A pretty good one-sentence definition from Herman Bavinck, "The Essence of Christianity," in Essays on Religion, Science, and Society, ed. John Bolt (Baker, 2008), 47:
Christianity is no less than the real, supreme work of the Triune God, in which the Father reconciles his created but fallen world through the death of his Son and re-creates it through his Spirit into the kingdom of God.
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Hi Sean,
I was blessed to attend Covenant for a year before transferring to Princeton. We met once or twice, though I wouldn't expect you to remember.
At any rate, an interesting thing about this quote is its similitude with the thoughts of the mediating theologians of the nineteenth century who bear the impress of Hegel and Schelling--both of whom envisaged Christianity (and the world, for that matter) in terms of a trinitarian history. (Bavinck's doctor father, by the way, was a thoroughgoing Hegelian.)
I'm giving a paper on Bavinck's relationship to nineteenth century Protestant theology at the upcoming conference in Grand Rapids; do you plan on attending?
Sean,
Speaking of the Dutch, did you recieve my email re George Harinck?
-JHW
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