Roots of Western Culture: Pagan, Secular, and Christian Options

by Herman Dooyeweerd

This is an accessible work which aims to provide an understanding of Greek, medieval and modern humanistic life-orientations in their historical development. The book reveals the origin of the modern ideology of community and its subsequent effects in National Socialism. Confronted with the implications of a biblical understanding of the human condition, human society and the place and calling of scholarly reflection, Dooyeweerd contends that humanism has done more for the recognition of human freedom for religious convictions than did 17th-century Calvinism.

Genres: Philosophy, History, World History, Cultural, Theology

228 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1979

Reviews

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating analysis of western thought and culture! Dooyeweerd finds four religious motives in the history of Western thought, three of which live with an internal dialectical tension: Greek form/matter; Christianity’s Creation, Fall, and Redemption, Medieval Catholicism synthesis of the former two (nature/grace), and Modern Humanism’s synthesis of the former three (nature/freedom).

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read for understanding the hows and whys of current mess

[Anderson Paz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A obra “Raízes da cultura ocidental” reúne um conjunto de artigos de Herman Dooyeweerd em que o autor critica o Movimento Nacional Holandês. Este queria acabar, após a Segunda Guerra Mundial, com a antítese entre o cristianismo e o humanismo e defender um tipo de socialismo. Dooyeweerd escreve em seu semanário Niew Nederland rebatendo essa iniciativa e convida a uma análise dos motivos bases religiosos que orientam e formação e compreensão da cultura. Os motivos não bíblicos têm um princípio destrutivo: a negação da revelação divina como matriz orientadora da compreensão da realidade.

[Brandon Whitaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I definitely need to spend more time with Dooyeweerd before I form a full opinion. He is the sort of thinker with his own personal vocabulary and a constant and free employment of it, which can make him difficult to follow at times. As such, he should probably be read more slowly and attentively than I just did. But his treatment of sphere sovereignty is compelling, and he does a great job of exploring the ways in which Christianity in culture can cater and has catered to false and worldly views, even without realizing it. I owe this book a reread in a few months' time.