Neo-Calvinism: A Theological Introduction

by N. Gray Sutanto, Cory C. Brock, George Harinck (Foreword)

"...will likely be the standard guide to the movement for years to come." ― First Things Discover the rich theology of Neo-Calvinism. Abraham Kuyper and Herman Bavinck sparked a theological tradition in the Netherlands that came to be known as Neo-Calvinism. While studies in Neo-Calvinism have focused primarily on its political and philosophical insights, its theology has received less attention. In A Theological Introduction , Cory C. Brock and N. Gray Sutanto present the unique dogmatic contributions of the tradition. Each chapter focuses on a distinct theological aspect, such as revelation, creation, salvation, and ecclesiology. Neo-Calvinism produced rich theological work that yields promise for contemporary dogmatics. This book invites readers into this rich theological trajectory. “This book is the sign that [Neo-Calvinist] theology has now passed beyond the Dutch fairway. It has reached the international waters.” ―George Harinck

Genres: Theology, Church History, Cultural, Christian

320 pages, Hardcover

Published February 8, 2023

Reviews

[Anne Michal]

I’m not gonna lie this book STRETCHED me!! And then I found out after reading it fully that I only had to read four chapters. Oh well live and learn I guess

[Lee Irons · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was helpful in the main and the authors accomplished what they intended. I learned a lot about Kuyper and Bavinck, in terms of their own theology as it relates to the distinctives of neo-Calvinism, e.g., general and special revelation, creation, common grace, sphere sovereignty, the church as institute vs. organism, etc. The authors had plenty of block quotes and exposition of Kuyper and Bavinck on these topics. So it was helpful at the informative level, as an exposition of Kuyper and Bavinck’s theological views on these topics.

I appreciated the fact that Brock and Sutanto wanted to distance themselves from the “transformational” brand of neo-Calvinism. They have 16 theses at the end and number 14 is good: “Re-creation’s end is brought about by divine agency alone and brings creation to its original goal: that God would make his dwelling place with humankind, in a consummated and sanctified cosmos.” Christian engagement in culture is not to Christianize culture or transform it or bring in the kingdom, but to be a witness to the kingdom. The true recreation of all things will only occur cataclysmically at the parousia of Christ.

Still, there were so many areas where things were fuzzy and I could see how the transformationalist wing of neo-Calvinism (e.g., Albert Wolters) can use Kuyper and Bavinck to get grist for their mill. There is not a clear distinction between the cultural mandate before the fall and how it is refracted after the fall. The eschatology of the covenant of works is affirmed, but at times it almost seems like an organic maturation process rather than a definitive passing of a probation. Common grace and special grace are interwoven too closely. The distinction between church as organism and as institute is fuzzy. General and special revelation are interlaced too closely. It all lacks clear Klinean distinctions.

It was interesting to see Tim Keller’s endorsement of the book - his is the first one displayed both on the back cover and the first inside pages. I almost got the sense as I was reading the book that it was a reading of Kuyper and Bavinck intended to provide a theological justification for Keller’s ministry posture, which I think they would basically define as a public theology engaged with modern culture.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great presentation of Kuyper and Bavinck's neo-Calvinism as a theological movement first, before it is anything else.

[Grant Carter]

Took me awhile to read this one because it is dense and complex. Thoroughly appreciated this synthesis of Kuyper's and Bavinck's theology. This book definitely made me want to read more Kuyper.

[Scott Bielinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a tragically long review. The short of it is that it’s a wonderful book and you should purchase it if you’re interested in Christian theology. Lexham Press very kindly sent me a review copy, asking only for an honest review in return. Though I typically don’t comment on a book’s aesthetic features, I must say: this is a gorgeous book, fitted with a deep green dust jacket, ornamented with a beautiful gold design. Lexham did a marvelous job with the cover, the type-setting, and this book as a whole.

Two of the main minds behind the Bavinck Revolution have put together a masterful work detailing how Neo-Calvinism is, first and foremost, a dogmatic and confessional movement. Neo-Calvinism is often associated with mere “transformationalism” or simple cultural engagement because of Bavinck and Kuyper's later heirs. Lamentably, these two associations are unmoored from Bavinck and Kuyper’s theological works. Within these works, one finds a Neo-Calvinism that is “orthodox yet modern, self-consciously holistic, and organic, not mechanical” (8). This Calvinism is “a well-rounded worldview . . . [which] provides a more capacious vision that can satisfy the questions of the mind and the longings of the heart, and especially so amid the individualism and ideologies of the modern world” (41). Accordingly, this dogmatic system satisfies the whole person, offering them an entire world and life view lived under the generous benevolence of a sovereign God. Thus, “Transformationalism” simply doesn’t cut it. It is not true enough. Brock and Sutanto have written this book to offer a holistic (pun intended) vision of Neo-Calvinism - and this book is a complete success in that regard. If you’re interested in Bavinck, Kuyper, Neo-Calvinism, or theology more broadly, this is an excellent book, well worth your time. The book concludes with a chapter on 16 Theses for Neo-Calvinism. Though I’d like to list all of them, I will only list a few that I really liked. The remainder of this review will be a few observations and a minor criticism.

