The Heart of Dogmatics: Christology and Christocentrism in Herman Bavinck. By Bruce Pass
This is a detailed and clearly written study of Herman Bavinck (1854-1921) as a systematic theologian, focusing on the ‘centre’ of his theology. This task is not easy since various suggestions about what constitutes the centre of Bavinck’s theology have been proposed: covenant of grace, salvation hi...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Review |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2021
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| In: |
The journal of theological studies
Year: 2021, Volume: 72, Issue: 2, Pages: 1041-1043 |
| Further subjects: | B
Book review
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| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | This is a detailed and clearly written study of Herman Bavinck (1854-1921) as a systematic theologian, focusing on the ‘centre’ of his theology. This task is not easy since various suggestions about what constitutes the centre of Bavinck’s theology have been proposed: covenant of grace, salvation history, grace restoring nature, and mystical union. Further, Bavinck himself speaks of a ‘centre’ in various ways; and not consistently.Pass’s analysis leads him to conclude ‘there is good reason to think that the doctrine that lies at the centre of Bavinck’s system is Christology’ (p. 16). Key for Pass’s interpretation is Bavinck’s important statement: ‘The doctrine of Christ is not the starting point (uitgangspunt), but it is indeed the centre (middelpunt) of the whole system of dogmatics. All other dogmas either prepare for it or are inferred from it. In it, as the heart of dogmatics, pulses the whole of the religious-ethical life of Christianity. It is the μυστήριον εὐσεβείας (1 Tim. 3:16). The whole of Christology has to proceed from here’ (p. 17; Reformed Dogmatics, 3.274 [hereafter RD]). |
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| ISSN: | 1477-4607 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: The journal of theological studies
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1093/jts/flab110 |
