Abraham Kuyper and Calvinism

Abraham Kuyper
Abraham Kuyper was born on October 29, 1837 and died on November 8, 1920. His life was full of proclamation and defense of his views and faith. This man truly fulfilled the defense of the Christian faith as Christ desired it. With all this in mind, I will now go into the study of this great man, Abraham Kuyper.
Kuyper was born to Jan Frederik Kuyper and Johanna Kuyper. He was home schooled from a very early age and excelled greatly in all academics. His teacher was his father, who was the minister for the Dutch Reformed Church in Hoogmade. He had no true formal education but had a secondary education later in his life. This is what is so amazing about Kuyper. “In 1862 he was promoted to doctor in Theology on basis of a dissertation called "Disquisitio historico-theologica, exhibens Johannis Calvini et Johannis à Lasco de Ecclesia Sententiarum inter se compositionem" (Theological-historical dissertation showing the differences in the rules of the church, between John Calvin and John Łaski).” (Wikipedia) Abraham quickly became a doctor in theology which was his greatest love of study. His deepest desire was to delve into the Scriptures and the books of his hero John Calvin and compare and contrast them with gentleness and respect.
Kuyper was a Dutch Calvinist who was extremely passionate about that title. He studied the ideas and methods of the great John Calvin with intelligible intensity. However, he also studied the theology of John Laski. His favor leaned toward Laski in the early days of his study. This was because the ideas of Laski were not as controversial as those of John Calvin. With these studies in full form, Kuyper began to realize God changing him day by day. He always had showed favor to the theology of John Laski and now he was beginning to realize that God had different plans for his beliefs and evangelism. He began to see the deep truth of Calvin’s Five Points and the totality of his theology and views toward evangelism.
Kuyper’s study of Calvinism set him on fire for evangelism. He began to lecture as the minister of the Dutch Reformed Church. Many of his lectures were on the topic of Calvinism which stirred up many debates and arguments in his native Holland. He, however, was greatly versed in the issues and was often able to solve debates and arguments with his own knowledge and study. Abraham Kuyper is most famous for, “The Stone Lectures,” which were 6 lectures preached by Kuyper on the topic of Calvinism. These lectures were sparked by Kuyper’s study of Calvinism and his fondness of it. He began to see the truth of this issue and thought that it had such great importance that he needed to preach on the topic so that his congregation would know the truth. The first lecture was, “Calvinism As A Life System.” Kuyper preached this sermon first because he thought this was the basis of Calvinism, that it should be lived out as a life system. This quote by Kuyper is a part of his first great sermon. “From the first, therefore, I have always said to myself,–If the battle is to be fought with honor and with a hope of victory, then principle must be arrayed against principle; then it must be felt that in Modernism the vast energy of an all-embracing life-system assails us, then also it must be understood that we have to take our stand in a life-system of equally comprehensive and far-reaching power. And this powerful life-system is not to be invented nor formulated by ourselves, but is to be taken and applied as it presents itself in history. When thus taken, I found and confessed, and I still hold, that this manifestation of the Christian principle is given us in Calvinism. In Calvinism my heart has found rest. From Calvinism have I drawn the inspiration firmly and resolutely to take my stand in the thick of this great conflict of principles. And therefore, when I was invited most honorably by your Faculty to give the Stone-Lectures here this year, I could not hesitate a moment as to my choice of subject. Calvinism, as the only decisive, lawful, and consistent defence for Protestant nations against encroaching. and overwhelming Modernism,–this of itself was bound to be my theme.” (Kuyper) This is the heart of Abraham Kuyper. Calvinism is the life system that the Bible details. Principles have great power, and Calvinism has the greatest power of all principles. The greatest protection against Modernism is the life system of Calvinism.
Kuyper speaks of Calvinism as the life system of the Christian principle, and as the place his heart found rest. This place is also known as Scripture. Calvinism is well spoke out in Scripture and is the reason why many great theologians have found it to be the only life system that Scripture truly implies and supports. John Calvin’s only goal and desire, was to study the sacred Scripture, interpret it correctly, and speak this interpretation to all other people. With this goal accomplished came Calvinism. And with Calvinism. Abraham Kuyper found rest and began to preach and influence the lives of many great theologians.