“Neo-Calvinism is a critical reception of Reformed orthodoxy, contextualized to address the questions of modernity.”
“Christianity can challenge, subvert and fulfill the cultures and philosophical systems of every age.”
“The problem with the world is not ontological but ethical, that sin has corrupted much, in fact, everything.”
“By the Spirit’s work in common grace, God restrains sin and gifts fallen humanity with moral, epistemic, and life-giving goods to enjoy, for the sake of redemption in Christ.”
“God has truly revealed himself to every person both objectively and subjectively. This implanted affection and knowledge of God is not a human determination as the product of reason (or natural theology), but God’s general revelation by the presence of the Holy Spirit.”
“The Bible is God’s revelation of himself, as the Spirit inspires a diversity of human authors to write all that God intends to communicate, which serves as the ultimate norm and agent of unity, though not the sole source, for the fields of knowledge.”
“Jesus Christ’s Messianic dominion as King of the kingdom of God is the aim of God’s work in history and the purpose of creaturely redemption.”

After two chapters on the relationship between Neo-Calvinism and Calvinism and the catholicity of the church, the rest of the book is structured according to the typical presentation of dogmatics in the Reformed tradition. Brock and Sutanto discuss revelation and reason, Scripture, Creation, theological anthropology, common grace, and ecclesiology/eschatology. I was especially interested in the chapters on prolegomena (revelation and reason), theological anthropology, and common grace. Brock and Sutanto do a nice job of showing how/where Bavinck and Kuyper attenuate the Reformed tradition, often with their “Romantic” tendencies.

For example, Bavinck understands revelation to be pre-cognitive, something that precedes the act of reasoning. This is the kind of “knowledge” that humans have of God. For Bavinck, taking his cues from German Romantic philosophy, this knowledge is “felt,” not articulated. Bavinck upholds the subjective side of revelation (and Bavinck in no way does away with God’s objective revelation of Himself in nature and the conscience) through his notion that “feeling is not a separate faculty, but a specific activity within the knowing faculty in the human psyche” (78). Thus, feeling is a “function of the knowing faculty” (78). The upshot of this argument is that knowledge of God remains universal (per Romans 1), even if not articulated: “One might come to know God, then, without thinking it” (80). It is important to emphasize that this is not a break with the Reformed tradition (Brock and Sutanto refer to it as “an appropriate recovery and updating of the older ‘Reformed doctrine of natural theology,’” 83) - but a creative rearticulating of it in modern philosophical vernacular. Something that Schopenhauer would have understood and something in which he would have been interested.

This kind of anthropology demonstrates Bavinck’s “Romantic tinge” (97), which has profound consequences for his theological anthropology. That the conscience feels this kind of “revelatory pressure” (their word) demonstrates the significance of God’s presence for and to His creation. This relationship is best summed up with the “organic motif,” which is chiefly about God’s own unity-in-diversity, which has ectypal implications for creation. Because God is Trinity, creation mimics His unity and diversity, though there is a priority on creation’s unity, and “reality’s unity and diversity will share a common idea and goal: the glory of the Trinitarian God, with the Logos as Christ in its center” (188-89). Therefore, there is both a corporate and individual aspect to the image of God. Each human is a “micro-divine being” (in RD 2:555, 562, quoted on 189), and also humanity, conceived as a single organism, is the image of God, too. For Bavinck, humans are a single organism by virtue of their “ethical unity.” So, humanity is not numerically one (as in, say, Jonathan Edwards), but bound together by their ethical relations. Sutanto writes, “In other words, Bavinck imbues an ontological significance to ethical relations. Human beings are those for whom ethical relations are ontologically constitutive” (193). This kind of anthropology can be taken in several ways, though I specifically appreciate the deeply ethical and corporate component in Bavinck’s theology. To be ethical is never to act in one’s own mere self-interest - to be a self is to exist in a corporate reality that makes certain demands of us. At the heart of Bavinck’s conception of sin is that of egocentricity, something of which the Spirit heals us. To be in fellowship is morally significant - “When Christians reconcile and bind ourselves in ethical ties with one another, we are not only obeying God’s commands - we are becoming more whole” (197). And it is God’s love that renews, reconnects, and binds together humanity, uniting it under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Given our modern cultural context, this vision of human life is profound and ripe for modern rearticulation.

