Encyclopedias are for living

It's been a busy Fall here in the Netherlands.  We're settled into a great family routine with Maddie in school, Jackie riding all around town with two kids on the bike, and me working on combing through documents for my dissertation research.  I'm now writing my first chapter on Kuyper, focusing on about 1894-1901 - the years leading up to his service as Prime Minister.  I'm tracing Kuyper's theological understanding of discipleship during this time.  This is a new question in Kuyper scholarship, and it's proving to be an interesting and fruitful investigation.  Just this week I've been looking at Kuyper's Encyclopedia of Sacred Theology and have found some helpful connection points between his understanding of the scientific nature of theology and the life of discipleship.  Kuyper may not be using the specific term "discipleship" very often in his writing, but I am finding some very interesting insights.  For example, to me it's telling that he introduces the term "encyclopedia" by tracing its etymology to Greek roots.  He described the Greek use of "encyclopedia" as a way to gather, or encircle, all of the knowledge that was necessary for the training and teaching of the youth to be effective citizens of Athens.  In the same way, a theological encyclopedia encircles the knowledge needed to shape and form citizens in and for the kingdom of God.  So, even "encyclopedic" knowledge about God is not for abstract argumentation - but for practical living and the life of discipleship.  It's time to start dusting off those old encyclopedias (especially the one on Sacred Theology) and figuring out what all of that knowledge means for a life of following after Jesus Christ.

Some good old fashioned research

I've had the opportunity this week to experience some of the joys and benefits of conducting research here in the Netherlands.  One of the goals of my research is to discover the theological foundations of Abraham Kuyper's understanding and practice of discipleship.  As I was combing through the Kuyper Bibliography, I came across a series of collected articles called "Gereformeerde Stemmen uit Vroeger en Later Tijd" - "Reformed Voices from Earlier and Later Time."  It's a series of articles by Kuyper and others that focus on instructing elders and leaders of the church for their work in ministry.  Taken together, the collection serves as a course in basic theological and practical matters for ministry.  It looks like it has the potential to be a key source in my dissertation research.  Of course, more investigation needs to be done - and fortunately, being in Kampen - I can readily take up that task.

You see, unlike much of Kuyper's writings, this book has yet to be digitized for universal access.  In addition, this is a rare book, having been published in 1896, and is held in only two libraries worldwide - at Princeton Seminary, and at the Theological University Kampen.  Now that I have an office in the TUK library, I was easily able to pull the book for further investigation.

I now get to experience the unique historian's task of working through (and translating) an old, fragile book to see what potential discoveries await.  The scene becomes even more picturesque when I take in the fullness of my surroundings - my office sits on the second floor of the TUK library, overlooking the weathered yellow-brick courtyard and additional wing of the library.  The library itself is in an abbey from the 17th century, and the wide wood-plank floors squeak and groan under foot.  Add to that the sounds of the New Tower bells (from 1648) chiming and echoing across this medieval city, and I feel primed to dig in and conduct some good old fashioned historical research.

Arrival in Kampen

Theologische Universiteit Kampen

We're here!  The Netherlands will be our home for the next nine months as I embark on the final season of my doctoral studies.  My family is living in the old Hanseatic city of Kampen, along the banks of the river IJssel.  The cobblestone lanes, intricate brick row houses, and the lovely chiming bell tower all harken back to a slower, quieter life - a perfect environment to settle in for dissertation research and writing.  The Project for Neo-Calvinism at the Theologische Universiteit Kampen invited me as a Guest Researcher and is hosting our stay.  In addition, I am a PhD student at the Vrije Univeriteit in Amsterdam, and will make regular treks to the city for research and meetings.  This trip would not be possible without the generous hospitality of many people both at the TU Kampen and the VU Amsterdam.  It is an honor and privilege to be in the company of such wonderful people in such inspiring places.  It is also exciting to be sharing this experience with another Fuller family.  Clay Cooke is also a Fuller PhD student, and we are both guests here in Kampen and students at the VU.  It's wonderful to hear our kids playing and laughing together in this new place.

