach to the nature of apologetics. Union Theological Seminary.

Un, Steven A.   2020 Theology of the Public Sphere: An Interpretation of the Philosophy of Hannah Arendt and Jürgen Habermas from the Perspective of the Theology of Abraham Kuyper with Implications for Public Theology and the Indonesian Context. VU Amsterdam.

Van Heukelom, Raymond R. 1952/53 Abraham Kuyper's view of the function of the church in the world. Northern Baptist.

Wagenman, M.R. 2017. The Power of The Church: The Ecclesiology of Abraham Kuyper. Bristol University and Trinity College. Published by Pickwick Publications, 2020.

Westra, John 1972 Confessional political parties in the Netherlands, 1813–1949 University of Michigan. 

Wood, John Halsey, Jr. 2010 Going Dutch in the modern age: Abraham Kuyper’s struggle for a free church in the nineteenth-century Netherlands. Published by Oxford University Press, 2013.

Young, William 1943. The development of a Protestant philosophy in Dutch Calvinist thought since the time of Abraham Kuyper. Union Theological.

In chronological order

Young, William 1943 The development of a Protestant philosophy in Dutch Calvinist thought since the time of Abraham Kuyper. Union Theological.

Van Heukelom, Raymond R. 1952/53 Abraham Kuyper's view of the function of the church in the world. Northern Baptist.

Rooy, Sidney H. 1956 Kuyper vs. Warfield: an historical approach to the nature of apologetics. Union Theological Seminary.

Douma, Jochem   1966   Common Grace in Kuyper, Schilder, and Calvin: Exposition, Comparison, and Evaluation.    Lucerna: Crts Publications, 2017.

Westra, John 1972 Confessional political parties in the Netherlands, 1813–1949. University of Michigan. 

Casey, Ramon J. 1988 Abraham Kuyper’s Political Worldview Regent University, Virginia.

Campbell-Jack, Walter Campbell 1992 Grace without Christ? The doctrine of common grace in Dutch-American neo-Calvinism University of Edinburgh.

Heslam, Peter S. 1993 Abraham Kuyper’s lectures on Calvinism: an historical study Oxford University.

Kobes, Wayne A. 1993 Sphere sovereignty and the university: theological foundations of Abraham Kuyper’s view of the university and its role in society Florida State University.

Langley, McKendree R. 1995 Emancipation and apologetics: the formation of Abraham Kuyper’s Anti-Revolutionary Party in the Netherlands, 1872–1880 Westminster Theological Seminary.

Duk, Kwang 1999 Ecclesiology and social ethics: A comparative study of the social and ethical role of the Church in the views of Abraham Kuyper and Stanley Hauerwas Kampen.

Bacote, Vincent 2002 The role of the Holy Spirit in creation and history with special reference to Abraham Kuyper Drew University. 

Naylor, Wendy Fish 2006 Abraham Kuyper and the emergence of neo-calvinist pluralism in the Dutch school struggle University of Chicago.

Wood, John Halsey, Jr. 2010 Going Dutch in the modern age: Abraham Kuyper’s struggle for a free church in the nineteenth-century Netherlands. Published by Oxford University Press, 2013.

Porter, Jacob 2011 Abraham Kuyper’s Sphere Sovereignty: Theological Comparisons And Application To Poverty. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. 

Kaemingk, Matthew 2013 “Mecca and Amsterdam: Christian Ethics between Islam and Liberalism Vrije Universiteit and Fuller Seminary. 

Himes, Brant Micah 2015 For a better worldliness: The theological discipleship of Abraham Kuyper and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Fuller Theological Seminary, Center for Advanced Theological Study. 

Himes, Brant Micah. 2015 For a Better Worldliness: The theological discipleship of Abraham Kuyper and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. PhD Thesis Fuller Theological Seminary, Center for Advanced Theological Study. Published by Wipf & Stock.