Lastly, the chapter on Common Grace is fantastic and probably demonstrates the most significant way in which one could say Bavinck and Kuyper break with (?) their Reformed tradition. Brock and Sutanto define common grace this way: “God’s common grace is the fact of his loving patience in preserving both humanity and the creaturely cosmos despite human rebellion and its pollution corruption for the sake of redemption” (249). This is a meaty chapter wherein they work through this very distinctive doctrine, correcting many misunderstandings along the way. For example, they draw out how it is first a dogmatic judgment about God before it is ever a call for cultural engagement: “[C]ommon grace is not first an ethical doctrine of public responsibility (though it offers the possibility of responsibility as a pastoral implication) but the confession of the love of the Triune God to the cosmos in toto” (221). This is significant because, above all, common grace is a “stage-setting love, for a particular, eschatological redemption.” Making it about anything else without acknowledging what it says chiefly about God and His redemptive purposes in the world inevitably skews any subsequent articulations thereof. An interesting part of this chapter is the section on different classifications of common grace. For instance, Kuyer refers to them as “internal” or “external” graces. Examples of the former would be civic righteousness, family loyalty, and human virtue. Examples of the latter would be when human mastery over nature increases (I do not like the sound of that one, to be honest), the arts are celebrated (I do like the sound of that one, to be honest), or the sciences move forward in their understanding of life (227-28). Both, though, are gifts of God’s Spirit. They draw out how this is sourced in Calvin and how he taught these gifts to be given by God for humanity to enjoy. These oft-overlooked insights from Calvin make moderns like Marilynne Robinson so entranced with Calvin’s thought, whose God is far more generous and benevolent than typically acknowledged. Finally, this chapter ends with a sharp rejoinder to the Reformed tradition. Insofar as that tradition imbibes the Roman Catholic Nature/Supernatural divide, Bavinck and Kuyper want to correct any notions of “natural knowledge” that teach that humans come up with theology “without any revelation.” For Bavinck and Kuyper, who hold to such a pronounced view of revelation (discussed above as a pre-cognitive ground for thought/knowledge), this is a simple impossibility. They want to preserve the fact that access to “natural law” is “grounded in common grace rather than creation” (240). No human interacts with creation without antecedent revelation. In fact, we interact with creation by virtue of God’s supernatural work (revelation) in human consciousness. There is no such thing as a mere reason or mere nature that operates apart from God’s work/working in the world. This is interesting and I need to think more about it.

I have very few criticisms of the book. My biggest criticism, still minor, is their decision to not write a chapter on Bavinck/Kuyper’s doctrine of God. Brock and Sutanto say that “[Bavinck and Kuyper] did not regard it as a doctrine to be rearticulated anew but rather were largely content with a retrieval of classical statements of the same” (7). Though true, I am not quite sure this is the whole truth. As Gayle Doornbos has pointed out, Bavinck creatively and importantly takes notions of “absoluteness” and “personality” from his philosophical context to articulate his understanding of God, even predicating personality of the divine essence (see Doornbos’ essay “Bavinck’s Doctrine of God: Absolute, Divine Personality” in JBTS 6.2 (2021): 331-348). Brock and Sutanto footnote Doornbos and Clausing’s dissertations to point out the “creative aspects of the doctrine of God from the neo-Calvinist tradition” (7n9). It seems to me that there is more there to be explored - indeed, Sutanto’s own brilliant dissertation (God and Knowledge: Herman Bavinck’s Theological Epistemology - Sutanto points out that Bavinck predicates personality of the divine essence on pg. 30 of his dissertation) indicates there is more to be explored on this particular point.

For me, this book represents a very friendly rejoinder to the popular “classical theology” movement. Though appreciative and welcoming to classical theology, the robust Neo-Calvinism presented here contributes to a better theological methodology for the retrieval movement. At its worst, this movement can often be simple repristination - not retrieval. A slightly exaggerated anxiety toward modern philosophy hamstrings our ability to engage in theological formulation (and unwittingly participates in a kind of fundamentalism that divides us from our modern milieu). Moreover, it functions as a practical denial of common grace. Neocalvinism (a la Bavinck, especially) “argued that the present age remains a remarkable opportunity to recommunicate the Christian faith in fresh ways” (8). Bavinck’s own eclectic methodology, which relied upon modern and classical insights, demonstrates this in significant ways. For him and Kuyper, orthodoxy and modernity “exist in a reciprocal relationship” (291). To ignore modernity ignores “the gifts of providence and common grace” (291). To ignore orthodoxy is to be faithless ingrates, ignoring Christ and His Spirit’s work in leading the Church into scriptural and confessional truth. Neither of these is a good option. Instead, the right path is to follow their sensibilities and recontextualize them in our own modern context - like good Neo-Calvinists.

[Mitchell Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

To begin with, this book is aesthetically beautiful. Lexham Press does a wonderful jobs with making beautiful books.

The actually content is gold. This book is the summation of so much of what my learning has been focused on in recent years. As a theological introduction it brings us ad fontes of Kuyper and Bavinck, the intellectual fountainhead’s of the Neocalvinism tradition. This is not to be confused with "New Calvinism" of the 21st century.

this books is worth its price and more. I am so grateful to read this at my current stage of life. Let this be a book that introduces you to a whole world of Christian literature. That should help you begin to understand the kingdom of God as the highest good.

