Calvinism for a Secular Age - by Jessica R Joustra & Robert J Joustra (Paperback)

About the Book

Pastor, politician, and Dutch Neo-Calvinist theologian Abraham Kuyper's lectures on the role of Christian faith in politics, science, and art have become a touchstone of contemporary Reformed theology. Revisiting these lectures, Jessica and Robert Joustra bring together theologians, historians, scientists, and others to consider Kuyper's ongoing importance and complex legacy for today.

Book Synopsis

Abraham Kuyper, the Dutch Neo-Calvinist theologian, pastor, and politician, was well-known for having declared that there is "not a square inch" of human existence over which Jesus Christ is not its sovereign Lord.

This principle is perhaps best reflected in Kuyper's writings on Calvinism originally delivered as the Stone Lectures in 1898 at Princeton Theological Seminary. These lectures reflecting on the role of the Christian faith in a variety of social spheres--including religion, politics, science, and art--have become a touchstone for contemporary Reformed theology.

How might the lectures continue to inform the church's calling in a secular age? In this volume, Jessica Joustra and Robert Joustra bring together theologians, historians, scientists, and others to revisit Kuyper's original lectures and to critically consider both his ongoing importance and his complex legacy for today.

Review Quotes

"I have felt ambivalent about Kuyper's Stone Lectures since I first encountered them. The world and life vision set forth in the lectures are vital to my theological outlook. But Kuyper's racist asides trouble me deeply, especially when set against tragic appropriations by later interpreters. Calvinism for a Secular Age thus offers a welcome tonic, amplifying my gratitude and acknowledging my grief, making it an essential companion to Kuyper's lectures. It clarifies his aims, complicates his legacy, and challenges his flaws. When necessary, it moves forward by reading Kuyper against himself. Most importantly, it continues Kuyper's project, offering a generative and generous vision for all of life, one sorely needed in our secular age."

About the Author

Jessica R. Joustra (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary and the Free University of Amsterdam) is assistant professor of religion and theology at Redeemer University and an associate researcher at the Neo-Calvinist Research Institute at the Theological University of Kampen (NL). She is an editor and translator of Herman Bavinck's Reformed Ethics: Created, Fallen, and Converted Humanity and associate editor for the Bavinck Review.

Robert J. Joustra (PhD, University of Bath) is Professor of Politics and Spoelhof Chair at Calvin University. He is author and editor of several books, including How to Survive the Apocalypse: Zombies, Cylons, Faith and Politics at the End of the World and Calvinism for a Secular Age. He is a Senior Editor with The Review of Faith and International Affairs.