Chiu, Agnes S. 2016 Common Grace and Common Good For China: An Exposition Of Abraham Kuyper And Leo Xiii On Labor Struggles In Twenty-First Century China Fuller Theological Seminary

Park, Jae-Eun 2016 Driven By God: Active Justification and Definitive Sanctification in the Soteriology of Bavinck, Comrie, Witsius, and Kuyper.

Wagenman, M. 2017 The Power of The Church: The Ecclesiology of Abraham Kuyper. Bristol University and Trinity College. Published by Pickwick Publications, 2020.

Dagley, Logan  2018 The Missional Church As An Institution And Organism: How Abraham Kuyper’s Ecclesiological Distinction Clarifies The Church’s Mission In Relation To Selected Contemporary Missiological Challenges. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. 

Harefa, Surya Hadianto 2020 A free church in a free state: the possibilities of Abraham Kuyper's ecclesiology for Japanese evangelical Christians. Kampen. 

Prideaux, Louise 2020 Approaching the Complex, Cultural Other: Towards a Renewal of Christian Cultural Engagement in the Reformed Tradition University of Exeter.

Un, Steven A. 2020 Theology of the Public Sphere: An Interpretation of the Philosophy of Hannah Arendt and Jürgen Habermas from the Perspective of the Theology of Abraham Kuyper with Implications for Public Theology and the Indonesian Context VU Amsterdam

Greeson, Dennis 2021 Common Grace, Providence, and the Saeculum: Abraham Kuyper’s Theology of Culture Revisited. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Jones, Timothy 2022 Saving Common Grace: Kuyper and Present Possibilities for Public Theology in the UK. King’s College London.

Non-English theses (thanks to Marinus de Jong @jmarinusdejong) and George Harinck

Praamsma, Louis          1945 Abraham Kuyper als kerk historicus. Kampen Ridderbos, Simon Jan 1947. De theologische cultuurbeschouwing van Abraham Kuyper Kampen Dengerink, Jan Dirk      1948. Critisch-historisch onderzoek naar de sociologische ontwikkeling van het beginsel der "souvereiniteit in eigen kring" Kampen. de Ru, Cornelis              1953. De strijd over het hoger onderwijs tijdens het ministerie-Kuyper, Kampen Velema, Willem H.         1957. De leer van de Heilige Geest bij Abraham Kuyper, ‘s-Gravenhage. Sutarno [Boedisoesetya, Soetarno] 1970. Het kuyperiaanse model van een christelijke politieke organisatie, Baarn.

Douma, Jochem              1966.   Algemene Genade

van Keulen, Dirk 2003. Bijbel en dogmatiek: schriftbeschouwing en schriftgebruik in het dogmatisch werk van A. Kuyper, H. Bavinck en G.C. Berkouwer (2003)

 

Additions courtesy of @EricSungminKong Vogel, Leroy. Die Politischen Ideen Abraham Kuypers und seine Entwicklung als Staatsmann. Würzburg: Mayr, 1937. [PhD diss., Heidelberg University, 1937. 108 pages]

Kasteel, Petrus Albertus. “Abraham Kuyper.” PhD diss., Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 1938.

Leeuwen, Petrus Antonius van. Het kerkbegrip in de theologie van Abraham Kuyper. Franeker: Wever, 1946. [PhD diss., Roomsch Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen, 270 pages]

Langman, Harm Jan. Kuyper en de Volkskerk: Een Dogmatisch-ecclesiologische Studie. Kampen: Kok, 1950. [PhD diss., University of Groningen, 1950. 294 pages]

Rosenboom, Enno Edzard. “Die Idee einer Christlichen Universität im Theologischen Denken von Abraham Kuyper.” PhD diss., University of Göttingen, 1950. [219 pages + Endnotes 107 pages]

Voerman, Jan. “Het Conflict Kuyper-Heemskerk.” ThD diss., Rijksuniversiteit te Utrecht, 1954. [134 pages]

Treurnicht, Andries Petrus. “Die Verhouding van die Staat tot die Kerk by dr. Abraham Kuyper, 1843-1920.” PhD diss., University of Cape Town, 1956.

