The Calvinistic Concept of Culture

The Calvinistic Concept of Culture by Henry R. Van Til

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Writing in 1959, Van Til’s basic thesis is that culture is not some add-on to our Christianity. We will necessarily live out our faith somehow. Culture is not a high-brow, snobbish pursuit only for the upper classes in opera houses. All our work and recreation and customs and lifestyle expectations shape the culture we live in. “The church is weak in its approach to the problem of culture, often uncritically accepting the worldly pattern, because it does not appreciate the full implications of its creed for life in its fullness” (198).

Van Til avoids the Pollyanna cultural optimist approach and the pessimistic “hell-in-a-hand-basket” view, too. He brings some needed corrective even to Kuyper’s view of common grace without rejecting it. He does the same with Schilder, who I have not read. He is decidedly opposed to the radical two-kingdom approach: there is not one realm of life covered by common grace and another realm (the church) covered by saving grace. This “leads to a tolerant neutralism and makes men indifferent to the demands of the Christian warfare” (238). Anyone who advocates and emphasizes that view needs to deal with this book.

Minor weaknesses:
1. The chapters felt a bit disjointed at points
2. Van Til’s overview of Augustine and Calvin felt at times like he was reading his views of culture onto them.
3. The style of writing is often over the head of the typical layman – more abstract and academic than was necessary or profitable. A challenging and helpful read!



View all my reviews