Translated by Harry Vandyke
Thank you to Harry Vandyke for translating, and making available for the first time in English, Abraham Kuyper's "Introduction/Inleiding" to the Dutch version of John Calvin's "Institutes of the Christian Religion/Institutie ofte Onderwijsinghe in de Christelicke Religie. In vier boeken beschreven door Johannes Calvinus (Doesburg: J. C. van Schenk Brill, 1889), 3–14. Translated, edited, and slightly abridged by Harry Van Dyke. His annotations appear in brackets.
The elusiveness of “true spirituality”
My wife used to call me a “dark knight of the soul Christian” because I was always miserable. At the time, I didn’t know what my issue was, but I knew my Christian-longings weren't satiated. Looming over my existence was an itch that all the Theological readings and Christian activity couldn’t scratch. So. I just sort of white-knuckled my way through my Christian life. I was on the losing end of the so-called "victorious Christian life."
Let Twitter rage; Douglas Wilson is the people's Theologian.
Join us for a conversation with Douglas Wilson, where we delve into his recent book, 'Mere Christendom,' explore the unexpected blessings of online trolls, examine the remarkable overlap between Abraham Kuyper and Douglas Wilson, and celebrate the genius of whoever is behind Canon Press' Twitter account (by the way, everyone who subscribes to the Westminster Confession of Faith is a Christian nationalist).
What happened to preaching “the whole counsel of God”?
Preachers conflate the law and gospel (therefore the church knows little difference- totally detrimental), doesn’t discipline, elders fear their own wives more than YHWH, meets once a week for 2 hours, will not get involved with legal matters because no one is competent (1 Cor. 6:1-5), not interested in prayer meetings (Acts 1), will be a Jesus or a Spirit Church instead of Father Son and Spirit church, the Trinity is ignored because its to heady, even the Son’s eternal generation is not taught though Gill says it “is the distinguishing criterion of the Christian religion.…"
"To take such a revolutionary step is to cut ourselves off from the Christian past"
I heard that the Church of England was being advised to declare women capable of Priests' Orders. I am, indeed, informed that such a proposal is very unlikely to be seriously considered by the authorities. To take such a revolutionary step at the present moment, to cut ourselves off from the Christian past and to widen the divisions between ourselves and other Churches by establishing an order of priestesses in our midst, would be an almost wanton degree of imprudence. And the Church of England herself would be torn in shreds by the operation...
Loading...
God's child remains the old man's grave-digger until the hour of his own departure.
God's child remains the old man's grave-digger until the hour of his own departure. Nevertheless he dies to him so completely that at last he loses all confidence in him, thoroughly convinced that he is without excuse, an abominable wretch, a reprobate, and a deceiver, capable of all evil. And...
When being "Winsome" is a cop-out
"Christians should be known for what they are for rather than what they are against" is about as bad as other folk-Christianity sayings like "God helps those who help themselves." Sometime I think "winsome" is a get-out-of-jail free card that releases the Christian. Folks like Luther and Kuyper were intense,...
Lift a glass with Bram!
"You can't raise a generation of bold, brash Calvinists on chocolate milk."
Getting down to brass tacks (coming up with joy)
In John 15, Jesus says, “I have called you friends.” But what does it mean to be friends with Jesus? In the early 1650s, theologian John Owen attempted to answer this question through a series of sermons, eventually compiled as Communion with God. The book is full of truths about...
Kuyper and Bavinck vs. Piper and MacArthur
Neo-Calvinisim is not to be confused with “New-Calvinism” (that might also be called “neo-Puritanism”). New-Calvinism was/is a phenomenon that has folks, like John Piper, pointing us back to Jonathan Edwards. A fruit of new-Calvinism is, unfortunately, constant fruit-checking, naval-gazing and lack of assurance. You need only hear a sermon from...
Recovering an appropriated tradition (and silencing the liberals)
The liberals have usurped Kuyper. I’m mad that many (most?) modern “neo-Calvinists” teach un-Biblical/un-Kuyperian views. I’m mad that Kuyper often gets lumped in with these usurpers. Why should the heretics and liberals get Kuyper as their own? Well, they shouldn’t(!). It’s time we reclaim Kuyper... Let’s put these liberals who...
A Street-Level History of Abortion
Tracing the History of Abortion in America by Looking beyond the Laws to the Dramatic Stories and Colorful Personalities of the People They Touched Fifty years ago, the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision to legalize abortion-on-demand sparked nationwide tensions that continue to this day. In the decades since that ruling, abortion...
Make Abraham Great Again - Start by reading the book and joining our Facebook group
So far about 75 of us are going to be reading Abraham Kuyper's "Pro Rege: Living under Christ’s Kingship, Volume 3" and we would love to have you read in parallel. In the six months between February 1st and July 31st, we are slated to read 54 Kuyper articles from "Pro...
Because there are no throwaway verses
When starting a new Bible-reading plan, many readers begin enthusiastically in Genesis but then lose momentum when they encounter the Old Testament laws and genealogies. But the Pentateuch—the first five books of the Bible—has much to offer today’s Christian; it is the foundation for understanding the rest of the Bible,...