Neo-Calvinism and the French Revolution

The French Revolution was the scene of much intellectual and social upheaval. Its impact touched a wide range of subjects: the relationship of the church to the state social relationships science literature fashion philosophy and theology. Although the French Revolution's momentum was felt across Europe and North America it met a particularly interesting response in the Netherlands at that time the scene of a burgeoning neo-Calvinist movement. In that context the likes of Groen van Prinsterer Abraham Kuyper and Herman Bavinck responded to the French Revolution's ideals and influence in a variety of intellectual and practical ways.This book approaches that Dutch response from a range of historical and theological perspectives and in so doing explores the relationship between the French Revolution and the development of neo-Calvinism.<br/> <br/>Beginning with historical portraits of Bavinck and Kuyper in relation to the Revolution the perspectives offered also include amongst others the place of multilingualism in neo-Calvinism and the Revolution neo-Calvinist and Revolutionary approaches to fashion a dialogue between Kuyperian theology and Kieslowski's Three Colours trilogy and a contemporary neo-Calvinist critique of French laïcité. This book forms part of a wider Project neo-Calvinism supported by the Theologische Universiteit Kampen and the VU University Amsterdam.