Philosophy and Christianity

Dirk Vollenhoven, professor of philosophy at the Free University of Amsterdam, has hitherto been overshadowed by his more well-known brother-in-law Herman Dooyeweerd. Yet it was the two of them together who developed what has come to be known as "Calvinistic" philosophy. The distinguishing characteristic of this philosophy is its presuppositional basis, ostensibly in the Calvinistic understanding of the Christian religion.

This is a unique approach, and it is on full display in Philosophy and Christianity, the substance of a series of lectures given in South Africa in 1963. And the lecture format - delivered primarily to undergraduate students - makes for eminently accessible material. Prof. Vollenhoven takes his listeners on a journey through the entire history of philosophy, assessing and categorizing a plethora of thinkers through the ages, ranging from Heraclitus to Heidegger. In this, his unique and comprehensive framework of categorization is on full display. Along the way he focuses on various specific topics of interest: evolution, psychology, anthropology, education, science. For good measure he throws in a Bible study. And provides the icing on the cake in specific discussions of the relation of philosophy to the Christian faith.

Vollenhoven gives us a unique perspective on the relationship between philosophy and Christianity. One of the benefits of his work is the opportunity it provides to "compare and contrast" his approach with Dooyeweerd's - an exercise that adepts will find enticing. The differences are there, along with the similarities. Beyond that, Vollenhoven's approach is worthwhile in its own right. It is high time that it were made available in a comprehensive manner to a wider, English-language audience.