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Reform Your Mind: The Philosophy of Herman Dooyeweerd
The book is not addressed solely to philosophers, but to everyone who wishes to develop a Christian perspective, not only of philosophy, but of the humanities and sciences; and for those who are interested in the ways of integrating their faith with academic production and reflection on the various aspects of reality. Dutch philosopher Herman Dooyeweerd's insights have the potential to impact the various spheres of our societies towards a reformation of thought that is reflected in at least three distinct fields: academic production, whether philosophical or scientific; the local church, especially in the development of a public theology; and more broadly, Christian cultural engagement.
- GenresTheologyPhilosophy
148 pages, Paperback
Published April 30, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 11, 2022
Executive Summary for this book: "Tolle Lege"--take up and read!
I found my context for reading this book to be humorous to me. I am a North American who is reading about a Dutch guy in a book written by a Brazilian who is living in England. Wow! What an interesting mix of places, contexts, and original languages.
This book explains Dooyeweerd ideas clearly and thoroughly. He then relates them to his Brazilian/Latin American religious context. It is well worth the money and a very good read.
Josué starts off with very creative titles for each chapter:
1. From Wittenberg to Paris: A Panorama of Modernity
2. From Geneva to Amsterdam: Dutch Neo-Calvinism as a Response to Modernity
3. What Has Amsterdam to do with Athens? The Development of a Christian Philosophy
4. What Has Babel to do with Jerusalem? The Roots of Western Culture
5. What Has Amsterdam to do with Brazil? Reflections on Christianity and Culture
6. A Dialogue between Amsterdam, Lausanne and Medellín: A Reformational Critique of Latin American Theology
7. Final Considerations.
This book is "worth the price of admission" for two reasons. First, Reichow does a superb job of summarizing Herman Dooyeweerd's ideas. Yes, he mainly hits the high spots, but he hits them on the mark. It is a great precís of Dooyeweerd's ideas. Within this first area, he does not appear to attempt to give vent to his own sociopolitical agenda. He wants to see a clear analysis of society and culture from a biblical world-and-life view rather than promoting a political ideology. Now, consistent with any sound biblical doctrine, there are sociopolitical implications from what scripture has to say. This is clear from this text, even. However, there seems to be
***Side note*** Too often, for my reading taste, the Dooyeweerd fan club types (like many of the Neo-Calvinist fans) seems to be filled with anti-capitalist, big government promoting, "Christian socialists" (a la European typology), rather than theologically and politically conservative (read: "small and limited federal government") types of individuals. If Reichow has a liberal political agenda, it does not come through to me. I appreciated this very much.
The second reason this book is worth he price of admission is Reichow's critique of two dominant religious perspectives in Brazil/Latin America: a.) The Theology of Missao Integral (TMI) and b.) The Theology of Liberation (given its genesis from Gustavo Gutierrez in Brazil and Latin America). This part of the book, mainly coming form chapter six is quite invaluable!!
Given my own work on the theology of liberation and its influence on all of Latin America, the multiple revolutions in that area, and on the ideas of Black Liberation Theology in the US...Reichow's work is very significant as a beginning dialogue with those who adhere to these ideas and those who strongly disagree with them.
Given some of these dominant ideas, my only "very minor" complaint about this book is that Reichow needed to address the Neo-Calvinist "anti-revolutionary" ideas that helped to give birth to the Kuyperian "Anti-Revolutionary" party in the Netherlands and the Free University of Amsterdam. This may have consumed more time than he needed but Abraham Kuyper's basic premise of not being revolutionary but, instead, reforming and transforming the culture.
This book is invaluable for those who want to know more about Neo-Calvinism, Dooyeweerd, and current Latin American theological trends.
I found my context for reading this book to be humorous to me. I am a North American who is reading about a Dutch guy in a book written by a Brazilian who is living in England. Wow! What an interesting mix of places, contexts, and original languages.
This book explains Dooyeweerd ideas clearly and thoroughly. He then relates them to his Brazilian/Latin American religious context. It is well worth the money and a very good read.
Josué starts off with very creative titles for each chapter:
1. From Wittenberg to Paris: A Panorama of Modernity
2. From Geneva to Amsterdam: Dutch Neo-Calvinism as a Response to Modernity
3. What Has Amsterdam to do with Athens? The Development of a Christian Philosophy
4. What Has Babel to do with Jerusalem? The Roots of Western Culture
5. What Has Amsterdam to do with Brazil? Reflections on Christianity and Culture
6. A Dialogue between Amsterdam, Lausanne and Medellín: A Reformational Critique of Latin American Theology
7. Final Considerations.
This book is "worth the price of admission" for two reasons. First, Reichow does a superb job of summarizing Herman Dooyeweerd's ideas. Yes, he mainly hits the high spots, but he hits them on the mark. It is a great precís of Dooyeweerd's ideas. Within this first area, he does not appear to attempt to give vent to his own sociopolitical agenda. He wants to see a clear analysis of society and culture from a biblical world-and-life view rather than promoting a political ideology. Now, consistent with any sound biblical doctrine, there are sociopolitical implications from what scripture has to say. This is clear from this text, even. However, there seems to be
***Side note*** Too often, for my reading taste, the Dooyeweerd fan club types (like many of the Neo-Calvinist fans) seems to be filled with anti-capitalist, big government promoting, "Christian socialists" (a la European typology), rather than theologically and politically conservative (read: "small and limited federal government") types of individuals. If Reichow has a liberal political agenda, it does not come through to me. I appreciated this very much.
The second reason this book is worth he price of admission is Reichow's critique of two dominant religious perspectives in Brazil/Latin America: a.) The Theology of Missao Integral (TMI) and b.) The Theology of Liberation (given its genesis from Gustavo Gutierrez in Brazil and Latin America). This part of the book, mainly coming form chapter six is quite invaluable!!
Given my own work on the theology of liberation and its influence on all of Latin America, the multiple revolutions in that area, and on the ideas of Black Liberation Theology in the US...Reichow's work is very significant as a beginning dialogue with those who adhere to these ideas and those who strongly disagree with them.
Given some of these dominant ideas, my only "very minor" complaint about this book is that Reichow needed to address the Neo-Calvinist "anti-revolutionary" ideas that helped to give birth to the Kuyperian "Anti-Revolutionary" party in the Netherlands and the Free University of Amsterdam. This may have consumed more time than he needed but Abraham Kuyper's basic premise of not being revolutionary but, instead, reforming and transforming the culture.
This book is invaluable for those who want to know more about Neo-Calvinism, Dooyeweerd, and current Latin American theological trends.
May 9, 2022
Fantastic contribution to Reformational Philosophy.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews