ON EDUCATION

ABRAHAM

KUYPER

Edited by

Wendy Naylor and Harry Van Dyke

On Education

Abraham Kuyper Collected Works in Public Theology

Copyright 2019 Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty

Lexham Press, 1313 Commercial St., Bellingham, WA 98225

LexhamPress.com

All rights reserved. You may use brief quotations from this resource in presentations, articles, and books. For all other uses, please write Lexham Press for permission. Email us at permissions@lexhampress.com.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (esv®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Print ISBN 9781577996774

Digital ISBN 9781683591160

Lexham Editorial: Claire Brubaker, Sarah Awa, Justin Marr

Cover Design: Christine Gerhart

ABRAHAM

KUYPER

Collected Works in Public Theology

GENERAL EDITORS

JORDAN J. BALLOR

MELVIN FLIKKEMA

AbrahamKuyper.com

CONTENTS

General Editors’ Introduction

Editor’s Introduction

Volume Introduction

Abbreviations

Part One: Entering the School Struggle

The Society “for the Common Good”

Teaching Immortality in the Public School

Part Two: Christian Education and Its Counterfeits

Government Funding or Citizen Initiative?

Iron and Clay

Bound to the Word

Scholarship: Two Convocation Addresses

Part Three: A Pluralistic Program for National Education

Ideas for a National Education System

Grievances against the School Law

Is the Restitution Model Impracticable?

The Remedy

Speeches as a Member of Parliament

Speeches as Prime Minister in Parliament

Part Four: The People’s Voice and Victory

An Appeal to the Nation’s Conscience

The Struggle

The People’s Petition

As Sheep among Wolves

Speech Marking the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Christian Teachers Association

Afterword: Faith, Finances, and Freedom

Appendix: Lemkes’ Wish

Bibliography

About the Contributors

Subject Index

GENERAL EDITORS’ INTRODUCTION

In times of great upheaval and uncertainty, it is necessary to look to the past for resources to help us recognize and address our own contemporary challenges. While Scripture is foremost among these foundations, the thoughts and reflections of Christians throughout history also provide us with important guidance. Because of his unique gifts, experiences, and writings, Abraham Kuyper is an exemplary guide in these endeavors.

Kuyper (1837–1920) is a significant figure both in the history of the Netherlands and modern Protestant theology. A prolific intellectual, Kuyper founded a political party and a university, led the formation of a Reformed denomination and the movement to create Reformed elementary schools, and served as the prime minister of the Netherlands from 1901 to 1905. In connection with his work as a builder of institutions, Kuyper was also a prolific author. He wrote theological treatises, biblical and confessional studies, historical works, social and political commentary, and devotional materials.

Believing ...