Our Program: A Christian Political Manifesto

Abraham Kuyper Collected Works in Public Theology #1

by Abraham Kuyper, Jordan J. Ballor (Series Editor), Melvin Flikkema (Series Editor)

In Our Program, Abraham Kuyper presents a Christian alternative to the secular politics of his day. At that time, the church and state were closely tied, with one usually controlling the other. But Kuyper's political framework showed how the church and state could engage with each other while remaining separate. His insights, though specific to his time and place, remain highly relevant to Christians involved in the political sphere today.

This new translation of Our Program, created in partnership with the Kuyper Translation Society and the Acton Institute, is part of a major series of new translations of Kuyper's most important writings. The Abraham Kuyper Collected Works in Public Theology marks a historic moment in Kuyper studies, aimed at deepening and enriching the church's development of public theology.

Genres: Politics, Theology, Cultural, Philosophy, History, Christian

432 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1879

About the author

Abraham Kuyper was a Dutch politician, journalist, statesman and theologian. He founded the Anti-Revolutionary Party and was prime minister of the Netherlands between 1901 and 1905.

Reviews

[Taylor Franchuk]

Kuyper presents a clear and structured case for reformed Christian political thought that is practical to his time. As such much of it is worth only skimming as it specific to 19th century Dutch politics. But many chapters, especially 1-7 are theologically grounded and relevant to today. He acknowledges the reality of a pluralistic society (unlike most Christian Nationalist writing currently popular) while maintaining a clear Christian input to political life. We would do well to pull from this work and update it as much as we can to our modern day political situation. A Christian should have a uniquely God glorifying approach to politics and can do so in a way that doesn't seek to establish dominion but rather persuasion.

[John B]

This was a waste of my time. If you want to read about Netherlandic Puritan political ideology as it happened over a 100 years ago, this is your book. If you want anything else, be advised it's not for you.

[Sean Higgins]

This was fantastic, and overwhelming, and encouraging, and motivating.

Kuyper wrote to show that his Antirevolutionary Party had specific, concrete policy answers that would help the nation flourish. He addressed the nature of the government's authority, taxation, education, relationship with the church, laws and the justice system, national budgets, public hygiene, and a lot more.

So much in Holland in the late 1800s does not apply today, and yet Kuyper shows how a Christian can (and should) approach loving our neighbors in the public square.

[Andy Jones]

A helpful read at the intersection of Calvinist worldview and public policy.