The J. H. Bavinck Reader

by John Bolt, James D. Bratt (Editor), Paul J. Visser (Editor)

Crucial themes and issues explored by a premier missiologistJohan Herman Bavinck (1895-1964) was a prominent twentieth-century Dutch Calvinist missiologist who wrestled with the tension between religious absolutism and relativism, as many Christians do in today's pluralistic context.The J. H. Bavinck Reader gathers together a choice selection of Bavinck's significant writings that are essential for understanding his theology of missions, his approach to world religions, and his religious psychology. His treatment of religious consciousness and Christian faith expands on the brief treatment of it in his own work The Church Between Temple and Mosque. The concluding chapters show how Bavinck's theoretical reflection on religious consciousness was rooted in his close observation during his years as a missionary in Indonesia.Offering a constructive way forward, Bavinck affirms both the particularity of salvation in Christ and the universality of the Christian hope. A substantial introduction enhances the book with the most thorough biographical sketch of Bavinck available.

Genres: Theology, Christian

430 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 31, 2013

About the author

John Bolt is an American-Dutch Reformed theologian. He is a professor emeritus of systematic theology at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is the author and editor of several books. He edited Herman Bavinck's Gereformeerde Dogmatiek into English as Reformed Dogmatics. Bavinck influenced him into theological method.