G. C. Berkouwer

Gerrit Cornelis Berkouwer (1903–96), one of the leading Dutch Protestant theologians of the twentieth century, was a pivotal figure in the history of neo-Calvinism. In fact, he was pivotal in the twofold sense of that word: he not only was a key player in the shaping of neo-Calvinism’s theological outlook but also marked an important turning point in the history of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (RCN). Due to the fact that many of his books were translated into English, he received a wide international readership. In this contribution, I will explore Berkouwer’s life, work, and influence in the context of Dutch and international neo-Calvinism in more detail. First, I will offer some biographical data, embedding Berkouwer in his cultural and ecclesial context (Section II). Next, I will sketch the main contours of his theology, with special attention to its development over time (Section III). Third, I will zoom in on the issue of Berkouwer’s theological method (Section IV). Finally, I will briefly discuss the influence that Berkouwer exerted and continues to exert (Section V).