Rooyen, Jan Hendrik Petrus van. Kerk en Staat: 'n Vergelyking tussen Kuyper en van Ruler. Groningen: V. R. B. Kleine, 1964. [ThD diss., Rijksuniversiteit te Utrecht, 1964. 372 pages]

Weringh, Jacobus van. Het Maatschappijbeeld van Abraham Kuyper. Assen: Van Gorcum, 1967. [PhD diss., University of Groningen, 1967.]

Koppen, Christiaan Anthonius Jozef van. Abraham Kuyper en Zuid-Afrika: Noten. Bunnik: [s.n.], 1981. [ThD diss., Rijksuniversiteit te Utrecht, 1981. 273 pages] ———. De Geuzen van de Negentiende Eeuw: Abraham Kuyper en Zuid-Afrika. Wormer: Inmerc, 1992. [320 pages]

Petersen, C. J. “Verbreek die Kettings!: 'n Analities Barthiaans-Marxistiese Religiekritiek op die Teologiese Model van Abraham Kuyper.” PhD diss., PThU., 1982. [84 pages]

Langbroek, C. Een Onderzoek naar de Laïkale Vakken binnen de Diakonologische Groep bij Abraham Kuyper en Enkele Volgelingen. Veenendaal: [s.n.], 1983. [PhD diss., Apeldoorn ThU CGK, 1983]

Koornhof, Johannes J. E. “Woord en Heil: die Woord as Heilsmiddel in die Teologie van Abraham Kuyper.” ThD diss., University of Stellenbosch, 1985. [ix, 380 pages]

Olivier, Mieder Johannes Palm. 'n Kritiese Bespreking van die Eskatologie van Abraham Kuyper. Potchefstroom: [s.n.], 1986. [PhD diss., Universiteit van die Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 1986. 344 pages]

Schaeffer, Johannes Christianus. “De Plaats van Abraham Kuyper in ‘De Vrije Kerk’.” PhD diss., Apeldoorn ThU CGK, 1994. [170 pages] ———. De Plaats van Abraham Kuyper in "De Vrije Kerk”. Amsterdam: Buijten & Schipperheijn, 1997. [219 pages]

Janssens, Rienk. “De Opbouw van de Antirevolutionaire Partij 1850-1888.” PhD diss., VU Amsterdam, 2001. [411 pages]

Baarssen, Dirk. Sporen van Comries rechtvaardigingsleer. Apeldoorn: Labarum Academic, 2021. [PhD diss., VU Amsterdam, 2021. Supervisor: W. van Vlastuin, Co-supervisor: A. Goudriaan. About A. Kuyper, H. Bavinck, A. G. Honig, A. Kuyper, Jr. G. C. Berkouwer, CGK, G. Bond(NHK), G. Gemeenten, G. Gemeenten in Nederland]

Doctoral Theses on Herman Bavinck

 Recent years have seen an increase in interest in the work of Herman Bavinck. One indicator of this is the number of doctoral theses written on Bavinck. 

Jaarsma, Cornelius R.     1935            The Educational Philosophy of Herman Bavinck. Published by Eerdmans, 1935.

Hoekema, A. A.         1953     Bavinck’s Doctrine of the Covenant. Princeton Theological Seminary.

Kruithof, B                 1955     Relaxation of Christianity and culture in the teaching of Herman Bavinck. University of Edinburgh.

Heideman, Eugene. 1959     The Relation of Revelation and Reason: E. Brunner and H. Bavinck. Assen: Van Gorcum, 1959. 

Bolt, John.                 1982     The Imitation of Christ Theme in the Cultural-Ethical Ideal of Herman Bavinck. Published as A Theological Analysis of Herman Bavinck’s Two Essays on the Imitatio Christi. Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press, 2013. 

