Herman Bavinck: Pastor, Churchman, Statesman, and Theologian

“Finally, here is an informative, gripping biography of the great Dutch theological professor, Herman Bavinck. Ron Gleason's long-awaited work on Bavinck fills a large void in Reformed literature. Published only a few years after the completion of the English translation of Bavinck's Reformed Dogmatics (4 vols.), this biography puts a face and a personality on a great theologian's work. Gleason's description of Bavinck's decades-long relationship with Abraham Kuyper alone is worth the price of the book. For those interested in the development of Dutch Reformed history and theology, this book is a must.”

“Few have been so consistently enthusiastic about Herman Bavinck than my dear friend, Ron Gleason. Having engaged in post-graduate studies in the Netherlands, Gleason has an inside-track to the Dutchman’s importance for our times. With a newly translated edition of the Reformed Dogmatics an up-to-date biography has been eagerly awaited. And this volume does not disappoint. Gleason’s contribution in these pages is nothing short of astounding. This is more than a biography; it is a theological and cultural analysis that aids us in grasping the significant contours of past century. A magnificent achievement!”

“Just over a century ago, B.B. Warfield observed that in [Herman Bavinck’s writings] extensive learning, sound thinking, and profound religious feeling are smelted intimately together into a product of singular charm. With the recent translation of Bavinck’s four-volume Reformed Dogmatics, contemporary English-speaking audiences have newfound access to this noteworthy Reformed theologian. But who is Herman Bavinck? What lessons may Christians today learn from his life, thought, and ministry? I am grateful to Ron Gleason for lifting Bavinck from biographical obscurity and presenting a living and multidimensional portrait of this remarkable man. Gleason’s account is both thoroughly researched and engagingly narrated; theologically stimulating and pastorally insightful. It merits a place in the front ranks of modern Reformed biography.”

“It is surprising that we've waited so long for a thorough and well-written account of the life and work of such a towering Reformed theologian, but it is well worth the wait!”

“This is a superb, even definitive biography, introducing the reader to one of the greatest thinkers in the life of the Church.”