Contours of the Kuyperian Tradition: A Systematic Introduction

by Craig G. Bartholomew

Abraham Kuyper was, by any standard, one of the most extraordinary figures in modern Christian history. He was a Dutch Reformed minister, a gifted theologian, a prolific journalist, the leader of a political party, the cofounder of the Free University of Amsterdam (where he was professor of theology), a member of the Dutch Parliament, and eventually prime minister of the Netherlands. Kuyper's remarkable legacy lives on today in the tradition of Dutch Calvinism that he developed. As his writings become more widely available, this tradition continues to find new adherents attracted by his comprehensive vision of Christian faith. But what defines the Kuyperian tradition? Renowned South African theologian and philosopher Craig Bartholomew has written the first systematic introduction to this tradition. Drawing on Kuyper's entire corpus, Bartholomew has identified the key themes and ideas that define this tradition, including worldview, sphere sovereignty, creation and redemption, the public square, and mission. He also goes beyond Kuyper to show how later thinkers developed these ideas. They include, among others, Herman Bavinck, J. H. Bavinck, Gerrit C. Berkouwer, and Herman Dooyeweerd. Widely known but little read, Kuyper is now receiving the global recognition that his fertile and influential thought deserves. Contours of the Kuyperian Tradition is an indispensable guide to one of the most significant schools of thought in the modern age.

Genres: Theology, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Cultural, Christian Non Fiction, History, Christian

379 pages, Hardcover

Published March 21, 2017

About the author

Craig G. Bartholomew (PhD, University of Bristol) is the H. Evan Runner Professor of Philosophy at Redeemer University College in Ancaster, Ontario, and the principal of the Paideia Centre for Public Theology. He founded the internationally recognized Scripture and Hermeneutics seminar and is coauthor of Living at the Crossroads and Christian Philosophy.

Reviews

[Jacob London · Rating 2 out of 5]

Never have I read a book that made my jaw drop in unbelief in regards to what I was reading until read Contours of the Kuyperian Tradition. No doubt, the author is a scholar and well studied on the Kuyperian tradition. Often I was impressed with the depth of understanding of the complicated subject matter, I appreciated the study. Yet, the conclusions that Bartholomew often came to would have been the complete opposite of where Kuyper, Bavinck, and their contemporaries seemed to be leading us!

It is often noted that there are two formulations of Kuyper in the minds of the people. First, is the Kuyper of Common Grace, where people perceive Kuyper to elevate the doctrine of common grace to be on par or even near the same efficacy as special grace given to us in Word and Sacrament. The second formulation is the Kupyer of antithesis where he asserts that all things opposed to Christ are antithetical and must be either bought into the Lordship of Christ or destroyed by him.

No doubt Kuyper straddled this line throughout his life. Which made him quite the polarizing figure. The problem is that his followers cannot follow suit. We tend to fall either into Kuypers theology of strong common grace, or strong antithesis. Although Bartholomew is an evangelical that asserts that the only way to the Father is through the Son, he, I believe, falls squarely into the common grace camp and seems not to care or notice Kuyper’s antithetical views.

The first example is Kuyper’s confessionalism. Kuyper had a deep love for the Reformed creeds and confessions of the Dutch Reformed Church (Heidelberg Catechism, Belgic Confession, and the Canons of Dort), and specifically loved the Canons. Now, to be fair Kuyper was not always the most faithful to these documents. The first thing that comes to mind is the picture of Christ above his bed that he prayed to each night, which is a clear contradiction of HC 96-98. Yet, despite his shortcomings, his sermons and books emphasize the necessity of these confessions as the faithful summary of the Reformed and Christion faith. He credits the confessions for his transition from enlightenment theology to orthodoxy. Yet, our author doesn’t seem to take these confessions into account through the book as he discusses the formulation of the Kuyperian theology and even at one point suggests that they be changed in order to be contemporized.

While I am not opposed to changing the confessions if they are proven to be not true, I don’t think our author is arguing here that the confessions are not a faithful expression of scripture. Rather they are antiquated, old, and outdated and therefore need to be changed in order to reflect our modern beliefs. Was this the view of Kuyper, Bavinck, or even Berkhof? No! And if the author had any proof to illustrate this it was not mentioned. I don’t think a right understanding of the confessional heritage of the Kuyperian tradition was taken into account.

Second, what really took me by surprise was the author's conclusion in the chapter on Scripture. While going through Kuyper and Bavinck on the subject which I felt displayed a serious orthodoxy in regards to our redemption in Christ which is unfolded in the drama of scripture by way of covenant. Then, out of left field, the author equates Kuyper and Bavinck with N.T. Wright… Saying that because each understand the Bible in successive dramas therefore they interpret scripture similarity.

This is a bold claim considering that N.T. Wright rejects the covenantal model and exposes the New Perspective on Paul… My jaw dropped. To which I perceive from my readings, both Kuyper and Bavinck would vehemently oppose as heresy. Once again it seems the author is ever trying to inch us closer to a neutered Kuyper of common grace then a Kuyper of antithesis.

Third, ecumenicy. In this book the author describes ecumenciy as a means by which we grow the kingdom of God. Even endorsing at various points Evangelicals and Catholic together (p.188). He uses Kupyer’s political endeavour or unifying the Protestants and Catholics together in order to win a political election as justification for religious group that denies salvation by faith alone. He even admits that Kuyper did not espouse this doctrine ecclesiological but only politically (p.188)! Then why is the book espousing the opposite of what Kuyper believed?

Kuyperians need to retain a Biblical view of ecumenacy. Biblical ecumenancy is a godly fellowship and love for those in the body of Christ with tertiary differences for the building up of one another. Ecumenacy is not an evangelistic crusade as a means to grow the kingdom, I think Kuyper understood that.

