The J. H. Bavinck Reader


Book Description

Crucial themes and issues explored by a premier missiologist Johan Herman Bavinck (1895-1964) was a prominent twentieth-century Dutch Calvinist missiologist who wrestled with the tension between religious absolutism and relativism, as many Christians do in today's pluralistic context. The J. H. Bavinck Reader gathers together a choice selection of Bavinck's significant writings that are essential for understanding his theology of missions, his approach to world religions, and his religious psychology. His treatment of religious consciousness and Christian faith expands on the brief treatment of it in his own work The Church Between Temple and Mosque. The concluding chapters show how Bavinck's theoretical reflection on religious consciousness was rooted in his close observation during his years as a missionary in Indonesia. Offering a constructive way forward, Bavinck affirms both the particularity of salvation in Christ and the universality of the Christian hope. A substantial introduction enhances the book with the most thorough biographical sketch of Bavinck available.







Between the Beginning and the End


Book Description

Radical, comprehensive vision of the kingdom of God in light of the new creation Twentieth-century Dutch missiologist and prolific author J. H. Bavinck was committed to confronting the world with the saving message of Christ. In this first English translation of the Dutch work published in 1946, Bavinck presents a cosmic kingdom vision and champions the coming of the kingdom of Christ as the basic message of the gospel. Bavinck eloquently challenges believers to live as kingdom people as he expresses a uniquely Reformed perspective on the eternal significance of our temporal world. His eschatological vision, which permeates the book, is now more relevant than ever as climate change, resource depletion, financial turmoil, and other issues increasingly threaten our world. With Bert Hielema's skillful translation capturing the beauty and power of Bavinck's original text, Between the Beginning and the End calls all Christians to consider anew the entire scope of the church and Christ's kingdom.




The Riddle of Life


Book Description

Fresh translation of a classic treatise on Christian belief In the spirit of C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity, eminent Calvinist thinker J.H. Bavinck's Riddle of Life offers a compact and compelling treatise on Christian belief, starting with the eternal questions that haunt every conscious human being: Why are we here? Where do we come from? What is our destiny? How should we live? He goes on to explore essential topics including sin, salvation, and Jesus the Redeemer; faith and idolatry; God's great plan for creation; and the ultimate purpose behind our lives. This lucid new translation by Bert Hielema of a classic text will make Bavinck's profound reflections on faith and the meaning of human life accessible to a new generation of seekers.--Publisher.




Making Faith Magnetic


Book Description

How to talk about Jesus in a way that connects with modern culture. As followers of Jesus, we know that the good news is deeply attractive. But we often fear that to those on the outside, it comes across as irrelevant or even repellent. Sometimes the Christian worldview feels so out of step with everything else going on that we don't know how to share our faith. However, author Daniel Strange wants to show you that the connections are there—in fact, the longings that our culture cannot help but express are the very ones that Jesus fulfils. Building on the work of theologian J.H. Bavinck, Dan reveals five recurring themes that our culture can’t stop talking about, or, as he puts it, the "five permanent ‘itches’ that in our work, rest, and play, we have to vigorously scratch." From TV to books to social media, these are the questions we can't stop asking and the tensions we can't stop wrestling with—and Jesus speaks powerfully into each one. This book will help you to spot these connections in our culture, excite you about how Jesus makes sense of humankind’s deepest questions and longings, apply them to your own life first and then equip you to speak of him to others in a way that is truly magnetic. "Dan Strange has written another terrific, down-to-earth book to help believers engage in fruitful conversations with friends about faith." Dr. Timothy Keller, who has also written the foreword to this book.




Bavinck


Book Description

Dutch Calvinist theologian Herman Bavinck, a significant voice in the development of Protestant theology, remains relevant many years after his death. His four-volume Reformed Dogmatics is one of the most important theological works of the twentieth century. James Eglinton is widely considered to be at the forefront of contemporary interest in Bavinck's life and thought. After spending considerable time in the Netherlands researching Bavinck, Eglinton brings to light a wealth of new insights and previously unpublished documents to offer a definitive biography of this renowned Reformed thinker. The book follows the course of Bavinck's life in a period of dramatic social change, identifying him as an orthodox Calvinist challenged with finding his feet in late modern culture. Based on extensive archival research, this critical biography presents numerous significant and previously ignored or unknown aspects of Bavinck's person and life story. A black-and-white photo insert is included. This volume complements other Baker Academic offerings on Bavinck's theology and ethics, which together have sold 90,000 copies.




The Church Between Temple and Mosque


Book Description

Noted missiologist J. H. Bavinck guides readers in a candid, eloquent, and eye-opening discussion of religion, revelation, and the distinctness of the Christian faith. His five magnetic points (cosmic relationship, religious norm, the riddle of existence, our craving for salvation, and our awareness of a supreme power) provide a helpful avenue for discussing Christianity with people outside the walls of the church, including those identifying as religious "nones." A new generation of Christians, pastors, and theologians will benefit greatly from spending time in these pages.




Introducing Christian Mission Today


Book Description

Michael Goheen gives us a full-scale introduction to mission studies today in its biblical, theological and historical dimensions. Goheen covers the full horizon of major issues in mission, including its global, urban and holistic contexts. This text shows how the missional church encounters the pluralism of Western culture and global religions.




An Old Testament Theology


Book Description

The Old Testament is more than a religious history of the nation of Israel. It is more than a portrait gallery of heroes of the faith. It is even more than a theological and prophetic backdrop to the New Testament. Beyond these, the Old Testament is inspired revelation of the very nature, character, and works of God. As renowned Old Testament scholar Bruce Waltke writes in the preface of this book, the Old Testament’s every sentence is “fraught with theology, worthy of reflection.” This book is the result of decades of reflection informed by an extensive knowledge of the Hebrew language, the best of critical scholarship, a deep understanding of both the content and spirit of the Old Testament, and a thoroughly evangelical conviction. Taking a narrative, chronological approach to the text, Waltke employs rhetorical criticism to illuminate the theologies of the biblical narrators. Through careful study, he shows that the unifying theme of the Old Testament is the “breaking in of the kingdom of God.” This theme helps the reader better understand not only the Old Testament, but also the New Testament, the continuity of the entire Bible, and ultimately, God himself.




Christian Worldview


Book Description

For the First Time in English, a Foundational Work of One of the Church's Most Important Theologians As some point in life, we all wonder: Who am I? What is the world, and what is my place within it? Only Christianity offers answers to these questions in a way that meets our truest needs and satisfies our deepest longings. In this important book, translated into English for the first time, Herman Bavinck provides a framework for understanding why the Christian worldview is the only solution to the discord we feel between ourselves, the world, and God.