A Critical Biography of Herman Bavinck

Dr. James Eglinton speaks about the life and thought of Herman Bavinck. Eglinton has written a superb biography of Bavinck that has been published by Baker Academic. Bavinck and other Dutch people of his era were accustomed to chronicling their lives. Herman Bavinck’s father wrote an autobiography. Herman wrote in journals. These became primary sources for James Eglinton as he wrote a critical biography of Bavinck.

The Bavinck family faced questions about their place in society. Where does an orthodox Calvinist fit in modern society? These questions animated their lives—particularly as they related to monarchical rule and the relationship of the church to the state. In sum, Eglinton describes Herman Bavinck’s life as characterized by two things: conservative Calvinist orthodoxy and active participation in modern society. For Bavinck, these two were not mutually exclusive. He was a Calvinist who was simultaneously a man of his own day.

Participants: Camden Bucey, James Eglinton, Jim Cassidy