1967 Geloof en Wetenschap : Orgaan van de Christelijke vereeniging van natuur- en geneeskundigen in Nederland - pagina 95

ESSAY CONCERNING CHRISTIAN UNDERSTANDING

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philosophy, like any other, can be „canonized". However, its significance is given by the fact that it offers a liberating view on culture in the Biblical missionary sense, while its further value can only be judged in the long run, after it has given rise to sufficiently many foundational theories. This leads us to a second approach to our problem, which is of a practical and theological nature. Dr G. C. Berkouwer's theological work is undoubtedly the most precarious enterprise in connection with the mentioned change of climate in Reformed thinking at the Free University. Because, first of all, almost every non-theologian can read theology and to a certain extent judge it. Because the Bible is not given to theologians but to the Church and so to every churchmember. Added to this, the scholastic attitude and the tens of slightly different opinions regarding Scriptural problems which exist in Reformed life, make it easy to conjecture that Berkouwer's work must be a constant agonizing travail. However, much to the benefit of many abroad and in the Netherlands, his work on Karl Barth's concept of grace and on the Vatican Council serves to open up a formerly closed church denomination (the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands, the denomination from which the Free University principally draws its supporters) towards a greater understanding of the dogmatical-historical positions of other Churches. This „opening-up" naturally undercuts the conformist trends of the Churches, thus paving the way to a greater understanding of the worldwide task of Christ's Church. Mention should be made also of Berkouwer's great emphasis on the earnestness and the well-meant intention of the offer of grace in the Gospels, as opposed to an attitude which favours a „predestinational approach". In his latest work on the Holy Scriptures 9) almost every page evidences a reluctant attitude regarding a systematic approach to questions relating the divine authority of the Bible and the human elements in it. Questions which by modern theologians like Robinson, Pike e t c . . . . are solved in a sweeping view. Now, returning to the subject of this paper, it seems to be high time that these questions regarding the authority of Scriptures are going to be studied and answered, because it seems that already many have drawn their own conclusions, before an exchange of views between them and theologians has taken place. Perhaps such study is of importance not so much for theologians or for scientists with an

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