Louis Berkhof

Louis Berkhof

Louis Berkhof (1873 - 1957) was a Reformed systematic theologian whose written works have been influential in seminaries and Bible colleges in the United States and Canada and with individual Christians in general throughout the 20th century.

Personal life

He was born in 1873 in Emmen, Drenthe in the Netherlands and moved with his family to Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1882, when still a child.

About the time he graduated from seminary he married Reka Dijkhuis and had four children with her before her death in 1928. He then married Dena Heyns-Joldersma who had two daughters. [ [http://www.calvinseminary.edu/aboutUs/presidents/berkhof.php Berkhof, Louis ] ]

Education and Career

In 1900 he graduated from Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan after which he was called to be pastor of the First Christian Reformed Church in Allendale, Michigan. Two years later he attended Princeton Theological Seminary where he earned his B.D. in two years. Then he returned to West Michigan to pastor Oakdale Park Church located in Grand Rapids.

In 1906 he joined the faculty of Calvin Theological Seminary and taught there for almost four decades. For the first 20 years he taught Biblical Studies until in 1926 he moved into the systematic theology department. He became president of the seminary in 1931 and continued in that office until he retired in 1944. [ [http://www.lgmarshall.org/Bio/berkhof_bio.html Louis Berkhof ] ]

Publications

Berkhof authored twenty two books during his career. [ [http://www.calvinseminary.edu/aboutUs/presidents/berkhof.php Berkhof, Louis ] ]

His main works are his "Systematic Theology" (1932, revised 1938) which was supplemented with an "Introductory Volume to Systematic Theology" (1932, which is included in the 1996 Eerdman's edition of "Systematic Theology") and a separate volume entitled "History of Christian Doctrines" (1937).

He wrote a more concise version of his "Systematic Theology" for high school and college students entitled "Manual of Christian Doctrine", and later wrote the even more concise "Summary of Christian Doctrine".

He also delivered Princeton Theological Seminary's Stone Lectures in 1951. These were published as "The Kingdom of God".

In addition to this he worked on many papers for the Christian Reformed Church as well as collections of sermons. [ [http://www.lgmarshall.org/Bio/berkhof_bio.html Louis Berkhof ] ]

Legacy

Berkhof was not known for being original or speculative but for being very good at organizing and explaining basic theological ideas following in the tradition of John Calvin, Abraham Kuyper, and Herman Bavinck.

Theologian Wayne Grudem has called Berkhof's "Systematic Theology" "a great treasure-house of information and analysis...probably the most useful one-volume systematic theology available from any theological perspective." [Grudem, "Systematic Theology", Zondervan, 1994, pg. 1225]

Berkhof's writings continue to serve as systematic presentations of Reformed theology. They are organized for use in seminaries and religious education as well as individual reference, though his systematics works are demanding reads. [ [http://dispensationaltruth.wordpress.com/2007/08/29/a-general-bibliography-for-systematic-theology/ A General Bibliography for Systematic Theology « THE VERITAS PROJECT ] ]

References

External links

* [http://wscal.edu/clark/berkhofoutline.php Outline of Berkhof's "Systematic Theology"]
* [http://www.calvinseminary.edu/aboutUs/presidents/berkhof.php Calvin Theological Seminary's biography]
* [http://www.lgmarshall.org/Bio/berkhof_bio.html Additional Biographical information]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Berkhof — bezeichnet: Berkhof (Wedemark), Ortsteil der Gemeinde Wedemark das niederländische Unternehmen VDL Berkhof, Hersteller von Omnibussen und Oberleitungsbussen Gé Berkhof (* 1934), ein niederländischer Generalmajor Hendrikus Berkhof (1914 1995), ein …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Attributes of God — Part of a series on Attributes of God in Christian theology Aseity Eternity …   Wikipedia

  • Common grace — A series of articles on Grace in Christianity Actual grace a Catholic theological concept …   Wikipedia

  • Mystère de la Trinité — Trinité chrétienne Pour les articles homonymes, voir Trinité. La Trinité chrétienne, dans les principaux courants du christianisme, désigne Dieu, unique, en trois hypostases, Père, Fils et Esprit Saint, égales et participant à une même essence… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Mystère trinitaire — Trinité chrétienne Pour les articles homonymes, voir Trinité. La Trinité chrétienne, dans les principaux courants du christianisme, désigne Dieu, unique, en trois hypostases, Père, Fils et Esprit Saint, égales et participant à une même essence… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Sainte Trinité — Trinité chrétienne Pour les articles homonymes, voir Trinité. La Trinité chrétienne, dans les principaux courants du christianisme, désigne Dieu, unique, en trois hypostases, Père, Fils et Esprit Saint, égales et participant à une même essence… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Sainte trinité — Trinité chrétienne Pour les articles homonymes, voir Trinité. La Trinité chrétienne, dans les principaux courants du christianisme, désigne Dieu, unique, en trois hypostases, Père, Fils et Esprit Saint, égales et participant à une même essence… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Trinite chretienne — Trinité chrétienne Pour les articles homonymes, voir Trinité. La Trinité chrétienne, dans les principaux courants du christianisme, désigne Dieu, unique, en trois hypostases, Père, Fils et Esprit Saint, égales et participant à une même essence… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Trinité chrétienne — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Trinité. La Trinité chrétienne, dans les principaux courants du christianisme, désigne Dieu, unique, en trois hypostases, Père, Fils et Esprit Saint, égales et participant à une même essence (consubstantialité ou …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Systematic theology — is a discipline of Christian theology that attempts to formulate an orderly, rational, and coherent account of the Christian faith and beliefs. Inherent to a system of theological thought is that a method is developed, one which can be applied… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”