Religion & Liberty Online

New Abraham Kuyper Series Launched

Abraham Kuyper
Abraham Kuyper

A major new series is now available: Abraham Kuyper Collected Works in Public Theology. A website from the series publisher, AbrahamKuyper.com, went live today, where you can learn more about Abraham Kuyper, stay up to date on the latest from the Abraham Kuyper Translation Society, and order English translations of his work.

This series is the capstone project of the work of the Abraham Kuyper Translation Society. Never before available in English, these works will introduce a new audience to the thoughts of one of Christianity’s most thoughtful public theologians. Comprised of 8 key works spread over 12 volumes, this series will be made available in both a high-quality hardback edition and an enhanced electronic Logos edition. Jordan J. Ballor, an Acton Institute research fellow, and Melvin Flikkema, an Acton Institute senior advisor, serve as general editors of the series.

In 2011, a group of Abraham Kuyper scholars and experts met to form an association that has come to be known as the Abraham Kuyper Translation Society. Kuyper College and the Acton Institute, along with other partner institutions and Abraham Kuyper scholars, have taken a special interest in facilitating the translation of Abraham Kuyper’s writings into English. Kuyper’s works hold great potential to build intellectual capacity within the church, providing a compelling and constructive public theology to guide the development of a winsome and constructive social witness and cultural engagement.

In order to celebrate the launch of the series, the following offers are available at AbrahamKuyper.com (prices updated to reflect introductory sale prices),

  • Purchase the print edition of the collection for $349.99.
  • Purchase the Logos edition of the collection for $249.99.
  • Purchase the Logos and print editions of the whole collection bundled together for $449.99.
  • Download digital excerpts from the series for free, including Kuyper’s landmark sermon on the church as institute and organism (“Rooted & Grounded”), two university addresses (“Scholarship”), and his essays on common grace in science and art (“Wisdom & Wonder”).

Faithlife Corporation’s digital software and online library, Logos, and its print division, Lexham Press, are working with the Kuyper Translation Society to get the new English translations of Kuyper’s works into the hands of interested readers, both online and in print.

our_program
‘Our Program’ is available in English now.

The first book available is Our Program: A Christian Political Manifesto. In it Kuyper frames his Christian political vision, distinguished from the programs of the nineteenth-century modernists who took their cues from the French Revolution. It was this work that launched his celebrated career as pastor, theologian, and educator.

Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920) is one of the most prominent figures in the history of the Netherlands as well as Protestant theology. He is widely recognized as historian, theologian, philosopher, writer, and professor-educator.  Kuyper was born in Maassluis, the son of a Reformed pastor. In 1862 Kuyper was awarded the doctor of theology from Leyden University. Having fully embraced Calvinism, Kuyper held pastorates in Utrecht, Amsterdam, and elsewhere. Prompted by his interest in the legitimacy of private schools, he became affiliated with the Anti-Revolutionary Party (opposition to godless revolution and support for the Word of God and its implications for life), ultimately becoming its head. He edited a weekly De Heraut (The Herald), “for a free church and a free church school in a free land,” as well as a daily party organ, De Standaard (The Standard). He was prime minister of the Netherlands and made significant contribution to the formulation and understanding of the doctrine of Common Grace which Kuyper called “the root conviction for all Reformed people.”

For more information about Faithlife Corporation and the great work they do, see the latest issue of Religion & Liberty, featuring an interview with Faithlife’s CEO Bob Pritchett.