Volume 1 issue 1 of the pilot edition of the All of life redeemed newsletter

1. A REFORMATIONAL NEWSLETTER! SUMMER 2011 VOLUME 1 (1)
Contours of the Neo-calvinist tradition
MIKE GOHEEN AND CRAIG BARTHOLOMEW 10. The implication of the fa& is that the power of
sin and evil now radically twists every part of
1.Neo-calvinism begins creation, and while the structures of creation
with Christ and this remain good the dis-
focus opens up into a torting power of sin
full Trinitarian faith. means they have been
2.Christ is rendered to radically misdirected.
us truly in Scripture, 11. The Bible tells the story
which is fully trust- of restoration centred in
worthy as God’s Word. the death and resurrec-
3.Christ stands at the tion of Jesus Christ
centre of the biblical which is the recovery of
story and the good news God’s originally good
he proclaimed is about purposes for the whole
the kingdom as the goal of his creation and all
of history—God restoring his rule over the whole of human life.
of human life and creation. 12. Since God’s restorative
4. Since Christ has revealed and accomplished the power is at work in the creation by the Spirit,
end of history the Scriptures have a storied shape, and the forces of evil remains at work in the
and as such tell the true story of the whole world. creation, neo-calvinism recognises an ultimate
5. A central theme in the biblical story is God’s elec- religious conflict in the whole of human life.
tion of a people to embody the kingdom, to be a 13. God is at work leading his creation to its destiny
preview of the goal of history, and thus to bear of a new heavens and a new earth, and only then
witness to Christ’s rule over all of life – this con- will the kingdom finally come. Until then the
stitutes mission. church is called to participate in God’s redemp-
6. The comprehensive gospel of the kingdom has tive mission—the missio Dei—as witnesses to his
been narrowed and consigned to a very minor victory, but since we await the final victory there
place within the dominant Western humanist is no room for triumphalism in neo-calvinism.
worldview, and this calls for a conscious articula-
tion of a biblical worldview in relation to the cul-
tural worldview to enable the church to recover
the all-embracing scope of the good news.
7. The good news reveals the restoration of the
creation from sin, and thus a neo-calvinist world-
view insists on a comprehensive and integrated These contours were first presented at the first Paideia
understanding of creation, fa& and restoration. Gathers conference.
8. The fundamental backdrop of God’s drama of Three of the keynotes from that conference can be
found here:
restoration is creation and thus neo-calvinism art-
! •! Craig Bartholomew: Carrying the Christ-Light
iculates a rich doctrine of creation including its into His World
good and dyn-amic creation order and humanity’s ! •! Michael Goheen: Neocalvinism, Mission and
place within it. Scholarship: Ongoing Reflections
9. History is part of God’s order for creation and ! •! Cal Seerveld: The Import of Biblical Wisdom
thus neo-calvinism affirms the historical devel- Literature for a Conception of Artistic Truth
opment or differentiation of creation.
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2. A REFORMATIONAL NEWSLETTER! SUMMER 2011 VOLUME 1 (1)
The Acton In- Dr. Stephen Grabill, director of
stitute and programs at the Acton Institute,
Kuyper Col- serves as general editor of the pro-
lege are col- ject, and he points to the contem-
laborating to porary need to understand Kuyper’s
bring for the comprehensive and cohesive vision
first time to for Christian social engagement. ANNOUNCEMENT
English- “There are a host of current at-
language audiences a foundational tempts to try to describe how evan- International Conference of the
Association for Reformational
text from the pen of the Dutch gelicals should be at work in the
Philosophy in association with
theologian and statesman, Abraham world. Kuyper’s articulation of the
the Free University of Amster-
Kuyper. Kuyper’s three-volume project of common grace shows dam,
work, Common Grace (De gemeene how these efforts must be grounded The Netherlands.
gratie) appeared during his tenure in and flow naturally from sound
as prime minister in the Nether- doctrine.” Title: Christian Philosophi-
lands, from 1901 to 1905. The translation and publication cal Conference 2011
These works are based on a series of project will cover a two year period, (CPC2011).
newspaper editorials intended to and the three volumes total over
equip common citizens and layper- 1,700 pages in the original. Dr. Nel- Theme: “The Future of Crea-
sons with the tools they needed to son Kloosterman of Worldview Re- tion Order”.
effectively enter public life. The sources International and translator
doctrine of common grace is, as of numerous Dutch texts serves will Date: 16-19 August, 2011.