As we continue to establish ourselves here (set up residency, navigate the grocery store, figure out cell phones, etc.), the work already begins.  I'm finding my way around the TUK library and scheduling appointments with key faculty mentors.  I'll spend a couple of days at the VU in Amsterdam this week as well, attending the doctoral promotion of a friend and then an accompanying one-day conference on Kuyper.  We're also registering for the language school here in Kampen, and Jackie and I - and maybe Maddie as well - will start Dutch language class next week.

All this change is certainly a bit daunting and overwhelming at times - but we never lose sight of the incredible opportunity that this is.  New people and new places only make life richer.

Gearing up for research in the Netherlands

My dissertation compares Abraham Kuyper and Dietrich Bonhoeffer in an effort to define and apply a historical notion of the common good that is based in public, theological witness.

American research libraries lack the resources necessary for my investigation particularly into Dutch political and theological history.  So, I will be spending the 2013-14 academic year in the Netherlands in order to utilize key research libraries and archives - and this will allow me to conduct the majority of my dissertation research and writing.

While in the Netherlands, I will work closely with several prominent scholars at two Dutch institutions to pursue research on the historical, theological, and ethical relationship between German Lutheranism and Dutch Calvinism.  Dr. George Harinck, my primary advisor in the Netherlands, is director of the Archives and Documentation Centre at the Theologische Universiteit Kampen and is Professor of History at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.  Dr. Harinck is currently editing a pioneering volume on the German Lutheran Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Dutch Calvinist Abraham Kuyper (to which I have contributed a chapter entitled “Distinct Discipleship: Abraham Kuyper, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Christian Engagement in Public Life”). 

At VU Amsterdam, I will also be working with the Bonhoeffer scholar Dr. Gerard Dekker, Professor Emeritus of Sociology, and Dr. Kees van der Kooi, Professor of Western Systematic Theology and Director of the Center for Evangelical and Reformation Theology.  In Kampen, I will be working with the Bonhoeffer scholar and Professor of Dogmatics Dr. Barend Kamphuis and the Dutch Calvinist scholar and post-doctoral fellow Dr. James Eglinton.  

With the guidance and expertise of these scholars, and especially with access to the archives and resources unique to their institutions, my ability to contribute further to the emerging field of German Lutheran and Dutch Calvinist dialogue will be enhanced considerably.

Neo-Calvinist Consultation

Fuller hosted the first "Neo-Calvinist Consultation" with Dr Richard Mouw July 25-27, 2013.  Dr Mouw retired from the Fuller presidency on June 30, after 20 years at the helm.  After a sabbatical year, he will take on a new role at Fuller as a faculty member and head of the new Fuller Institute for Faith and Public Life.  Dr Mouw has had a legacy at Fuller for fostering an atmosphere of civil dialogue and engagement with the broader issues of faith, politics, and society.  Much of his conviction for robust civility comes from his philosophical and theological work in the historical Dutch Neo-Calvinist tradition of Abraham Kuyper.  This "consultation" was an opportunity for about twenty Neo-Calvinist doctoral students, scholars, and practitioners from across the U.S. and as far away as China to gather together and share ideas about the future of the Neo-Calvinist movement.  I was both excited and honored to have a seat at the table.

This wasn't a typical academic conference, in the sense that we didn't sit around all day listening to 45-minute papers being read.  Instead, we were each tasked with submitting a one-page paper outlining our current research or practice questions.  In turn, we were each assigned a paper or two to prepare a short response in order to open up a dialogue around the table.  The result was that each paper or set of questions received 45 minutes of focused and intense conversation, with input from an impressive variety of scholars and practitioners.  I received some helpful feedback on my dissertation ideas, and I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to respond to others both formally and in the course of our fascinating conversations.

