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The Riddle of Life
Fresh translation of a classic treatise on Christian belief
In the spirit of C. S. Lewis's Mere Christianity, this book by eminent Calvinist thinker J. H. Bavinck offers a compact and compelling treatise on Christian belief.
Addressing big questions that haunt every thinking human being — Why are we here? Where do we come from? What is our destiny? How should we live? — Bavinck's Riddle of Life also explores such essential topics as sin and salvation, Jesus the Redeemer, faith and idolatry, God's great plan for creation, and the ultimate purpose behind our lives.
This lucid new translation by Bert Hielema of a classic text will make Bavinck's profound reflections on faith and the meaning of human life accessible to a new generation of seekers.
In the spirit of C. S. Lewis's Mere Christianity, this book by eminent Calvinist thinker J. H. Bavinck offers a compact and compelling treatise on Christian belief.
Addressing big questions that haunt every thinking human being — Why are we here? Where do we come from? What is our destiny? How should we live? — Bavinck's Riddle of Life also explores such essential topics as sin and salvation, Jesus the Redeemer, faith and idolatry, God's great plan for creation, and the ultimate purpose behind our lives.
This lucid new translation by Bert Hielema of a classic text will make Bavinck's profound reflections on faith and the meaning of human life accessible to a new generation of seekers.
- GenresTheology
102 pages, Paperback
First published May 26, 1927
About the author
Johan Herman Bavinck
29 books3 followersJohan Herman Bavinck (see also J.H. Bavinck) was a Dutch pastor, missionary and theologian.
Bavinck was born in Rotterdam as the second son of Reverend Coenraad Bernardus Bavinck. He attended the Marnix Gymnasium there. Both his father and his grandfather Jan Bavinck were pastors. His uncle was Herman Bavinck, pastor and Professor of Dogmatics at the theological school in Kampen and at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam
Bavinck was born in Rotterdam as the second son of Reverend Coenraad Bernardus Bavinck. He attended the Marnix Gymnasium there. Both his father and his grandfather Jan Bavinck were pastors. His uncle was Herman Bavinck, pastor and Professor of Dogmatics at the theological school in Kampen and at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 22, 2016
What is life? Where did it begin? What is it's meaning? Where does it end? These are all questions we ponder. Religion seeks to answer these kinds of questions. The author of "The Riddle of Life," J.H. Bavink, seeks to offer his own answers to these questions. The book is brief, readable, accessible. It serves to invite us to consider what life is about and how God is involved. Indeed, this is first and foremost a book about God, and then human life.
J.H. Bavinck was a Dutch missionary to Indonesia and later a professor of Missions in Holland who died in 1964. This book was first published around 1940 in Dutch, and only now translated into English, some seventy-five years later. The promotional statement on the back cover suggest that this book is written in "the spirit of C.S. Lewis," which I take to mean that it is written for a general audience as a way of introducing people to the foundations of the Christian faith. It does have the feel of Lewis, but it is also very much a Calvinist treatise.
The book is comprised of eighteen chapters that take us from "the great awakening," by which the author means the awakening to the reality of the world around us, and takes on a journey to life's completion. We cover issues such as faith, the world order, where come from and who we are. He speaks of the meaning of life, and in a chapter that for those of us non-Calvinists sounds very Calvinist titled "God's Plan," the subtitle of the chapter is "the Grand Chess Game." Yes, we are the pawns used by God in this chess game. He speaks of three idols -- money, honor, and pleasure. There's a chapter on sin and the need for deliverance, which leads then to a discussion of the need for a redeemer. In this brief chapter Bavinck sets up the role of Jesus as Redeemer with a conversation about the way Buddhism and Islam speak of redeemers. I found this chapter a bit odd, in part because Bavinck suggests that there are only three great religions. I'm assuming that Judaism and Hinduism, to name two others, would disagree (as would Sikh's and Zoroastrians). He suggests that these two religions understand redemption in terms of knowledge. Christianity, however, believes the need of the hour is much greater. We need not a prophet, but one who redeems. Thus, he writes that "Christ is the hand of God who grabs the fallen humans and pulls them up" (p. 79). The book concludes with chapters on salvation, why we're here, and finally life's completion.
It is nicely written, or at least nicely translated. There are a couple of questions that arose as I read the book. It was very Calvinist, but that would be expected from a book written by a Calvinist to introduce readers to the Reformed faith. The first question is why this book and why now? Why did Eerdmanns, which sent me the book to review, choose to publish a translation of a book that has been available in Dutch for seventy-five years. Maybe if I were in Dutch Calvinist circles I would understand the value without further explanation, but I'm not. So, I would have appreciated an preface or introduction that introduced the reader to Bavinck and why we might want to pay attention to his book. It needn't be long; just a few pages would be fine.