[Sam Nesbitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cory Brock and N. Gray Sutanto have provided an incredible theological introduction to Neo-Calvinism in this relatively short, yet dense work. Working under the conviction that the first-generation of neo-Calvinist thinkers, represented by the Dutch theologians Abraham Kuyper (1837–1920) and Herman Bavinck (1854–1921), present the most theologically robust version of neo-Calvinism (as opposed to a more popular perception of neo-Calvinism that possesses a more political orientation), Brock and Sutanto introduce the core dogmatic distinctives of neo-Calvinism with clarity, conciseness, and insight. Importantly, this is a work of systematic reception and synthesis; Brock and Sutanto present the thought and works of Kuyper and Bavinck as a systematic whole, while still accounting for differences between them when such differences matter. The work is also primarily descriptive in nature, attempting to avoid major doctrinal debates that revolve around neo-Calvinism and its contemporary reception and resurgence. One such debate they explicitly cite is that of whether the thought of Kuyper and Bavinck finds better expression in Thomism or Van Tillianism. Despite this disclaimer, some polemical issues are touched upon, such as Hans Boersma’s critique of Bavinck’s understanding of the beatific vision and the debates surrounding natural theology and natural law and its reception/critique by neo-Calvinist thinkers. Again, an important methodological move these authors make is their self-conscious limitation to Kuyper and Bavinck. Later generation neo-Calvinists such as Herman Dooyeweerd, Cornelius Plantinga, Albert Wolters, and Michael Goheen are not discussed in this work, both as a limitation of scope and out of the conviction that Kuyper and Bavinck are the best representatives of the theology of neo-Calvinism.

Brock and Sutanto organize the central dogmatic distinctives of neo-Calvinism with several doctrinal couplets: Calvinism and neo-Calvinism, Catholic and Modern, Revelation and Reason, Scripture and Organism, Creation and Re-creation, Image and Fall, Common Grace and the Gospel, the Church and the World. Their final chapter summarizes the content of their book with a proposal of 16 theses that capture the dogmatic distinctives of neo-Calvinism.

In their introduction, Brock and Sutanto define neo-Calvinism as “a nineteenth- and early twentieth-century movement in the Netherlands…. [Neo-Calvinism’s] most mature distinctive was… its careful, nuanced, and unique marriage between classical, Reformed confessionalist dogmatics and modern philosophy and theology that allows it to speak Reformed dogmatics to a particular European, modern world” (3–4). Even though the eight couplets outlined above summarize the dogmatic distinctives of neo-Calvinism, Brock and Sutanto contend that there are “three binding themes that thread [these theological loci] together” and these themes are “distinctive neo-Calvinist modes of the thinking operation. The neo-Calvinists are methodologically and eclectically (1) orthodox yet modern, (2) self-consciously holistic, and (3) organic, not mechanical” (8). These themes recur frequently throughout the book.

To unpack each chapter for all that they are worth would take us beyond the character-limit for book reviews on Goodreads; each chapter is dense but still clear. Readers will walk away with a better grasp of neo-Calvinism and with the theology of Kuyper and Bavinck.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me quite a while to read through this, picked it up and put it down many times, but it wasn’t because it wasn’t a really good book. It is. I broke off a few times to listen to some podcasts from the authors as well on the subject. I can see why Keller was in this viewpoint. I want to read his “Center Church” book which I’ve heard has the neo-Calvinistic viewpoint even if not mentioned outright. This book here is heavy on terminology and description, so I had to read slowly. There are various topics discussed with viewpoints from Bavinck and Kuyper-they overlap at times, and have distinctions in others. At times seemed over my head, at times I got it. There are nice contrasts given against the Roman Catholic tradition vs the neo Calvinist viewpoint. It all makes sense to me-loved the explanation of general vs special grace. Holding orthodoxy while looking at how it works in modern times, and how Christ is redeeming all things is a beautiful vision, and one of which I’m thankful to be a part.

[John Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic work. Incredibly helpful sketch of the contours of Neo-Calvinism as it was established by its founders. Will certainly return to it.

[Jonathan Downing · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great theological introduction to the thought of Kuyper and Bavinck. It specifically seeks to avoid talking about their seismic contributions to public theology but instead to just lay down their answers to some of the systematic questions of theology.

It was great to be able to read of Kuyper's romantic tendencies and to contrast them with Bavinck's much more systematic approach. I feel equipped to go and read their political writings with a proper grounding in the important bits first :)

[Eric Yap · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dutch Neo-Calvinism has been mainly known for its impact on public theology and its political and philosophical contributions. In this volume, Cory Brock and Nathaniel Susanto have done a great service to theology avid outside of the Netherlands, by bringing the theological thoughts of Kuyper and Bavinck (and a bit of Jan Bavinck, Herman Bavinck's nephew), the preeminent Dutch Reformed theologians that conceived this theological force we known as "Neo-Calvinism," condensed and precisely presented in this volume. Before they were political, cultural, and philosophical thinkers, Kuyper and Bavinck were primarily theologians.

Having read a fair bit of Bavinck (Reformed Dogmatics, The Christian Worldview, The Sacrifice of Praise, The Wonderful Works of God) and a little bit of Kuyper, I devoured this volume, also because I am an avid student of Bavinck's Neo-Calvinism. Even with the fair bit of Bavinck's Neo-Calvinism I possessed, this volume is still essential, because of its brilliant attempt to condense and succinctly present the main loci and unique contributions of Neo-Calvinism for readers, so that those who are not acquainted with Bavinck and Kuyper can have a helpful introduction. Even for those who are somewhat acquainted, this volume helps so much by synthesizing the enormous corpus of Bavinck's and Kuyper's work.

This theological movement came to be "Neo-Calvinism" because both Bavinck and Kuyper built intentionally upon the theological contributions of John Calvin, even as the Protestant Reformation was a wide, varied, and multifaceted historical force. Specifically, Bavinck and Kuyper excavate from the works of Calvin his doctrine of God's sovereignty, covenant theology, the sensus divinitatis (sense of divine), common grace, general revelation, etc. This theological movement is known as "Neo-Calvinism" precisely because Bavinck and Kuyper built consciously upon Calvin's theological contributions and pressed these doctrines into deeper details and depth, with more biblical-exegetical reflections, and the result is a comprehensive theological worldview that yields rich implications.

I would love to describe all the insights that I have gained from this introductory volume, but there are too many, and I can only briefly delineate: 1) for Bavinck, the principium cognoscendi internum of revelation includes God's revelation to the human psyche, adapting from Scheleimacher's "feeling of dependence"; 2) on general revelation and common grace, unlike Roman Thominisn positing that humanity faculty of natural reasoning is the means to comprehend general revelation, Bavinck postulate that even the basis of general revelation is still dependent upon God's sovereign revelatory decree, working through the principium externum (external revelation) and principium internum (the Spirit working through human psyche and consciousness); 3) therefore, it accounts for common grace communicated differently to different people groups across different time of history, hence certain humanity group are more "moral" and "civilized" than others; 4) common grace and special grace is separated at the fall, and common grace is decreed most evidently in the Noahic covenant as it prepares for the work of special/redemption grace; 5) redemption is paralleled to creation in the sense that re-creation is the means of which God brings creation to its original-eschatological goal; 6) therefore, Kuyper famously proclaim that "every square inch" belongs to Christ, because redemption has the entire cosmos as its eschatological telos; 7) the covenant in Adam and the covenant in Christ are paralleled, and the covenant heads are joined to the covenant member in an ethical manner. Therefore, sin has an atomizing factor that alienates the parties in the covenant (so all creation, postlapsarian, strife against each other in Adam), while the redemptive work of Christ is the life force that joins all its covenant members back into the head, hence redemption is a form of "reconnecting," from men to men, to the entire sphere of life, to the entire earth, and to all creation (therefore Bavinck's organic worldview); 8) Kuyper identifies the church as an organism and the church as an institution as synonymous to the essence and form of the church, while Bavinck posits that both the organic and institutional church has visible and invisible elements. The institutional church is the structure of the church that allows the church to flourish as a life-organism; 9) therefore, what the church does on Sunday with the sacraments and the means of grace, is the institutional aspect in which the church, as an organism of her people, can be sent out to sanctified and evangelize the world.

I could go on and on about the theological insights that Susanto and Brock have brought from the chasmic treasure troves of Bavinck and Kuyper to the forefront through this introductory volume on Neo-Calvinism, but I highly recommend that all theology avid, especially those in the Reformed circles, to pick this volume up, to see how Dutch Neo-Calvinism has shaped much of our current reformed theological landscape, but also retrieve in greater depth those theological implications and insights that have yet to been deeply applied or studied.

[Jimmy Purchase · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was phenomenal. Kuyper and Bavinck have been longtime influences in my life and ministry and this l book clearly outlines their contribution to the Church, missions, and Christian life in the world. The last 3 chapters were the strongest, but here are 3 quotes that made a huge impact on me:

“Christian art is Christian not because it is about religious matter but because it honors God and is derivative of an artistic heart that understands that beauty is God’s gift and art God’s calling to humankind.” - (Brock/Sutanto)

The Christian religion does not, therefore, have the task of creating a new supernatural order of things. It does not intend to institute a totally new, heavenly kingdom such as Rome intends in the church and the Anabaptists undertook at Munster. Christianity does not introduce a single substantial foreign element into the creation. It creates no new cosmos but rather makes the cosmos new. It restores what was corrupted by sin. It atones the guilty and cures what is sick; the wounded it heals. Jesus was anointed by the Father with the Holy Spirit to bring good tidings to the afflicted, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captive and the opening of prison to those who are bound, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and to comfort those who mourn (Isa. 61:1, 2). He makes the blind to see, the lame to walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised, and the gospel is preached to the poor (Matt. 11:5). Jesus was not a new lawgiver; he was not a statesman, poet, or philosopher. He was Jesus--that is, Savior… Christ did not come just to restore the religio-ethical life of man and to leave all the rest of life undisturbed, as if the rest of life had not been corrupted by sin and had no need of restoration. No, the love of the Father, the grace of the Son, and the communion of the Holy Spirit extend even as far as sin has corrupted. Everything that is sinful, guilty, unclean, and full of woe is, as such and for that very reason, the object of the evangel of grace that is to be preached to every creature. - Bavinck

If God is sovereign, then his lordship must extend over all of life, and it cannot be restricted to the walls of the church or within the Christian orbit. The non-Christian world has not been handed over to Satan, nor surrendered to fallen humanity, nor consigned to fate. Gods sovereignty is great and all-dominating in the life of that unbaptized world as well. Therefore Christ’s Church on earth and God's children cannot simply retreat from this life. If the believer's God is at work in this world, then in this world the believer's hand must take hold of the plow, and the name of the Lord must be glorified in that activity as well.
-Abraham Kuyper, Common Grace

[Alex McEwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished Brock and Sutanto's "Neo-Calvinism" on Tuesday, but I’ve struggled to form a clear opinion on it since then. While it was a good read, it wasn’t quite what I was looking for on the subject.

The book explores what Abraham Kuyper and Herman Bavinck thought on several important theological issues within the Neo-Calvinist worldview. It identifies five major ideas central to Neo-Calvinism and examines how these two theologians approached these topics.

The authors do an excellent job highlighting the differences between Bavinck and Kuyper. They provide a broad overview of each theologian's body of work and introduce ideas that might not be immediately apparent from reading just one of their works, offering insights gained from their extensive libraries of thought.

However, I felt the book could have done more to distinguish Neo-Calvinism from traditional R2K Calvinism and Princeton Calvinism. While it explains Kuyper and Bavinck's thoughts on various subjects, it doesn’t emphasize what makes their perspectives unique. The book assumes a fairly advanced understanding of different Calvinist approaches and at least a basic familiarity with the works of both Kuyper and Bavinck.

This book would be an excellent reference tool or an extended bibliography for someone working directly with the original authors, but it may not serve well as an introduction to Neo-Calvinism.

As always, Lexham Press has produced a stunning book. The first thing I do with every hardcover book I own is remove the dust jacket, and this one has a beautiful cover underneath. Lexham also provides an elegant font and high quality paper weight. They’ve been translating and publishing Kuyper's works for quite some time. I might suggest skipping this read and going straight for their translation of "Pro Rege" or perhaps picking up Bavinck’s "Wonderful Works."

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been excited about this release for months. In fact, I preordered on Logos.com before stumbling across a review copy on NetGalley. I canceled my preorder because I figured that I would just read the review copy and be good (I am poor-adjacent... don't @ me!). But about a chapter in, I re-preordered because this is a volume I will read again and reference regularly.

I had read Bartholomew's *Contours* a couple of years ago and enjoyed it and have read some Kuyper and some Bavinck, but Brock and Sutanto have written a great work that has re-sparked my desire to dive into the works of Kuyper and Bavinck. Whereas Bartholomew seemed to focus on what developed out of the teaching of Kuyper, Brock and Sutanto's work really fills in the gaps for me as to what both Kupyer and Bavinck explicitly taught. I appreciate the need and benefit of both approaches, but since Bartholomew's excellent work already exists, I am glad Brock and Sutanto went this route. Plus, this volume functions well as a resource that will aid me greatly in approaching primary documents, so I appreciate that. And while this book is fine in print (assumed) and ebook (for sure), I think it shines brightest in Logos format with citations linked and searches and guides super accessible.

Brock and Sutanto strike a good balance between being thoroughly sourced but not burdening the reader with ceaseless secondary references. The vast majority of works referenced are primary writings from Kuyper and Bavinck and as such the book stays focused as a close reading of the two leading figures of early Neo-Calvinism.

e-ARC provided, Logos edition purchased. Grab a copy of this and be blessed.

[Danny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really useful and thoughtful introduction to Neo-Calvinism. Not only does it speak with real theological insight and provide a readable analytical examination of Bavinck and Kuyper with their similar but nuanced differences, but it makes a warm and passionate case for the distinctive emphases of a holistic, all-encompassing Calvinistic worldview.

Worth stating that this is not dry, academic writing. In a few places, it requires concentration without distractions, but this is aimed at thoughtful Christians rather than cerebral navel-gazers. It is practical, Christ-parading, Gospel-hearted, and stimulating.

If you want to move your Calvinism beyond soteriology alone, this is a great introduction to understanding the outworking of Reformed theology into experience and practice in all of the spheres of our influence. Grace, Recreation, the purposes of God, and our place in the world before the Parousia.

The thrilling chapters on the Image of God and Creation and Recreation, alone, justify the expenditure. My only criticism, and it would be an unfair one, perhaps, is that neither Kuyper nor Bavinck - and therefore the scope of this book - explore a more optimistic eschatology. It is not the Parousia alone that ushers in a greater glimpse of the Kingdom of God... scope for a different book, perhaps.

Lovely stuff. Buy it. Read it. Share it.

[Jacob London · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kuyper and Bavinck have been some of the most formative theologians not only in my life but in many others as well. But it's almost laughable when someone is interested in studying Neo-Calvinism sees how much material has been written on the subject.

One of my favorite Kuyper stories is when he was burnt out after losing his second bid for the Premiership for the Netherlands he took a vacation around the Mediterranean Sea... And wrote an 1000 page book (now "On Islam")!

Both Kuyper and Bavinck published more then many of us will read in our lives. What I appreciate in this new work is the breadth and depth in which the authors grasp and summarize these Reformed titans. A word of caution still remains, it is a theological introduction, if you are not conversant with the basics of Reformed neo-Calvinistic thought I doubt you will track with the authors here. I would call this a good summary of their views but hardly a simplification. Brock and Sutanto still aim to show the reader the heights of Neo-Calvinism in compact. So, if you are looking for a primer or an introduction to Neo-Calvinism I am not sure this is it. In that case I might suggest Berkhof's Summary or Manual of Christian doctrine, or better yet, Bavinck's the Wonderful Works of God for helpful introductions.

[E · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book seeks to distill the theology of Kuyper and Bavinck, the fathers of neo-Calvinism. It's not a great essay. Several chapters are retreaded journal articles, with all such writing entails (much of it not lending itself well to a book). And I'm not sure the authors are great writers to start with, which doesn't help. A shame really--Bavinck and Kuyper deserve better. And that's coming from someone who is not a neo-Cal. A chapter on why Bavinck thought Protestants were more faithful than Papists was of course interesting--how could such a topic not me? But all in all I'd say we could safely skip this book.

[Justin Lonas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read a lot (A LOT) of books for my MDiv program that I don't record here, but this one is worth noting for its (relative) brevity, clarity, and depth. Essentially an overview of the major theological contributions of Abraham Kuyper and Herman Bavinck, but with special attention to the roots and influence of their project and its relevance to the church in the present day.

A rich and helpful introduction to a theological framework that I think American Christians need to recover.*

(*NOTE: "neo-Calvinism" is NOT the same thing as the more recent American phenomenon of "New Calvinism" or the young, restless, Reformed movement)

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Neo-Calvinism is often a label casually applied and casually defined, invoking the names of Bavinck and Kuyper without deep engagement with their works. Brock and Sutanto remedy that deficiency, bringing considerable expertise as scholars of Bavinck and Kuyper to bear on this book. They survey the main theological loci that influenced these two Dutch theologians, showing how first-generation "Neo-Calvinism" defined itself. Whether one agrees with the Neo-Calvinist camp or not, there is much to be gained from this excellent introduction.

[Joe Dentici · Rating 5 out of 5]

As much fun to read as a theology book can be. Seriously, I enjoyed this more and more the further I got into it. Fantastic job by the authors of following threads of thought, and making complex ideas accessible. A beautiful book that helps me wonder at the beauty of God and his creative and redemptive works.

[Jake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic. I don’t necessarily agree or hold to every facet of the theology expressed, but the work itself absolutely accomplishes its goal. It is an overview of Neo-Calvinism as a theological system as put forward by Kuyper and Bavinck. The last chapter in particular was quite convincing for me.

[Ben Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find a deep resonance in my heart as I contemplate the theological distinctives of the Neo-Calvinist branch of the Reformed tradition. They were really, really on to something profoundly important for Christian theology. I heartily commend this wonderful introduction to their theology!

[Nate Cure · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent survey of Bavinck and Kuyper and their contributions to theology, philosophy, worldview, and ethics. For those interested in exploring neo-calvinism, this is an excellent starting point.

[N. James O’Neill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent primer and introduction to major themes within Neo-Calvinist theology, as well as an apologetic for its useful in our modern world.

[Samuel Kassing · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful primer on the distinctives of Neo-Calvinism.

[Jesse Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coram Deo! Amen. 🙏

[Steve Herreid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting introduction to the famous Dutch neo-Calvinists Kuyper and Bavinck. Good insights into their theological approaches. I liked this book.

[NG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. A summary of key theological developments in Kuyper and Bavinck. Can’t recommend highly enough.

[Jake Burgess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Writing these updates in Maine, not sure if they’ll post lol.