The Neo-Calvinist tradition is infusing some of the most creative and dynamic scholarship and ministry around the country and globe.  This is a small but important subset of philosophical and theological ethics, and it is worth further exploration and application.  There are so many tools available in this tradition for focused and intellectually strong engagement with the pressing issues of contemporary society.  Over these few short days, I was reminded of the strength, diversity, integrity, and passion of God's workers in the world today - from The Center for Faith at Work at Redeemer Church in New York City to The Center for Public Justice in Washington, D.C. to the Chesterton House at Cornell to Guandong Union Theological Seminary in China to Calvin College in Grand Rapids to The Institute for Northwest Theology and Culture at Fuller NW and back to Dr Mouw's new Institute for Faith and Public Life in Pasadena - God is certainly at work.

Dissertation proposal approved!

My dissertation research is now off and running!  About two weeks ago my dissertation proposal was approved by my faculty mentors at Fuller, and just two days ago the theology faculty at the VU Amsterdam accepted my proposal as well.  This means I am all set to start my research and writing.  No major adjustments have been made to my proposal (see my blog post from May 20).  My plan is primarily to focus on research until about October - and then I will start writing.  The acceptance of my proposal by the VU also officially makes me a doctoral candidate there as well.  So, I am now in active pursuit of PhD degrees from Fuller and from the VU!  We are making final preparations for our move to the Netherlands in September, and are very excited for this next season of life.

Taking the Long View

The Washington D.C.-based Center for Public Justice, I think, is a much-needed model for civil political discourse.  I was able to contribute a short article to the June 14 edition of their weekly publication, "Capital Commentary."  The article considers how Abraham Kuyper’s legacy encourages a long view of God’s work and common grace in history.  Read full article...

Dissertation proposal

This quarter I am working on my dissertation proposal for Fuller and the VU Amsterdam.  Here's a provisional title and brief description of the project:

A Prime Minister and a Prisoner – for the Common Good: The Convergence of

Abraham Kuyper’s and Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Theology of Discipleship

The tradition of the “common good” can be traced from Cicero to Aristotle and then through Augustine, Aquinas, and Ignatius.  At its base, the common good seeks to find and affirm the delicate balance between individual and collective pursuits of human flourishing.  In doing so, the concept supports (as David Hollenbach describes) a practice of dialogic universalism through the pursuit of deep intellectual and cultural exchanges of practices and ideas.  To this end, my research will explore a vision of the common good based upon a nuanced dialogue between the Dutch neo-Calvinist tradition of common grace and the German Lutheran Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Christ-centered model of being-for the other.  Scholars have worked to apply separately the theology and ethics of German Lutherans like Bonhoeffer and of Dutch Calvinists like Abraham Kuyper to a variety of political and historical circumstances.  However, by exploring side-by-side how Christian discipleship intersects with the notion of the common good in these two traditions, my project seeks to find a particular line of continuity (while giving due attention to the discontinuity) between two diverse historical and theological traditions.  To focus the research, Kuyper’s theological development, political rise, and subsequent tenure as Dutch Prime Minister from 1894 to 1905 will serve as the catalyst for investigating and articulating a neo-Calvinist concept of discipleship and political theology.  In comparison and contrast, the project will then explore the significance of Bonhoeffer’s life and thought while a pastor and then a political prisoner from 1937 to 1945.  These two diverse paradigms – that of a prime minister and of a prisoner – will provide a unique and compelling context to define and apply a robust historical and theological concept of Christian discipleship that is concerned in practice with the pursuit of the common good.

This is a work in progress, but it is exciting to see that progress is indeed being made!

Candidacy

I recently took and passed my four Comprehensive Exams, which advances me to the "Candidacy" stage of my PhD studies.  I took three exams in my major area of historical theology, and one exam in my minor area of ethics:

• Historiography (examined by James Bradley and John Thompson)
• Church and State (examined by James Bradley; 17th-19th centuries; issues of Enlightenment(s) and secularization)
• 20th Century Christianity (examined by Grayson Carter)
• Ethics Method (examined by Glen Stassen)

I "passed with distinction" 20th Century Christianity, and "passed" the other three exams.

