Saturday, April 22, 2006

Here is a post geared
mostly toward my sister. I suppose many others might (and should) find it interesting because of what it pertains to. But in my sister's case, she should find it more interesting than others. When I was a senior in high-school, my sister, who I suppose had just come home for the summer from college, was reading a book which I think was titled something like "In the Twilight of Western Thought". It was written by a guy named Herman Dooyeweerd. I never, in all the 40 years that have transpired since that day, did read it or even ever figured out what good 'ol Herman was up to. Until last week.

How's that, you ask? Well, his philosophy came up in our Pentateuch class. If you want to get a quick survey of Herman Dooyeweerd, go to my other blog where I record my class notes. (I do this so that I can always find them - plus the Biblegateway verse links are great). The notes for April 18 are what I am referring to. Don't just scroll to the bottom, unless you just can't stand this stuff. The gist is that the WSCAL prof. and the whole school as far as I can tell, has a two kingdom world view and rejects the transformationalist viewpoint that wants Christianity to do a makeover on the culture.

Put your comments if any on this blog. You will notice that no one has ever commented on that blog mostly because no one really is aware of it and getting dialogue going was never its purpose.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think I read Dooyeweerd in typed copy because the book wasn't out yet, or at least some of HD. I can't say I'm a fullblown neo-calvinist but those initial ideas from the philosophy class taught by a master teach and neo-C, Calvin Seerveld, have resonated with me over the years. All truth is God's truth is a pretty good idea to hold on to.

And speaking of Calvinists, guess who I saw today (but didn't get a chance to say hello to, even though I wanted to). Mark Vermaire introduced Mary Doria Russell's talk at the Festival of Faith & Writing. Evidently he loves her books so much that he recommended them to a Calvin English prof (years ago now) who is on the Festival committee. I am guessing that's why MV got the honor of introducing her. It was quite a talk--about how not to write the feel-good HOlocaust book. I recommend all her novels, The Sparrow, The Children of God and The Thread of Grace.

Anonymous said...

You should look at the articles about neo-calvinism in Comment (online journal of the Canadian Work Research Foundation--Gideon Strauss' baby) with its exploration of the plusses and minuses of the movement. Today's may be the last in a series of four or five.

Bruce S said...

Thanks. I have begun reading these (and the comments). Wish I had more time just now.