On October 29, 2013 By Kuyperian In Books, Culture, Politics, Theology Like

Born Out of Never: Happy Birthday Abe

October 29th marks the birthday of Kuyperian Commentary’s namesake, namely Abraham Kuyper (29 October 1837 – 8 November 1920), – the Dutch politician and party founder, statesman, prime minister, theologian, educator, linguist, pastor, author, founder of the Free University of Amsterdam, founder and editor of De Standaard (the most popular daily newspaper in the Netherlands), as well as the editor of the weekly magazine De Heraut (the Herald). ^a A veritable polymath of a man. ^b

Over at CanonWired, Pastors Douglas Wilson & Toby J Sumpter explore the question: “What’s Does It Mean to Be ‘Kuyperian’?”

http://vimeo.com//15401618

Birthdays are times of reflection and of giving, and those who know me are aware that I like to share things that peak my curiosity and give me joy. And so, I’ll leave this little birthday note with some quotes by and about Kuyper and some links for further exploration into what it means to be ‘Kuyperian’:

“There is not one part of our world of thought that than can be hermetically separated from other parts, and there is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, ‘Mine!'” ^c

“Christianity goes beyond personal salvation. Christianity encompasses everything.”^d

“In the midst of corruptions, your duty as an equipped disciple of Christ is to always seek to uphold that which is honorable, that which is lovely and that which is of good report among mankind.” (ibid)

“A Christian culture is established through the education of a Christian populace.”(ibid)

“If there were no other way open to knowledge than through discursive thought,. . . because of the uncertainty . . . which is the penalty of sin, and [because of] the impossibility [of having therefore an objective method to decide] between truth and falsehood,” skepticism would reign.” (Principles 123) ^e

“Never forget that all state relief for the poor is a blot on the honor of your savior. The fact that the government needs a safety net to catch those who would slip between the cracks of our economic system is evidence that I have failed to do God’s work. The government cannot take the place of Christian charity. A loving embrace isn’t given with food stamps. The care of a community isn’t provided with government housing. The face of our Creator can’t be seen on a welfare voucher. What the poor need is not another government program; what they need is for Christians like me to honor our savior.”^f

“If you see a thing, you are probably called to it.”^g

“What is hell other than a realm in which unholiness works without restraint in body and soul?” ^h

“Kuyper himself had urged that all human thought be governed by a Christian worldview derived from Scripture. To Kuyper, this worldview was antithetical to every secular ideology, whether philosophical, political, economic, aesthetic, or whatever. Kuyper’s disciples sought to bring the Christian worldview to bear on politics, education, and journalism; naturally, some sought to express it in philosophy as well.” ~ Dr. John M Frame ⁱ

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Kuyper, sovereignty, Worldview

About the Author / Kuyperian

Why Abraham Kuyper? Abraham Kuyper was a 19th century theological and political figure. His interests were broad. He was not merely satisfied with the intellectualization of ideas, but also the implementation of ideas. He was known as the “theologian of the people.” His time as a pastor gave him a unique sense of the needs of the people. Kuyper defended a localist vision. He knew that significant change did not begin at the top, but at the local level. Further, he opposed the vicious totalitarian tendencies of his culture. He even began his own political party as a way of combating these dangerous threats. Thus, in more ways than one, Kuyper represents a moral libertarian vision; a vision which is also compatible with traditional conservatism.