At its June 5, 2009, meeting faculty of Calvin Theological Seminary approved the establishment of the Bavinck Institute at Calvin Theological Seminary with a mission “to promote Reformed theological scholarship in the Herman Bavinck tradition” and a purpose “to further communication among scholars, teachers, pastors, and students interested in the theology of Herman Bavinck and the Bavinck tradition and to encourage scholarship in it.” Its immediate goals are to establish a web page on the CTS website, begin a Herman Bavinck Society, initiate restricted internet discussion forums on topics of Bavinck scholarship, create an electronic journal, The Bavinck Review, and continue to make Bavinck’s writings in English available online.
This idea for such a web-based vehicle of communication and Bavinck scholarship arose from a meeting of key Bavinck scholars after the “A Pearl and a Leaven: Herman Bavinck for the 21st Century” conference at the Calvin College Prince Center, September 18-20, 2008. There was virtual unanimous agreement among the twenty or so present that the enthusiasm for the conference (just over 200 attendees) and the positive reception of the English translation of the Reformed Dogmatics represented an opportunity for the worldwide Reformed Church and the theological training needed for the 21st century and that the internet was an appropriate vehicle for advancing the cause of good Reformed theology in the Bavinck tradition. The undersigned was given the responsibility to attempt to create such a vehicle and is profoundly grateful to his CTS faculty colleagues and students for their continuing support for this project and my zeal for Bavinck, as well as to the friends and colleagues who indicated a willingness to serve in an unofficial advisory capacity. A hearty thanks also to the CTS IT team, especially to Brian Krygsman, for stellar work.
–John Bolt