Abraham kuyper and herman bavinck on the doctrine of scripture jackson, ms. In our treatment of the doctrine of the image of god, then, we must highlight, in accordance with scripture and the reformed confession, the idea that a human being does not bear or have the image of god but that he or she is the image of god. Abraham kuyper as professor of systematic theology at the free university in. In his purpose of election, god intends nothing less than the redemption of a new humanity within the context of his comprehensive work of recreation. I give it 4 stars because bavinck is both thorough in his handling of the material, wellorganized the material is laid out within an outline format and of course thoroughly scriptural. It has served well as a synopsis of bavincks larger, fourvolume dogmatics, for it presents in clear persepctive all the fundamental doctrines of the bible. After his high school education, bavinck first went to the theological school in kampen in 1873, but then moved on to leiden for. The time is ripe, therefore, to get reacquainted with bavinck. His reformed dogmatics is a standard text for modern reformed theology. Endorsement a model of exhaustive and balanced exegesis. An introduction to the reformed doctrines of grace. Bavincks insight was that theological method must be grounded in the substance of theology itself, speci fically in its trinitarian and covenantal aspects. Bavinck sensed the open question caused by the subjectivistic tendency of friedrich schleiermachers doctrine of revelation. Clearly, therefore, the works of god in the arrangement or completion of the void and formless earth are divided into two groups.
God moved us to the netherlands and eventually to kampen, the city where bavinck taught systematic theology and ethics for twenty years. Though i am skipping over for now the section on the doctrine of creation, including the creation of man in gods image, i will return to this topic at a later point, d. This english translation by henry zylstra was originally published in. In the doctrine of the attributes of god the tradition includes the treatment of the divine nature as it is revealed to us in scripture, is confessed by the christian faith. After theological study in kampen, and at the university of leiden, he graduated in 1880, and served as the minister of the congregation at. The recently completed english translation has received wide acclaim, and has now been distilled into a more accessible one volume abridged edition likewise entitled reformed dogmatics focuses on the most crucial elements of the reformed theological tradition. On the whole, its teaching has been that god is simple, that is, sublimely free from all composition, and that therefore one cannot make any real i. Gods incomprehensibility, gods knowability, gods names, gods incommunicable attributes, gods communicable attributes, the holy trinity, and gods counsel. Mar 19, 2018 his result, at least in this volume, is a budding neocalvinist take on the doctrine of god, and more particularly the doctrine of creation. Bavinck also deals with the doctrine of the covenant in the third volume of his reformed dogmatics, where he takes up the topic of gods work of redemption in christ. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
Herman bavinck uncluttered collection of writings from. Pdf herman bavinck on the image of god and original sin ijst. Magnalia dei has long been prized as a faithful onevolume summary of systematic theology. Herman bavincks 18541921 fourvolume reformed dogmatics is one of the most important theological works of the twentieth century. Note that in the dutch original, gods names came after god.
Works on dogmatic or systematic theology generally begin with the doctrine of god. This popular digest of herman bavincks classic fourvolume reformed dogmatics clearly presents the fundamental doctrines of biblical theology. A comparison of herman bavinck and johan herman bavinck. The wonderful works of god, an english translation of herman bavincks magnalia dei, is now widely available. Neither a tenstep guide nor a onesided approach, this book embodies a christian theology of marriage and the family. His doctoral dissertation was on the concept of the state in zwinglis theology. Bavincks early life and education herman bavinck was born in hoogeveen, the netherlands, on december. The future of calvinism, the presbyterian and reformed. In bavincks view of gods counsel or decree, the doctrine of election deals with gods eternal purpose to save his people in christ. The prevailing opinion has always recognized this as. The catholicity of christianity and the church 1888, translated into english by john bolt in 1992 and published in ctj 27, 22051.
Doctrine of godtheology book information in partnership with the dutch reformed translation society, baker academic is proud to offer the second volume of herman bavincks complete reformed dogmatics in english for the very first time. Second, i observe bavincks doctrine of the imago dei in its three aspects. He was well aware that the bible confronts modern man with many questions. While it may be debated as to how consistent he was in the application of this principle with his occasional nod to realism, it cannot be denied that he was selfconscious. Olson this thesis paper will address the question, does god use means to communicate his benefits to his people. Doctrine of god by herman bavinck banner of truth usa. As a human being a man is the son, the likeness, or offs. Hart, author of the lost soul of american protestantism bavinck s dutch masterwork was the everest of which the textbooks by louis berkhof and auguste lecerf were foothills and berkouwers studies in. This is a preprint copy of my article, herman bavinck on the image of god and. Each of these of course is further subdivided in a logical format.