Heilema, Syd.          1998     Herman Bavinck’s Eschatological Understanding of Redemption. Toronto School of Theology. 

Gleason, Ron                 2001     The Centrality of the Unio Mystica in the Theology of Herman Bavinck. Westminster Theological Seminary.

Van den Belt, Henk 2006     The Authority of Scripture in Reformed Theology: Truth and Trust. Studies in Reformed Theology. University of Leiden. Published by Brill, 2008.

Hans Burger,                 2008     Being in Christ: A biblical and systematic investigation in a reformed perspective. Published by Wipf & Stock

Mattson, Brian.         2008     Restored to Our Destiny: Eschatology & the Image of God in Herman Bavinck's Reformed Dogmatics. University of Aberdeen. Published by Brill, 2011. 

Eglinton, James.         2010     Trinity and Organism: Towards a New Reading of Herman Bavinck's Organic Motif. The University of Edinburgh. Published by Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2012. 

De Wit, Willem J.         2011     On the Way to the Living God: A Cathartic Reading of Herman Bavinck and An Invitation to Overcome the Plausibility Crisis of Christianity. Amsterdam: VU University.

Price, Timothy S.         2013     Pedagogy as Theological Praxis : Martin Luther and Herman Bavinck as sources for engagement with classical education and the liberal arts tradition.  University of Aberdeen.

Huttinga, Wolter          2014     Participation and Communicability: Herman Bavinck and John Milbank on the Relation Between God and the World. Amsterdam: Buijten en Schipperheijn Motief.

Chiew, S. S.                2015 You Know It Completely: The Concept of Middle Knowledge and Biblical Interpretation in Luis de Molina, Herman Bavinck, and William Lane Craig. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Park, Jae-Eun                 2016.        Driven By God: Active Justification and Definitive Sanctification in the Soteriology of Bavinck, Comrie, Witsius, and Kuyper. Calvin Theological Seminary. Published by V&R, 2018.

Brock, Cory.                 2018     Orthodox yet Modern: Herman Bavinck’s Use of Friedrich Schleiermacher. The University of Edinburgh. Published by WA: Lexham, 2020. 

Sutanto, N. Gray         2018     Organic Knowing: The Theological Epistemology of Herman Bavinck.  dissertation, The University of Edinburgh. Published by T&T Clark, 2020.

Bintsarovskyi, Dmytro 2019     God Hidden and Revealed: A Reformed and an Eastern Orthodox Perspective. Published by Lexham Press, 2021

Joustra, Jessica         2019     Following the Way of Jesus: Herman Bavinck and John Howard Yoder in Dialogue on the Imitation of Christ. Fuller Theological Seminary. 

Pass, Bruce                  2019     ‘The Heart of Dogmatics’: The Place and Purpose of Christology in the Theological Method of Herman Bavinck. The University of Edinburgh. Published by Bril.

Tae, Dong-Yaul.             2019          Human Freedom and the invisible Church From the Viewpoint of Bavinck's Pneumatology. Calvin Theological Seminary.

Doornbos, Gayle            2019          Herman Bavinck’s Trinitarian Theology: The Ontological, Cosmological, and Soteriological Dimensions of the Doctrine of the Trinity. University of St Michael's College, Toronto.

Ximian Xu                 2020     Theology as the Wetenschap of God: Herman Bavinck's scientific theology for the modern world. The University of Edinburgh.

Changjun Choi         2021     Herman Bavinck and John Calvin on The Doctrines of the Trinity and the Image Of God: A Comparison. Theologische Universiteit Apeldoorn.

Clausing, Cameron 2021     ‘Christian dogmatic does not yet exist': the influence of the nineteenth century Historical Turn on the theological methodology of Herman Bavinck. University of Edinburgh. 

Kim, Eundeuk               2021          Herman Bavinck as a public theologian Calvin Theological Seminary.