I am now "ABD" (All But Dissertation) and will spend the Spring 2013 quarter preparing and submitting my dissertation proposal both to Fuller and to the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU).  I plan to start writing in the Summer, and then I will complete the bulk of my dissertation research and writing during the 2013-14 academic year while in the Netherlands.  In addition to being a dual PhD student at the VU and at Fuller, I will also be a guest researcher at the Theologische Universiteit Kampen (TUK).  It will be an exciting environment to explore how Dietrich Bonhoeffer's theological concept of discipleship intersects with the Dutch Neo-Calvinist tradition of public theology.  I am very much looking forward to collaborating with the Dutch scholars at both the VU and the TUK.  Among others, I will be working with George Harinck, Kees van der Kooi, Barend Kamphuis, and James Eglinton.  My mentors at Fuller (Grayson Carter and Glen Stassen) will continue to advise and support me while I am in the Netherlands.  And of course Jackie, Maddie, and Geoffrey will be joining me for the duration of the nine month period in the Netherlands.

I am thankful for all the support of colleagues, family, and friends that helped bring me to this important juncture in my program - in particular, I don't think it's possible to thank Jackie enough for all of her love and dedication.  And now, on to the final stage of my degree!  For unwavering faithfulness and sustenance on this journey - thanks be to God.

Conference Preview: War and Peace as Liberal Arts

Next month, I'll be presenting a paper at the twelfth annual Conversation on the Liberal Arts: "War and Peace as Liberal Arts" conference at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California.

Here's a preview of my paper:

The Common Good and Just Peacemaking:

Abraham Kuyper's and Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Discipleship for a Better Worldliness

            We learn about discipleship from stories – the stories of Jesus, the disciples and apostles, and the great saints and sinners of the faith.  Christian discipleship is, to say the least, about discerning how these stories engage the commitments and convictions in one’s following-after Jesus Christ.  Stories also help us to unpack abstract theological concepts in order to see how nuanced theology animates and shapes concrete action.  The topic of this paper – how the common good informs practice norms of just peacemaking – runs the risk of remaining elevated and abstract.  The concept of the common good in particular can be fraught with lofty (although important!) concepts of human nature and the purpose of societies.  In an attempt to alleviate even my own tendency to remain strictly theoretical, this paper employs the method of historical drama.[1]  The hope is that by encountering specific episodes from the life of two contextually diverse Christian disciples, a unique contribution might be made, first, to a notion of the common good, and second, to connecting that notion of the common good to concrete practices of just peacemaking.  Specifically, the paper will begin by following a unique development and application of the concept of common grace in the Dutch Reformed theology and practice of Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920).  Kuyper was trained as a Calvinist pastor before becoming heavily involved in politics; he eventually served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1901 to 1905.  Then, the paper will trace Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s involvement in advocating for and articulating the practice of confession of guilt for the renewal of society.  Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) was a German Lutheran pastor and theologian that was one of the few voices to stand against the rise of National Socialism in the 1930s and 1940s.  That these two figures represent quite distinct historical and theological contexts helps prove the point: there is much possibility within the diverse Christian tradition to define and apply with concreteness the notion of the common good.  What is more, the continuity of conviction that arises despite Kuyper’s and Bonhoeffer’s contextual diversity demonstrates the powerful viability of the contemporary practices of the Just Peacemaking Initiative.[2]  

Now, a note about the common good.  It is undoubtedly a grandiose concept; by its name, it seeks to affirm that the pluralistic and often divisive segments of society can somehow agree on a common purpose and, by implication, some shared solutions toward fulfilling that common purpose.  Such an idea may sound naïve and idealistic, and such a practice seems ever fleeting within the increasingly partisan halls of our political institutions.  But, what else is democracy if not the pursuit of the common good for society?  Perhaps the disunity in our nation could begin to be repaired by the formation of a shared notion of the common good.  Certainly some notable and promising headway is being made in this regard.  David Hollenbach, for example, provides a robust treatment of the rich tradition of the concept of the common good throughout human history, from Cicero to Aristotle and then through Augustine, Aquinas, and Ignatius.[3]  He demonstrates that the common good is not just a Christian or Catholic concept, but that, in its nature, it supports a practice of dialogic universalism by the pursuit of deep intellectual and cultural exchanges of practices and ideas.  The common good is defined by the diversity of both local and global society, and as such one historical or intellectual tradition cannot hold the monopoly on its definition and practice. 