Kuyper puts it, “the root conviction oversee the translation of the texts. For more information: Profes-
for all Reformed people.” The completed translation will be sor Gerrit Glas, chairman
“If the believer’s God is at work in published by Christian’s Library of the Executive Committee,
this world,” says Kuyper, “then in Press, the recently acquired imprint Free University of Amsterdam,
this world the believer’s hand must of the Acton Institute. Volume one Faculty of Philosophy and E-
take hold of the plow, and the name of Common Grace is scheduled to ducation, Amsterdam, The
of the Lord must be glorified in that appear in the fall of 2012. Netherlands. E-mail:
activity as well.” g.glas@vu.nl. Or visit
the conference website:
www.cpc2011.org.
PHILOSOPHY IN THE MAKING The book started life as a
D. H. Th. Vo&enhoven and the project to edit Vollenhoven’s
Position Paper: Gerrit Glass
Emergence of Reformed Philosophy by seminal work the Isagôgè 'The future of creation order'
Anthony Tol Philosophiae a text Vollenhoven
was continually changing and
Dordt College Press, 2010; ISBN
revising; there about a dozen
978-0-932914-86-6
different versions of the text! This
542+vi pp; pbk; US$30 book then traces Vollenhoven’s
Recent years have seen a number of thought as it changed and evolved.
works by and on Vollenhoven. This This is a welcome addition to
by Tony Tol is the result of his PhD the burgeoning interest in
promoted by A. P. Bos from the reformational philosophy.
Free University (VU). It looks at Vollenhoven’s work is often dense
the development of a neo-calvinist and opaque. Tol has done much of
philosophy. Tol pays particular the hard work in helping us
attention to the part played by understand Vollenhoven and his
Vollenhoven in this development. ideas better.
http://paper.li/stevebishopuk/reformational
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3. A REFORMATIONAL NEWSLETTER! SUMMER 2011 VOLUME 1 (1)
He draws upon Augustine, Calvin
BOOKREVIEWS and Kuyper and makes an excellent
case for the virtues and strengths of
The Wilderness and the Desert of the Real the Calvinist position. Calvinism he
Geoff Hall sees as: 'a lens that magnifies a per-
Upptackka Press sistent theme in the narrative of
ISBN 978-0-9568034-0-5 God’s self-revelation: that everything
depends on God (p. 14); as an
What is Christian art? How does 'Augustinian renewal movement
spirituality and art relate? What within the church catholic' (p. 40); as
does it mean to be a Christian artist? a '"region" of Reformed theology' (p.
Is it more than painting biblical Letters to a Young Calvinist 44); as a counter to 'the rampant
scenes or painting a sheep in each James K. A. Smith gnosticism that characterises North
picture? Brazos Press American evangelicalism' (p. 103); it's
Geoff Hall maintains that it is more 'an entire "complex" or "world- and
than that. In this, the first of four In The Devil Reads Derrida Smith of- life-view"' (p. 110). This is a broad
books, he looks at the calling of the fers an apologia for writing popular and fully biblical view.
Christian artist. A calling that in- works: he sees it as 'a responsibility There are many introductory books
volves desert and wilderness: 'be- to function as public intellectuals for to Reformed thought, but most are
tween the Call and its realisation, the church as "public"'. This popular dry and dull; this one is full of wit,
comes The Wilderness' p. 14. In the book does just that - it serves the warmth and wisdom. Buy it, read it
wilderness God can create a depth of church; it provides an accessible and and then buy another to give away.
erudite introduction to the Re-
formed faith in an epistolatory for-
mat.
He has traveled from Plymouth
Brethren to Pentecostal and Re-
formed. He knows popular evangeli-
calism.
This book provides, in part, insights
from the journey. As one who has
traveled to neo-calvinism from tradi-
tional anglicanism to free church to
house church charismatics I appreci-
ated Smith's helpful advice. As one Isagôgè Philosophiae 1930-1945:
character and experience that will unfamiliar with the different streams Tekstkritische uitgave
help shape the artists work - and of Reformed in the US I found this a Filosophie in die traditie van de Refor-
hopefully move beyond painting helpful and insightful guide. I par- matie
sheep in the picture! ticularly appreciated his comments D. H. Th. Vollenhoven
Hall is not advocating an interaction on the different 'Reformed confes- DI. Anthony Tol (editor)
of art and spirituality - an icing of sions' (Letters XX-XII). He also has VU Uitgeverij, Amsterdam, 2010
spirituality on the cake of art - he is some useful comments about the ISBN 978 90 8659 441 2
seeking a robust integration of spiri- justification 'debate' and Tom Vollenhoven's Isagôgè has gone
tuality and art, of art and spirituality. Wright. through many versions and transla-
Neither is he wanting an art- Thankfully Smith doesn't focus on tions. Tol, as part of his doctoral dis-
through-theology approach, as he TULIP, election and predestination - sertation, has assembled here the
rightly observes 'art is not theology' not that they aren't important issues ultimate critical edition. He has
(p 33). - but there are other issues: 'I have a complied and edited all Vollenho-
This is a great brief book; it can be hard time believing that the denial of ven's many version to provide the
read in less than an hour but will take limited atonement is the most press- definitive text-critical edition in
hours to digest and meditate on the ing matter of discipleship right now. Dutch. This is a monumental work.
wisdom and insight it contains We should be more worried about All we need now is an English ver-
Walmart' (p. 91). sion!