Bertrand Rickenbacher 2021 Towards a Realist Conception of Theology: An Argument Based on the Works of Bavinck and Plantinga VU Amsterdam.

Parker, Gregory Jr.         2022     Theological Thinking and Loving: Dogmatics and Ethics in the Theology of Herman Bavinck. University of Edinburgh.

Schrock, Daniel.   2022. “The Internal Word Is the Principal Word:” the Work of the Spirit in Herman Bavinck’s Theological Epistemology Westminster Theological Seminary PhD Thesis.

Updates

Torseth, Robb. 2023.“Word-to-Word: A Constructive Account of Speech between God and Humanity in the Theologies of Herman Bavinck and John Webster,” August 8, 2023. University of Edinburgh. https://doi.org/10.7488/era/3608.

Leiva, Guerrero, and Israel José. 2023. “Piety in the Theology of Herman Bavinck: Trinitarian, Covenantal and Holistic,” December 1, 2023. University of Edinburgh. https://doi.org/10.7488/era/3986.

Other language theses include:

Bremmer, R. H.        1961              Herman Bavinck en zijn tijdgenoten. Kampen

Veenhof, Jan       1968  Revelatie en Inspiratie: De Openbarings- en Schriftbeschouwing van Herman Bavinck in vergelijking met die der ethische theologie. Amsterdam: Buijten & Schipperheijn.

van Keulen, Dirk         2003. Bijbel en dogmatiek. Schriftleer en schriftgebruik bij A. Kuyper, H. Bavinck en G.C. Berkouwer. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

Strebel, Henniel  2014. Eine Theologie des Lernens: Systematisch-theologische Beiträge aus dem Werk von Herman Bavinck [A theology of learning: systematic-theological contributions from the work of Herman Bavinck] (Bonn: VKW, 2014).

Goedvree, A.                 2018     Een ondoordringbaar mysteries: wedergeboorte volgens Herman Bavinck. Protestantse Theologische Universiteit.

Kuyper's Translators

 My piece on Kuyper's translators has been published on The Laymen's Lounge.

Herman Dooyeweerd's Christian Philosophy in Foundations 82 (May 2022)

 My introduction to Dooyeweerd's Christian philosophy has been published in Foundations.

Some recent and forthcoming neo-Calvinist books

 

Johanna Francis, Fields of Orange: A True Welsh Love Story (Aberystwyth: Ylofa, 2022)

 Herman Dooyeweerd's daughter, Johanna (Hanny), married a Welsh man and wrote a book about her life:

https://www.ylolfa.com/products/9781800991460/fields-of-orange-a-true-welsh-love-story

ISBN: 9781800991460

It is a fascinating read - she married Bob Francis, a Welsh farmer, and lived in near poverty as a farmer's wife in Wales.

It has one or two photographs of Dooyeweerd.

This one shows Dooyeweerd on his one visit to Wales in the Welsh hills looking down on the farm owned by Bob and Johanna.

Feeding the Earth: Building and sustaining food systems for the good of all

More details www.thinkfaith.et/feedingtheerath

 

Interview with Harry Van Dyke

It was in 2019 since I last interviewed you with the publication of Kuyper's On Education - what's been happening since then?

My wife and I  have moved to a gated community where I no longer need to mow the lawn or shovel snow from the driveway.

You have recently edited M.C. Smit's Writings on God and History (Dordt Press, 2022) - could you tell us a little about Smit and your interest in him?

After earning my Bachelor's at Calvin College in 1964 I enrolled at the VU University Amsterdam in order to "read" Theory and Philosophy of History with Professor Meyer Smit (1911-1981). In 1965 I became his assistant, which I remained till his death in 1981. From Smit, I learned a view of history that I believe I could not have learned anywhere else: how God is present in history and how the historian must take that into account: with awesome wonder and deep reverence and a humble spirit.

Why the republication of this book now? 