There is thus an opening inherent within the very concept of the common good for further, and perhaps even creative, intellectual and practical contributions.  The Catholic tradition has a particularly long and rich history of the common good.[4]  What is more, Evangelicals recently came together and produced a promising vision of the common good, and even mainstream media is contributing a steady stream of articles and editorials on the subject.[5]  This concept is re-emerging as a vital measure of our shared commitment to our common humanity.  As our world becomes increasingly connected, it may be that there is a collective reawakening to our responsibility to care for each other and for the earth.  If that is the case, we will need all of the resources we can muster in order to hear, understand, and respect each other. 

Admittedly, Abraham Kuyper and Dietrich Bonhoeffer are not usually found around the table discussing the notion of the common good.  Most often (and for good reason) when we look to history for guidance on this matter, we see the representatives that Hollenbach highlights – like Aristotle, Augustine, and Aquinas.  These figures are vitally important and provide resources for a diversity of religious and intellectual traditions.  Kuyper and Bonhoeffer, on the other hand, are specifically confessional figures with strong ties to their respective traditions – Kuyper was unabashedly Dutch Reformed and Bonhoeffer, even with his critiques and re-formulations, was thoroughly German Lutheran.  Is it counterproductive to introduce such confessionally specific voices to a concept that is seeking to cast a wide net?  On the contrary, Kuyper and Bonhoeffer both demonstrate that it is not only possible but also necessary for confessional theology to provide a holistic framework for participation and engagement in the pressing issues of society.  Today, the question of the common good as it specifically relates to war and peace is just such a pressing issue.  So, it is my contention that the historical drama surrounding the life and thought of Kuyper and Bonhoeffer provide compelling companionship in the life of contemporary discipleship.  We can see the way forward because of the work they have already done.

---

[1] James McClendon employs this kind of narrative-based theology as a basis for his three-volume systematic theology.  See McClendon, Ethics: Systematic Theology I, rev. ed. (Nashville: Abingdon, 2002).  Glen Stassen outlines his understanding of twelve characteristics of the “historical drama” genre in A Thicker Jesus: Incarnational Discipleship in a Secular Age (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2012), 10-13.

[2] There are ten practices in the Just Peacemaking paradigm.  The two that will be discussed here are Practice Norm 5: Advance Democracy, Human Rights, and Interdependence and Practice Norm 4: Acknowledge Responsibility for Conflict and Injustice and Seek Repentance and Forgiveness.  See Susan Thistlethwaite, ed., Interfaith Just Peacemaking: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Perspectives on the New Paradigm of Peace and War (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2011); Glen Stassen, ed., Just Peacemaking: The New Paradigm for the Ethics of War and Peace (Berea, OH: The Pilgrim Press, 2008); and Glen Stassen, Just Peacemaking: Transforming Initiatives for Justice and Peace (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1992).

[3] See David Hollenbach, The Common Good and Christian Ethics (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2002).

[4] See, for example, the papal encyclicals Pacem in Terris (Peace on Earth) by Pope John XXIII and Deus caritas est (God is love) by Pope Benedict XVI.  For this and other insights on this matter, I am grateful to Glen Stassen for providing access to his unpublished article “Catholic and Evangelical Support for the Common Good.”

[5] For example, the National Association of Evangelicals produced a call to public engagement for the common good in “For the Health of the Nation: An Evangelical Call to Civic Responsibility.”  See Ronald Sider and Diane Knippers, eds., Toward an Evangelical Public Policy: Political Strategies for the Health of the Nation (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2005).  Recent newspaper articles on the common good include Frank Bruni, “Individualism in Overdrive,” New York Times, July 16, 2012 and Ed O’Malley, “A Global Gathering for the Common Good,” The Wichita Eagle, November 25, 2012.