Neo-Calvinism
This book review also appears at SOLA.NETWORK.
What is neo-Calvinism? Written by Cory C. Brock and N. Gray Sutanto, Neo-Calvinism: A Theological Introduction invites readers to discover the distinctive, theological contributions of neo-Calvinism.
Abraham Kuyper and Herman Bavinck
Brock and Sutanto survey the work and wisdom of theologians Abraham Kuyper and Herman Bavinck, the individuals most associated with Neo-Calvinism. Kuyper was Prime Minister of the Netherlands between 1901 and 1905, and established the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands. Bavinck succeeded Kuyper as Professor of Theology at the Free University in Amsterdam, and is noted for his classic work Reformed Dogmatics. Previous works about the men have primarily focused on their political and philosophical insights, rather than the theological dogma. But Brock and Sutanto point out and discuss how Kuyper and Bavinck actually developed John Calvin’s theology into a holistic worldview that had a particularly God-centered orientation toward all things within the context of the modern consciousness. In other words, Neo-Calvinsim is actually a holistic theology.
Each chapter highlights a distinct theological aspect of neo-Calvinsim. (1) Catholic and Modern, (2) Revelation and Reason, (3) Scripture and Organism, (4) Creation and Re-creation, (5) Image and Fall, (6) Common Grace and the Gospel, and (7) The Church and the World. This range shows Neo-Calvinism as a rich theology with broad implications and applications.
Holistic Faith
I was most interested to see how a holistic faith leavens all of modern life - a topic introduced and then developed throughout the book. This means that Christianity is an agent of positive change. It speaks to reality and offers reasons for its necessity in every area of life—not just for use in the church. Although the Bible does not give us knowledge for every discipline and area of expertise, the Bible remains relevant and authoritative due to the organic character of all reality, and subsequently of all knowledge. I thought of the ways that God sovereignly works in my life, and how my faith should impact the different spheres I live in - including areas of work, play, and relaxation.
What most moved me was seeing that the heart of neo-Calvinism is God's action of re-creation as the essence of Christianity, and the meaning of world history. In other words, God is moving and working everything towards a cumulative end.
After examining the Garden of Eden and the pre-fall covenant, the authors conclude that neo-Calvinists claim the resurrected Christ as the center of the glory of the kingdom. The goal of both creation and re-creation is for God to dwell amongst his people. This beautiful insight helped me see Christ as supreme in this life and in the next.
Christ’s Kingdom
The book concludes with 16 theses that sum up the main emphasis of neo-Calvinism. The first thesis is that neo-Calvinism is a critical reception of Reformed orthodoxy, contextualized to address the questions of modernity. This book will challenge Calvinists to see how the Doctrines of Grace is more than just head knowledge. It is a call to show that the Christian faith continues to be relevant.
Pastors will be rewarded to see the far-reaching impact of the Reformation. This book is an outstanding academic work that will help share and advance the theology of neo-Calvinism while motivating the work of Christ's kingdom.
I received a media copy of Neo-Calvinism and this is my honest review. Find more of my book reviews and follow Dive In, Dig Deep on Instagram - my account dedicated to Bibles and books to see the beauty of the Bible and the role of reading in the Christian life. To read all of my book reviews and to receive all of the free eBooks I find on the web, subscribe to my free newsletter.