Smit remains in demand. He is the only philosopher of history who explicitly works in the reformational tradition. The first edition of his Writings (1987; 316 pp.) had very limited circulation; only a score were marketable, the other 980 copies all had false folds in them and were destroyed after the printer went bankrupt. Thus this first edition was almost instantly sold out. I later incorporated its contents in M. C. Smit, Towards a Christian Conception of History (2002; 426 pp.), which has meanwhile also gone out of print. The Towards book contained the whole of Writings plus a translation of Smit's doctoral dissertation. The new edition of Writings this year republishes the first edition. Unlike Towards, it omits the dissertation except for two lengthy appendices (pp. 255-304) for which I gleaned Smit's positive (thetical) elucidation of his own, reformational views and conceptions of history (the rest of his dissertation dealt with Roman Catholic philosophers and historians and their approach to historical science, largely shaped by the nature-grace ground-motive).

What are the main themes of his approach to history?

That history is not self-sufficient but receives life and meaning from the Creator. Historians cannot explain events solely in terms of their antecedents but must take into account the underlying and primary active presence of God in history.

What does Smit offer that is relevant for today?

He is a better antidote than Dooyeweerd for historicism and historical relativism.


Who should read this book and why?

University students and university instructors; preachers and teachers. Smit's ideas open our minds to the divine mystery in history.

You have been busy with the Abraham Kuyper Translation Project - are there more plans to translate more of Kuyper?

Not that I am aware of. There are treasures in his E Voto (a 3-vol. commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism). Craig Batholomew also believes that Kuyper's Encyclopedia (an extensive introduction to the loci of theology) is anything but outdated and deserves to be translated, perhaps in abridged form. However, projects like this are costly and the generous patron of the more recent Kuyper translations has gone to be with the Lord. I am still available for any of this work, but by God's grace hope to turn 82 next month.

What advice would you give to budding reformational scholars?

(1) Read widely. 

(2) Get in touch with the Neo-Calvinist research centres in Kampen, Edinburgh, Fuller Seminary, and Redeemer University.

(3) If you have any talent at all in languages, master Dutch. 

(4) "In all your ways, acknowledge Him."

What challenges do you see facing the reformational movement at the moment?

To bring itself into rapport with the needs of our time, both academically and more broadly socially and culturally.

When you are not translating what do you like to do for fun?

Do word puzzles, grow a kitchen garden, and play Bach on the harmonium pump organ.

You Should Know Reformational Philosophy

 My Introduction to Reformational Philosophy is now on Laymen's Lounge.

Reality is multi-aspectual. Consider a garden and a gardener. 

A gardener is faced with many decisions when beginning to garden. How many plants will be planted (numerical), what space will the garden take up (spatial), what changes will need to take place – what seasonal elements will need to be considered (kinematic). Will fertilisers or pesticides need to be used – will these be chemical or organic (physical)? Will the relationship between plants and insects be considered? 

What flowers are best for bees that will be required to pollinate plants (biotic)? Plants have different fragrances (sensitive). Consideration will need to be given to how different parts of the garden fit together and if the type of soil is suitable for the plants (analytical). Plants have names and horticulture has its own terminology (lingual). 

Will there be space in the garden to entertain friends (social)? Will the garden be too expensive to maintain (economic)? Are some plants becoming rare and need to be protected? How will the garden look? Is it pleasing in terms of being well proportioned, does it show beauty and harmony (aesthetic)? Will planning permission be needed to add or remove walls or outbuildings (juridical)? 

Will any changes made offend the neighbours? Does the garden show love for plants and animals as well as humans (ethical)? The overriding question is why do we garden? Is it to produce a symbol of wealth and expertise, or is it to bring glory to God (confessional)?

The idea of the multifacetedness of reality is to be found in the thought and writings of the Dutch lawyer and philosopher Herman Dooyeweerd (1894-1977). Dooyeweerd was one of the major architects of what is known as Reformational philosophy.

