God and Humanity: Herman Bavinck and Theological Anthropology

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Description

This is the first book to apply Bavincks theological anthropology to contemporary theological issues. Sutanto provides a sustained close reading of Herman Bavincks contributions to theological anthropology and positions him in conversation with current and historical dialogues on embodiment, revelation, affect theory, phenomenology, the cognitive science of religion, ethics, race, covenant, and the beatific vision. Sutanto explores the holistic character of Bavincks vision of humanity, suggesting ways in which his theological anthropology cuts across several potential binaries in contemporary discourse, between affect and reason, body and soul, animality and religiosity, unity and diversity, and between a this-worldly or other-worldly eschatology.

Reviews

Herman Bavincks theology was richly engaged in reappropriating the Catholic tradition for his own day, so it is not surprising, or beside the point, that he has been identified with a movement called Neo-Calvinism. This latest book by N. Gray Sutanto not only traces the contours of Bavincks thought, which is significant enough, but goes on likewise to ponder contemporary challenges with the benefit of historic resources from this great modern Reformed theologian. * Michael Allen, Reformed Theological Seminary, USA *
Sutanto has masterfully demonstrated why Bavinck deserves a seat at the table. From cognitive science to the beatific vision, Sutanto shows why Bavinck's anthropology is relevant to contemporary philosophy and theology. * Tyler Dalton McNabb, Saint Francis University, USA *
What Gray Sutanto does in this panoramic study is exactly what should be done at this stage of the surprising Anglophone Bavinck-renaissance: he not just offers a fine exposition of the Dutch neo-Calvinists theological thoughts on the human being in its many contexts, but creatively dovetails Bavincks theological anthropology with some of todays big questions in faith, science and society. Thus, he brings to bear Bavincks organic thinking on contemporary conversations about the human self as an embodied, socially embedded being, about race and religion, about the meaning and goal of human existence. For example, in a fascinating engagement with the cognitive science of religion he interprets its results in the light of Bavinckian insights in the pre-theoretical, affective ways in which humans have become born idolators in their inner psyches. In such ways, Sutanto transcends standard historical reconstructions of Bavincks thinking by engaging in constructive theology in line with and beyond Bavinck. Sutanto convincingly shows that this (rather than just repeating Bavinck) is actually the best way to take him with full seriousness. * Gijsbert van den Brink, Free University, The Netherlands *
This book is simultaneously predictable and surprising. It is predictable in offering more healthy fruit from Gray Sutantos careful, expert scholarship on Herman Bavinck. But it may surprise us about how generative Bavincks theological anthropology can be for addressing a range of important concerns. Without ignoring historical context or sanitizing ethical challenges, Sutanto brings Bavinck into a fruitful contemporary dialogue. * Daniel J. Treier, Wheaton College, USA *
Gray Sutanto goes beyond Herman Bavinck and offers a challenging theological conversation with him and with contemporary theologians about neo-Calvinist views on the unity of the human race and the comprehensive meaning of man as God's image and its implications for theologizing today. Sutanto represents a new generation of neo-Calvinist theologians, and his reflections illustrate that this theology has entered a next and promising phase. * George Harinck, Theological University Kampen, The Netherlands *
Sutanto provides an engaging and impressively lucid example of how historical theology can speak constructively into a wide-range of contemporary conversations, such as cognitive science of religion, affective psychology, and racial diversity. * Joanna Leidenhag, University of Leeds, UK *

Author Bio

N. Gray Sutanto is Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary, USA