Abraham kuyper and herman bavinck and the doctrine of scripture richard b. Sep 24, 2015 in our treatment of the doctrine of the image of god, then, we must highlight, in accordance with scripture and the reformed confession, the idea that a human being does not bear or have the image of god but that he or she is the image of god. Bavinck was born in the town of hoogeveen in the netherlands to a german father. The christian family bavinck reformation heritage books. Herman bavinck 18541921 succeeded abraham kuyper as professor of systematic theology at the free university in amsterdam in 1902. In this and subsequent articles on herman bavincks reformed dogmatics, i will address bavincks view of the covenant, including its relation to the doctrine of election. His result, at least in this volume, is a budding neocalvinist take on the doctrine of god, and more particularly the doctrine of creation. Framereformed theological seminary pastors and theologians will welcome the historic first complete translation of herman bavinck s reformed dogmatics. God is independent, allsufficient in himself, and the only source of all existence and life. Herman bavinck christian classics ethereal library. Nearly three decades of close involvement with bavincks theology has given me. John bolt remembers his enthusiastic reaction when anthony hoekema, a professor of systematic theology at calvin theological seminary, read a section from herman bavincks reformed dogmatics titled the wideness of gods mercy. At the time, it took me about an hour to read one page. Eric bristley, guide to the writings of herman bavinck rhb, 2008.
The doctrine of the trinity is the architectonic principle of the whole theological and apologetic enterprise of herman bavinck. Selected shorter works of herman bavinck ebook monergism. God s incomprehensibility, god s knowability, god s names, god s incommunicable attributes, god s communicable attributes, the holy trinity, and god s counsel. Deeply concerned with the problem of objectivism and subjectivism in the doctrine of revelation, he employed schleiermachers doctrine of revelation in his own way and regarded the bible as the objective standard for his. Editors notes this issue of the protestant reformed theological journal is a special issue. Herman bavinck s perspectives on the outward and ordinary means of grace robert j. Taking on the project of pre paring a onevolume outline of a fourvolume magisterial work like bavincks is not something to be done lightly. The blessings of herman bavinck christian reformed church. Roberts abstract this article outlines the main contours of herman bavincks prolegomena.
Second, work that bavinck did on christian education significantly influenced those who began calvin college in the 1930s. Jun 28, 2017 berkhof, however, did not present his own original theology, it was for the most part, in structure and content, the theology of herman bavinck. Clearly, therefore, the works of god in the arrangement or completion of the void. While it may be debated as to how consistent he was in the application of this principle with his occasional nod to realism, it cannot be denied that he was selfconsciously committed to the triune god of scripture as the alpha and omega point of his thought. Dutch theologian herman bavinck 18541921 is widely celebrated as a leading divine in the reformed tradition, and through the ongoing labor of translation teams, editors, and publishers, his vast writings are reaching english readers. This translation provides, in the words of hendriksen, a spiritual treat for the serious reader.
Jan 01, 1978 the doctrine of god is the foundation of christian theology and the prerequisite of all true faith. He graduated magna cum laude in 1880 from leiden with a double major in systematic theology and old testament. Bavincks doctrine of god is richly informative, very detailed, and difficult to read. Pdf reformed dogmatics download full pdf book download. This year marks the one hundredth anniversary of bavincks stone lectures at princeton theological seminary, and the appearance in english of the final volume of his fourvolumed reformed dogmatics1. Gods incomprehensibility, gods knowability, gods names, gods. Born on december, 1854, in hoogeveen, drenthe, holland, herman bavinck was the son of the reverend jan. He first went to theological school at kampen, but then moved on to leiden for further training. Born on december, 1854, in hoogeveen, drenthe, holland, herman bavinck was the son of the reverend jan bavinck, a leading figure in the secession from the state church of the netherlands in 1834. Yet by gods power the unchanging essence of marriage and the family remains proof, as bavinck notes, that gods purpose with the human race has not yet been achieved. Bavinck was born in the town of hoogeveen in the netherlands to a german father, jan bavinck 18261909 who was the minister of theologically conservative, ecclesiastically separatist christian reformed church christelijke gereformeerde kerk. At least righteousness by good works benefits ones neighbor, whereas. God is a personal being, selfexistent, having the source of life in himself, selfconscious, and selfwilling, not shut in by nature but exalted above nature, creator of heaven and earth.