There's another issue that bedeviled me as I read the book, and that has to do with context. According to the translator, who did a great job, the book was first published in around 1940. Bavinck had recently returned to Holland to take an academic post after years of service in Indonesia. At the time the book was published Holland had been overrun by Hitler's forces. There are references to conflict and wars, but no real word about the challenge of Hitler's ideology or his rule over Holland. There might be good reason for this, but since there's no introduction I'm left to wonder how he could speak of God's purpose (Grand Chess Match) without speaking of the travails of the day.
The book is a bit more conservative and a lot more traditional Calvinist for my taste, but I'm sure it will prove to be a most fruitful introduction to the Christian faith for some.
J.H. Bavinck was a Dutch missionary to Indonesia and later a professor of Missions in Holland who died in 1964. This book was first published around 1940 in Dutch, and only now translated into English, some seventy-five years later. The promotional statement on the back cover suggest that this book is written in "the spirit of C.S. Lewis," which I take to mean that it is written for a general audience as a way of introducing people to the foundations of the Christian faith. It does have the feel of Lewis, but it is also very much a Calvinist treatise.
The book is comprised of eighteen chapters that take us from "the great awakening," by which the author means the awakening to the reality of the world around us, and takes on a journey to life's completion. We cover issues such as faith, the world order, where come from and who we are. He speaks of the meaning of life, and in a chapter that for those of us non-Calvinists sounds very Calvinist titled "God's Plan," the subtitle of the chapter is "the Grand Chess Game." Yes, we are the pawns used by God in this chess game. He speaks of three idols -- money, honor, and pleasure. There's a chapter on sin and the need for deliverance, which leads then to a discussion of the need for a redeemer. In this brief chapter Bavinck sets up the role of Jesus as Redeemer with a conversation about the way Buddhism and Islam speak of redeemers. I found this chapter a bit odd, in part because Bavinck suggests that there are only three great religions. I'm assuming that Judaism and Hinduism, to name two others, would disagree (as would Sikh's and Zoroastrians). He suggests that these two religions understand redemption in terms of knowledge. Christianity, however, believes the need of the hour is much greater. We need not a prophet, but one who redeems. Thus, he writes that "Christ is the hand of God who grabs the fallen humans and pulls them up" (p. 79). The book concludes with chapters on salvation, why we're here, and finally life's completion.
It is nicely written, or at least nicely translated. There are a couple of questions that arose as I read the book. It was very Calvinist, but that would be expected from a book written by a Calvinist to introduce readers to the Reformed faith. The first question is why this book and why now? Why did Eerdmanns, which sent me the book to review, choose to publish a translation of a book that has been available in Dutch for seventy-five years. Maybe if I were in Dutch Calvinist circles I would understand the value without further explanation, but I'm not. So, I would have appreciated an preface or introduction that introduced the reader to Bavinck and why we might want to pay attention to his book. It needn't be long; just a few pages would be fine.
There's another issue that bedeviled me as I read the book, and that has to do with context. According to the translator, who did a great job, the book was first published in around 1940. Bavinck had recently returned to Holland to take an academic post after years of service in Indonesia. At the time the book was published Holland had been overrun by Hitler's forces. There are references to conflict and wars, but no real word about the challenge of Hitler's ideology or his rule over Holland. There might be good reason for this, but since there's no introduction I'm left to wonder how he could speak of God's purpose (Grand Chess Match) without speaking of the travails of the day.
The book is a bit more conservative and a lot more traditional Calvinist for my taste, but I'm sure it will prove to be a most fruitful introduction to the Christian faith for some.
June 16, 2022
In this short and clear treatise, Mr. Bavinck outlines the clear biblical responses to the four main questions of life: Where did I come from, Where am I going, How do I live, Why am I here? With pastoral love, he responds to all these questions addressing the objections and critiques and supplying satisfying answers from the Bible.
The movement of the book feels a lot like Keller's preaching: point out the problem and show how Jesus perfectly answers it. Bavinck's chapter on Jesus the Redeemer is incredible and worth the whole book. Bavinck clearly argues how Jesus is the answer to the proposed three problems of human living: lack of true knowledge by ignorance, lack of peace with God and lack of holiness. This single chapter lit my heart aflame and inspired me to stay with the Jesus of the Gospels.
The movement of the book feels a lot like Keller's preaching: point out the problem and show how Jesus perfectly answers it. Bavinck's chapter on Jesus the Redeemer is incredible and worth the whole book. Bavinck clearly argues how Jesus is the answer to the proposed three problems of human living: lack of true knowledge by ignorance, lack of peace with God and lack of holiness. This single chapter lit my heart aflame and inspired me to stay with the Jesus of the Gospels.
July 15, 2025
Very similar to CS Lewis’ popular level apologetics.
April 24, 2018
A very thought provoking book. Sometimes the reasoning is a little hard to follow. However, the author makes helpful and challenging observations of the nature and condition of humanity and argues for the desperate need of a Saviour.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews