29 October 1837 A.D. Abraham Kuyper
born. Reformed Theologian and Prime
Minister of the Netherlands.
Dr. Rusten tells
the story.
Rusten, E.
Michael and Rusten, Sharon. The One Year
Christian History. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2003. Available at: http://www.amazon.com/The-Year-Christian-History-Books/dp/0842355073/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393302630&sr=8-1&keywords=rusten+church+history
Dr.
Kuyper was born on 29 October 1837 to
a godly Reformed and Confessional family in Maasuis, Netherlands. His family
called him “Bram.”
Being
a bit unattracted to a theological life, he nevertheless enrolled at the
University of Leiden in a pre-theology curriculum. The faculties of the day
were increasingly affected by “Modernism, or, reason trumping and invalidating
divine revelation and asserting its sinful autonomy (e.g. Romans 1.18-32).
Before
entering Leiden University Divinity School in 1858, a professor challenged Dr.
Kuyper to investigate and compare Calvin’s view of the church with the Polish
Reformer, Jan Laski. He could find
little on the issue in terms of Laski’s writings. However, a professor of his father’s had
nearwise a complete collection of Laski’s writings. This event began Dr.
Kuyper’s shift away from Modernism back to the Reformed faith of his forbears.
Another
influence was an English novel, Heir of
Redclyffe. He was moved by the
hero’s penitential confession of sin.
But
perhaps the greatest influence on his shift were the simple, Confessional and
Bible-reading people of his first pastorate. He said of them, “Their
unremitting perseverance has become the blessing of my heart, the rise of the
morning star for my life.” The wisdom of these people taught him “…in the
worship of a God who works all things, both the willing and working, according
to his good pleasure.” He reaffirmed his
“orthodox Calvinism.”
Dr.
Kuyper went on to hold major pulpits in Utrecht and Amsterdam.
Dr.
Kuyper went in to develop political connections which included service in the
legislature of the Netherlands. He edited the party newspaper and authored
18,600 editorials.
By
1880, Dr Kuyper and others found the Free University of Amsterdam. Dr. Kuyper became a Professor of theology.
By
1886, Dr. Kuyper led a break from the state church with the founding of the
“Reformed Churches in the Netherlands.”
He
authored the Encyclopedia of Sacred
Theology (1898), Calvinism (1899),
and The Work of the Holy Spirit (1900).
In
1901, he held the Prime Minister’s position in the Netherlands for 4 years.
Questions:
- What of R2K theology? Political, cultural and legislative involvement by Reformed Churchmen?
- What was Dr. Kuyper’s catechetical experience? Preaching the Heidelberg Catechism in the evening services of the Lord’s Days?
Sources
Kuyper, Abraham. “Confidentially.” In Abraham
Kuyper: A Centennial Reader. Edited by James D. Bratt. Grand Rapids, MI:
Eerdmans, 1998. 45-61.
Vandenberg, Frank. Abraham Kuyper. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1966.
Veltman, R. “Kuyper, Abraham.” WWCD.
406-7.
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