NOTHING MATTERS BUT THE KINGDOM.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE KINGDOM EVERYTHING MATTERS.
GORDON SPYKMAN
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4. A REFORMATIONAL NEWSLETTER! SUMMER 2011 VOLUME 1 (1)
Rev. Peter Harris, the founder of A
Rocha (Christians in Conservation),
began the conference by recounting Forthcoming events
UPDATES some episodes in the foundation and June 10-11 2011
development of this organisation in WYSOCS Leeds, UK: The sexes
Renato Coletto pages added; with: Argentina and Portugal in his fist and the kingdom’ with Mary
talk, A Rocha's Green Light. Stewart van Leeuwen
The “eclipse” of the object of
Prof. Andrew Basden (University of June 15-17 2011
research in late-modern philosophy
Salford) and Prof Tim Cooper (Not- Trinity College, Bristol
of science: causes and possible ‘Readingt the Bible ethically’
tingham Trent University) each
remedies. Tydskrif vir christelike with Craig Bartholomew and
spoke about their experiences in
wetenskap/Journal for christian Elaine Storkey
"green activism", both academics
scholarship, 44(1-2):19-38. July 10-15 2011
having stood as Green Party candi-
Darwin, Australia ‘Educating for
Christian scholarship within dates and participating in many tough times’
reformed circles. Acta academica, 41 other initiatives aimed at protecting
August 13 2011
(3):16-41. our environment and promoting so-
WYSOCS, Leeds, UK: ‘Creation
cial justice. Andrew’s talk, Green regained’ Al Wolters and Harry
Strategies towards a reformation of Activism with Christ, presented a Van Dyke
the theology-based approach to rationale for integrating creation August 14-19 2011
christian scholarship. In die Skriflig, care into an interconnected Green Amsterdam: ‘The future of
43(2):291-313 Theology. Tim Cooper’s talk, Chris- creation order’
tians in Environmental Dis- Send events information to:
2010. Traces of neo-Calvinism in course: Leaders or Followers? allofliferedeemed@gmail.com
France and Italy. Koers, (Special argued that Christians are too often
Edition: Essays dedicated to Prof. absent from politics of the environ-
B.J. van der Walt: “Scholarship in the ment and that their lifestyles typi-
light of the morning star”), 75(1): cally fail to show the distinctive eth- Contributors
149-172. ics that could be expected in this MIKE GOHEEN
Johan van der Hoven pages added; area. Professor of of
with: Prof. Mike Hulme's talk was pro-
vocatively entitled Should Chris- worldview and
The Rise and Development of the tians Be Trying to Stop Climate religious
Phenomenological Movement. Hamilton, Change? Claims that, "The science studies at
Ontario, ARSS demands X" take so many forms, Trinity
Hebden Taylor’s bibliography has from changes in lifestyle to techno- Western. He is
been updated logical innovation, and from new the author of
politics to updated ethics, that it's A Light to the Nations
Mike Goheen’s bibliography has clear there are important differences
been updated of worldview and it's not the science CRAIG BARTHOLOMEW
Many of the links to other websites that demands anything of us in itself. Professor of
have been updated. This led to some thoughts on the philosophy and
distinctiveness of Christian views of
biblical studies
humanity and the earth and on the
kind of virtues we should bring to at Redeemer.
bear on crises and conflicts. He is author of
Finally, Peter Harris returned to a seminal
speak on Gospel Fuel for Green commentary of
Lights, looking at Christian envi- Ecclesiastes.
ronmental distinctives as manifested
THE GOSPEL'S GREEN LIGHT in the work of A Rocha projects
Report on WYSOCS event around the world. Pictures of the RICHARD
March 26 2011 transformation of the Bekaa valley in GUNTON
This day conference explored Chris- Lebanon provided a graphic illustra-
Development
tian environmental activism in the- tion of what faithfulness to Christ as
ory and practice. Four speakers gave Creator and Lord can look like on officer for
stimulating talks in very different WYSOCS,
the ground.
styles. Richard Gunton Leeds, UK
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