Dooyeweerd is one of several Dutch Calvinists who were associated with philosophy. The notable others were his brother-in-law Vollenhoven, Antheunis Janse (1890-1960), S.U. Zuidema (1906-1975), K. J. Popma (1905-1986), the S. African H. G. Stoker (1899-1993), J.P.A. Mekkes (1898-1987), and Hendrik Van Riessen (1911-2000).

You Should Know Common Grace

 My article on Common Grace is now online at the Laymen's Lounge - courtesy of Jason Estiponal. 

Review of God, Technology and the Christian Life

 God, Technology, and the Christian Life
Tony Reinke

Crossway Books

9781433578274

320pp, pbk

Book website here

Recent years has seen Christians are becoming aware of the impact of technology on cultural life. Although technology has always been with us, from the time Adam used a branch to reach fruit on a tree (as Calvin Seerveld observes) it is good to see books written on a Christian view of technology (see a list here). The 1986 book Responsible Technology was one of the first in recent decades to take it seriously. They pointed out that technology was not a neutral activity and that it must be done under the Lordship of Christ. One of the authors of that book Egbert Schuurman has written extensively on the impact of technology.

It is good to see that Christians are taking this issue seriously and in the last 12 months has seen several books on this topic. One of them is this book by Tony Reinke. Reinke is no stranger to technology he has previously written on 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You. In this book, he examines the border effects of technology ostensibly drawing on the insights of John Calvin, Charles Spurgeon, Abraham Kuyper, Herman Bavinck, Jacques Ellul, Wendell Berry, Kevin Kelly, Elon Musk, and Yuval Noah Harari. 

He identifies and debunks 12 common myths regarding faith and technology. These are:

Myth 1: Human innovation is an inorganic imposition forced onto the created order. 

Myth 2: Humans set the technological limits and possibilities over creation. 

Myth 3: Human innovation is autonomous, unlimited, and unchecked. 

Myth 4: God is unrelated to the improvements of human innovation. 

Myth 5: Non-Christian inventors cannot fulfill the will of God. 

Myth 6: God will send the most beneficial innovations through Christians. 

Myth 7: Humans can unleash techno-powers beyond the control of God. 

Myth 8: Innovations are good as long as they are pragmatically useful. 

Myth 9: God governs only virtuous technologies. 

Myth 10: God didn’t have the iPhone in mind when he created the world. 

Myth 11: Our discovery of atomic power was a mistake that God never intended. 

Myth 12: Christian flourishing hinges on my adoption or rejection of the technium.

Each chapter ends with a numbered list of take-always. 

I was hoping to see more on Kuyper and Bavinck - but they like to other authors mentioned are only utilised in passing. It is a shame that the two (unrelated) Schuurman’s are not drawn upon mere extensively - as both Schuurman’s provide some of the best Christian insights int technology. This is no academic book but provides a good introduction to the subject.

One point I found stimulating was Reinke’s observation in Chapter 3 he makes an interesting observation: Cutting-edge advances will mostly come through God rejectors. 

Of course, this is not always the case - most of the early scientists were Christian. And we have the Christian Faraday to thank for discovering electromagnetism. Reinke’s point does however show the effect of common grace. It begs the question is this descriptive or prescriptive?

Why is it the case? Is it because Christians are too heavenly minded to be if earthy use? Is it because technological involvement takes second place to church-based activities? Of course, it shouldn’t be the case - that it is is an indictment on dualistic Christianity.

Contents:

Chapter 1: What Is Technology?

 Chapter 2: What Is God’s Relationship to Technology?

 Chapter 3: Where Do Our Technologies Come From?

 Chapter 4: What Can Technology Never Accomplish?

 Chapter 5: When Do Our Technologies End?

 Chapter 6: How Should We Use Technology Today?

General Index

 Scripture Index

My thanks to Crossway for a review copy.