Reformed Social Ethics: Perspectives on Society, Culture, State, Church, and the Kingdom of God

In the process of translating Herman Bavinck’s Reformed Ethics, John Bolt and his editorial colleagues discovered that the social ethics portion was unfinished. The first section will now be published as Reformed Ethics, vol. 3. The other five sections were outlined by Bavinck, but not completed. Following Bavinck’s outline, John Bolt has reconstructed those last five sections on the basis of his extensive knowledge of Bavinck’s work, culling Bavinck’s other writings, in both Dutch and English, to summarize his teachings.

This companion to Reformed Ethics offers readers Bavinck’s main convictions and perspectives on critical topics of social ethics: society, art, scholarship, education, the state, the church, humanity, and the kingdom of God.

Reformed Social Ethics completes the Reformed Ethics project and provides readers with a fuller picture of Bavinck’s ethics. It will also be packaged with Bavinck’s Reformed Ethics in a specially priced four-volume set.

240 pages.

1. Society
Introduction: Creation, and Humanity’s Twofold Vocation
1. The Social Question
a. Bavinck’s “General Biblical Principles” (1891)
b. Bavinck’s “On Inequality” (1913)
2. Economic Life: Ownership, Property, Possessions
A Note on Riches, Capitalism, and Usury
3. Hospitality, Friendship, Sociability
Games and Leisure/Amusement
Appendix A: “Masters and Servants”
Appendix B: “The Right to Life of the Unborn”
2. Art and Scholarship (School)
1. Creation Is the Foundation
2. Art (Aesthetics)
3. Schools and Pedagogy
4. Christian Scholarship
a. Context: The Neo-Calvinist Revival
b. The Two Options: Christianity or Positivism
c. Bavinck’s Christian Worldview
5. A Christian University
3. The State
1. Origins of the State
2. Power, Coercion, War and Peace
3. Article 36 of the Belgic Confession
4. Church and Politics
4. The Church
1. Summary of an Address to the Twenty-Fifth General Dutch Conference on Missions
2. Eight Propositions on “the Idea and Necessity of Evangelization”
3. “Evangelization”
The “Gospel” of Caesar Augustus
“Gospel” in the Old Testament
“Gospel” in the New Testament and Early Church
Challenges to Gospel Teaching
Evangelization as Renewal and Reform
The Rise of Modern Unbelief; Its Spiritual and Social Consequences
Amelioration Efforts; The Inner Mission
5. Humanity and the Kingdom of God
The Kingdom of God, the Highest Good
Introduction
1. The Essence of the Kingdom of God
2. The Kingdom of God and the Individual
3. The Kingdom of God and the Community (Family, State, Church, Culture)
4. The Completion of the Kingdom of God
Indexes