Herman bavinck on creation excerpts from our reasonable faith. Herman bavinck, a dutch reformed theologian, was a also pastored before accepting the position of professor at the free university of for his magnum opus, reformed dogmatics gereformeerde dogmatiek, in 4 volumes. The masterwork will appeal to scholars, students, pastors, and laity interested in reformed theology and to research and theological libraries. Visser, pastor of the protestant church in the netherlands amsterdam and chairman of the foundation for the promoting of reformed missiology and ecumenics, delivered the following lecture at the 2008 bavinck conference. He graduated in 1880 from leiden having completed a dissertation on ulrich zwingli. This comprehensive treatment of christian doctrine was first issued in 1909 under the title the wonderful works of god. Aug 25, 2016 bavinck on divine simplicity now christian theology has always been more or less conscious of this calling. Herman bavinck 18541921, a dutch reformed theologian, was a contemporary of abraham kuyper and b. This is the first english translation of the second volume of herman bavincks complete reformed dogmatics. Because the essence of the christian religion consists in the recreation of the cosmos into a kingdom of god, bavinck writes that the great question, which returns always and everywhere, is this. Nearly three decades of close involvement with bavincks theology has given me a great respect for the man and his achievement. The last things bavinck s life and thought reflect a serious effort to be pious, orthodox, and thoroughly contemporary. Herman bavinck s 18541921 fourvolume reformed dogmatics is one of the most important theological works of the twentieth century. Through christ, the last adam, god aims to restore his people to covenant fellowship and thereby achieve his ultimate aim for human life in the state of glorification.
May 06, 2017 the doctrine of the trinity is the architectonic principle of the whole theological and apologetic enterprise of herman bavinck. Yet, despite this, few books expound the biblical teaching on the being and character of god himself, or encourage that glorifying of his name for which man is made and redeemed. Observing this need, william hendriksen also saw how admirably it had been met, for those able to read dutch, in the second volume of herman bavincks. The doctrine of god is the foundation of christian theology and the prerequisite of all true faith. Yet, despite this, few books expound the biblical teaching on the. Doctrine of god students reformed theological library. Abraham kuyper and herman bavinck and the doctrine of scripture 2008. Bavinck was first and foremost a verbi divini minister, a servant of the powerful and authoritative word of god. Bavinck on divine simplicity now christian theology has always been more or less conscious of this calling.
God s incommunicable attributes by herman bavinck scripture itself reveals the general attributes of god s nature before, and more clearly than, it reveals his trinitarian existence. This popular digest of herman bavinck s classic fourvolume reformed dogmatics clearly presents the fundamental doctrines of biblical theology. Bavinck breaks down the doctrine of god into 7 categories. The attributes of god herman bavinck, reformed dogmatics. It has served well as a synopsis of bavinck s larger, fourvolume dogmatics, for it presents in clear persepctive all the fundamental doctrines of the bible. God is a personal being, selfexistent, having the source of life in himself, self conscious, and selfwilling, not shut in by nature but exalted above nature, creator of heaven and. This god can appear and reveal himself in definite places, at definite times, to. Above all, bavinck was a thoroughly scriptural theologianhe was always guided by the bible as he. This english translation by henry zylstra was originally published in 1956 under the title our reasonable faith. Oct 17, 2008 this year marks the one hundredth anniversary of bavincks stone lectures at princeton theological seminary, and the appearance in english of the final volume of his fourvolumed reformed dogmatics1. If that question is answered in the affirmative, the westminster shorter catechism proceeds to ask, what are the outward means whereby. Bavinck was a towering figure among the dutch reformed in the netherlands during the midnineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Topics covered in this volume include to doctrine of god, the trinity, creation, heaven and earth, and the doctrine of humanity.
This is the first english translation of the second volume of herman bavinck s complete reformed dogmatics. But he did contribute to a new understanding of the organic inspiration of. How is grace related to nature what is the connection between creation and re. Abraham kuyper and herman bavinck and the doctrine of scripture. Start studying herman bavinck reformed dogmatics chapter 3. Careful historical presentation, painstaking effort to do justice to both sides of a question and always a wealth of biblical material to support its views make the doctrine of god an unusually accurate and authoritative volume.