Heavenly Worldliness: Herman Bavinck

Showing posts with label Herman Bavinck. Show all posts

Dr Lloyd-Jones Memorial Lecture 2023 Bavinck

This year's Dr Lloyd-Jones Memorial Lecture at London Seminary was given by Dr James Eglinton on Bavinck on preachers and preaching. This very interesting talk revealed that only one sermon by Hermann Bavinck survives but he and his protege, his nephew J H Bavinck, wrote on the subeject and so it is possible to address the subject. The emphasis was on persuasion which begins with knowing the culture and then applying the biblical message. Sadly, the lecture was delivered in the dark as there had been a power cut. It was only once the lecture was over that the lights came on again. About 30 or 40 were there. Dr Eglinton did very well in difficult circumstances. He has been lecturing all week at the seminary on Dutch Neo-Calvinsim (Kuyper, Bavinck et al).

Day Off Week 42 2023

Mosty reading as usual. I read a bu=it more of this big book on early evangelicalism I have mentioned. I also read the recently published Moses and the burning bush by the late R C Sproul. It is a real gem. Beautifully produced, easy to read and full of important doctrine. I also got out for a coffee and bought some gorgonzola. In the evening we went to the London Seminary for the Lloyd-Jones lecture. I'll report on that elsewhere.

Westminster Conference Papers 2018 now out

Last year's papers have now been published. They begin with Paul Wells' clear and fair minded introduction to Amyraldianism. This is followed by Geoff Thomas on A W Pink urging us to love Pink despite his evident failures. Then comes Phil Arthur's paper on the Great War and modern Christianity. The fourth paper is James Eglinton's on Herman Bavinck and the fifth Jeremy Walker's on John Owen and the Person of Christ. Last but by noe mans least is Nigel Graham on David Brainerd.

Reading Bavinck Extra

In addition to Dr Eglinton's paper I notice that the same subject is addressed here on a TGC website.

Westminster Conference 2018 Session 4

Our first session on the second day was on the Dutch theologian Herman Bavinck and reading his works with James Eglinton, whose biography of Bavinck is soon to appear. After helpfully sketching Bavinck's times and life (a key date here being 1848 when constititutional reform led to toleration for the persecuted seceders from the state church, six years before his birth) Dr Eglinton addressed the question of why and how to read him

1. Why to read him

1. Secularisation

Previously in Holland the state church and the seceders were agreed on what truth is but after 1848 everything became relative. This is an issue that was often engaged with by Bavinck. Eg when he was a student, when he became an MP (the just war, dealing with the poor, etc), as a journalist and in his friendships with unbelievers.

Obvious books to study are Philosophy and revelation (Stone Lectures 1908-1909) and The Christian world view.

2. Scripture

He took it with utmost seriousness. He had an a priori approach - that it was the Word of God. Without this it is impossible to appreciate Scripture for what it really is.

3. Catholicity

A favourite text was 1 John 5:4. He believed that we have obligation now not just historically.. The missionary impulse. was strong in him.

2. How to read him

He is not easy to read. Understanding the structure of his dogmatics will help. Volume 1 (Prolegomena) is probably the hardest to read. Calvin is easier because he did not need to begin with an extended discussion of the philosophical thought of the day post-Kant and post-enlightenment. The volumes that follow use the structure of the Apostles Creed.

It is worth bearing in mind that Bavinck is eager to present his opponents in the clearest terms. He therefore rehearses the argument at length, emphasising their strongest case. Comments and arguments come only later. It is useful to bear in mind.

In the discussion we considered how we confront our secular age and how Bavinck can help us.