Suggestion from the Pastor
Abraham Kuyper: God’s Renaissance Man
by: by James McGoldrick
Pastor’s Description
One of the great Reformed thinkers of the modern age was the Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper. Kuyper’s own experiences epitomized his belief that all of life belongs to God. Although raised in a pastor’s home, he was schooled in theological liberalism that he later said robbed him of his childhood faith and left him “unconverted, proud, and open to doubting.” However, after taking a position as a rural pastor, Kuyper was convinced of the truths of Scripture and converted to Christ through the gentle witness of the people within his congregation.
For the remainder of his life, Abraham Kuyper worked tirelessly to promote the cause of Christ within the Reformed church and society at large. Not only did he serve as a pastor but also as editor of a newspaper and several periodicals, founded and taught theology at the Free University of Amsterdam, helped to found a new denomination after the Dutch Reformed Church was overcome with liberalism, authored numerous books, entered politics where he served in parliament and as the Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1901-1905.
Although I would have liked to have read more about Kuyper’s wife and children (He and his wife, Johanna Schaay Kuyper, had eight children and were married for 36 years) McGoldrick did a fine job, discussing the work and the theological, social and political views of this extraordinary Christian man.
Review/Purchase
- Pastor’s June Book Selection - June 3, 2023
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