In conclusion, this book is scholarly and interesting but quite biased. The underpinning of the book is theological liberalism fueled by neo-calvinism. I appreciated its chapter on sphere sovereignty as well as a few others. But this book displays why the CRCNA is where it is now, not because it's what Kuyper desired for them, but that they have misunderstood the heart of his teaching. “But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.” Which we can only draw near through Christ by faith, and relish in his closeness by walking faithfully before him. AKA as Kuyper taught, a living orthodoxy.

[Coyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Bartholomew has given us an excellent exposition of Kuyper’s thought in many areas that will be of interest to all thoughtful readers. The chapters on education, philosophy, and sphere sovereignty are especially helpful. If there is something missing (and I’m not familiar enough with Kuyper’s works to know if he just didn’t write much about it, what with my not speaking Dutch and all), it is a chapter on Kuyper on justification. Kuyper is famous for his declaration of the Lordship of Christ over all of creation. At least in the handful of Kuyper’s works that I have read, that “Lordship” is not separable from the penal substitution accomplished at the cross."

Read the rest at: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/schaeffe...

[Ian Caveny · Rating 4 out of 5]

The work and thought of Abraham Kuyper undergirds much of my readings of late, from James K.A. Smith's revival of Dutch neo-Calvinism (contra the more American evangelical dualisms) to Nicholas Wolterstorff's old-guard Kuyperian philosophy. Perhaps even more centrally, however, my interests in public theology and political theology interweave productively with Kuyper's balanced, scriptural, and nuanced views. As such, I'm thankful for Craig G. Bartholomew's introductory sketch of Kuyper, his context, and his theological descendants in Contours of the Kuyperian Tradition. This introductory study is a helpful gloss for the length and breadth of Kuyper's work as well as an invaluable bibliographic resource for the critical writings both in Dutch and translated into English. For those interested in public / political theology and some of the roots of the neo-Calvinist / Dutch Reformed approach, I strongly recommend engaging with this book first in order to get one's bearings.

I will be posting a formal, comprehensive review on Theologian's Library soon.

[Garrett Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rich introduction to the life and thought of Abraham Kuyper, Herman Bavinck and those Christians who have sought to follow them.

Kuyper famously said that “there is not a square inch of the entire world of which Christ does not rightly say, ‘That is mine.’” This book is a guide to starting to think about the implications of Christ’s kingship in a pluralistic society.

Bartholomew cites hundreds of primary and secondary sources along the way. Those who enjoy it will finish with a substantial reading list.

Above all, this dip into Kuyper left me with a deeper love for God’s redemptive plan and for the calling of God’s church to declare the kingship of Christ in all of life.

“Originally God created his universe as one connected organic whole. This artwork of the supreme Artist was ripped apart and wrecked by sin. As a result, it appeared as though the creation had been a mistake and God’s purpose with that creation was thwarted, and this is what people thought for centuries. But there was a mystery, a secret with God. Formerly people did not understand that secret, but it is revealed in Christ. And this secret consists in this, that the original plan of God was not neutralized, but continues full of majesty, and that God will thereby realize his world plan, that one day in Christ he will once again connect those parts and pieces of his creation, taken here as heaven and earth, under one head, that is, once again into one entirely organic, integrated, and connected entity.”

[John Dube · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. I haven’t read a lot of Kuyper, so I’m trusting the authors interpretations are sound. Thoughtful analysis on Reformed tradition and cultural engagement. The author has almost as much to say about Bavinck as Kuyper. The authors leans on Newbigin’s analysis quite heavily. An interesting volume for those looking to think through Christian cultural perspective/worldview from Europe in the early modern era. Kuyper’s sphere sovereignty is an interesting contribution/implication to/for modern challenges related to church and state that Covid has brought.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I kept waiting for this volume to go into a deep discount on Kindle...I never saw it drop into my "Why not buy it?" range. So finally, I just upgraded my Logos Bible package when I saw this volume included, and it was the first one I began reading.

It is excellent. Bartholomew has produced a well-sourced, generous introduction both to Kuyper's bio and writings, but also to the implications of Kuyperian thought in the 21st-century world.

[Daniel Arter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not familiar with Kuyper’s writings nor was I familiar with his concepts as he originally wrote them. What I found in Bartholomew’s introduction to Kuyper was particularly helpful for me as he systematically worked through Kuyper’s ideology in various key areas of thought.

Honestly, this book has opened my eyes to how much Kuyperian thought had already influenced my own thinking unknowingly and I’ve since developed a deeper fondness of the Dutch Reformed tradition because of this book.

[Lucas Bradburn · Rating 3 out of 5]

More Christians need to be reading Kuyper. Pastors especially need to immerse themselves in his writings, especially in these days of cultural confusion. Craig Bartholomew offers a great overview of the kuyperian tradition and succinctly covers the basic contours of his philosophy and theology. A great introduction.

[Kaz Okaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the best comprehensive and systematic introduction to Mei-reformed theology. The book not only treats Kuyper’s theology but also traces the development within the tradition (I.e. contrast with Bavinck) and engages in fruitful dialogue with recent theological and political issues across theological spectrum. Highly recommended

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative and mostly interesting. Really enjoyed learning about Kuyper and it was written in an engaging and accessible way. (Only reason it isn’t 5 ⭐️ is because there were bits I skimmed over - the density of info meant it sometimes lost my attention).

[Felipe Sabino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelente introdução ao pensamento neocalvinista. Indispensável!

[Waddellski · Rating 4 out of 5]

this kuyper stuff is pretty good.