It was insightful, but proved to feel repetitive chapter after chapter.

[Matthijs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Het werk van Abraham Kuyper en Herman Bavinck krijgt internationaal steeds meer de aandacht. De meeste aandacht ging echter uit naar hun politieke en filosofische opvattingen. Omdat hun theologische opvattingen veel minder bekend zijn, willen Brock en Sutanto deze opvattingen introduceren. Hoewel hun theologie dateert uit het einde van de 19e en het begin van de 20e eeuw, heeft hun theologie volgens Sutanto en Brock vandaag de dag nog zeggingskracht. Brock en Sutanto promoveerden beiden op Bavinck.
Brock en Sutanto beginnen eerst met het begrip neocalvinisme. Het begrip neocalvinisme werd in eerste instantie door tegenstanders negatief gebruikt, maar bleek een bruikbaar begrip te zijn voor wat Kuyper en Bavinck in hun theologie deden: ze grepen terug op de tijd van de Reformatie en gaven tegelijkertijd een update van de gereformeerde theologie uit de 16e eeuw. Wat Kuyper en Bavinck in die gereformeerde theologie aansprak was een allesomvattende visie op de wereld en het leven vanuit gereformeerd perspectief. Na de betekenis van het wereldbeeld laten Gray en Sutanto zien dat Kuyper en Bavinck een katholieke theologie voor ogen stond. De katholiciteit bood ruimte voor een eenheid in diversiteit en zich bewust van de eigen plaats in de moderniteit. Als theologen van de moderniteit zagen Kuyper en Bavinck zich geconfronteerd met de vraag naar de kennis over God. Daarom starten Gray en Sutanto hun inhoudelijke uiteenzetting van de theologie van Bavinck en Kuyper met hun visie op openbaring en rede. In een tijd waarin getwijfeld werd aan de mogelijkheid om kennis over God te hebben, bouwden Kuyper en Bavinck hun theologie op de algemene openbaring. Met name bij Bavinck is de kennis van God uit de openbaring kennis die opgedaan wordt door ervaring en belevenissen. De reflectie op deze ervaringen en belevenissen is bij Bavinck wezenlijk. Daardoor krijgt niet alleen de dogmatiek een taak, maar is er bij Bavinck ook een taak weggelegd voor psychologie en godsdienstfilosofie.
De vragen over de kennis van God zorgden ervoor dat Kuyper en Bavinck meer dan eerder in de gereformeerde traditie aandacht moesten besteden aan de Schriftleer. Zij wilden niet vervallen in de naturalistische interpretatie van de Schrift, die in hun tijd dominant was. Tegelijkertijd wilden ze geen biblicistische interpretatie van de Schrift. Kuyper en Bavinck kozen voor een middenweg, waarbij ze de wetenschappelijke gegevens accepteerden maar de filosofische veronderstellingen van het naturalisme bestreden. Omdat ze de schepping als een eenheid zagen, konden ze ook eenheid in de wetenschappen zien.
Na de Schriftleer komt daarom de visie op schepping en herschepping aan bod. Volgens Gray en Sutanto is het kenmerkend voor Bavinck en Kuyper, dat zij een relatie zien tussen schepping en verlossing. Het is bewust dat de schepping in de verlossing wordt hersteld, want de schepping is volgens Bavinck en Kuyper gericht op het koninkrijk van God. Dat koninkrijk van God is Gods aanwezigheid op aarde. Alles in de schepping is aangelegd op dat koninkrijk van God. De schepping was nog niet volledig, maar zou na de naleving van het proefgebod door de mens veranderd worden in een volmaakte schepping. In het werkverbond kreeg de mens een taak om mee te werken in de schepping. Door de zondeval kwam er echter een breuk en moest er verlossing komen. Een belangrijk onderdeel in het werk van Kuyper en Bavinck is de gemene gratie. De gemene gratie maakte het hen mogelijk om de gevallen mensen toch geïnspireerd te zien door de Heilige Geest. Deze gemene gratie was geen zaligmakende genade maar wel Gods barmhartige zorg voor gevallen mensen. Het slothoofdstuk gaat over de rol van de kerk in de wereld.
Het boek van Gray en Sutanto heb ik met een zekere ambivalentie gelezen. Het is mooi om te zien dat de theologie van Kuyper en Bavinck weer in de belangstelling staat en een oecumenische en emanciperende rol kan vervullen. Maar het viel me bij het lezen van deze introductie op hoezeer deze theologie uit een andere tijd stamt - meer dan bij het lezen van Bavinck en Kuyper. Daarnaast bevestigt deze introductie de indruk die A. van de Beek heeft bij veel gereformeerde theologie: dat Christus slechts een noodmaatregel is om de gevolgen van de zondeval te repareren. Deze introductie vraagt om een vervolg met daarin aandacht voor de christocentrische vroomheid die kenmerkend was voor Bavinck en Kuyper.