Near Unto God was written by Abraham Kuyper 100 years ago.  In the May/June ’98 Equip for Ministry I reviewed Creating a Christian Worldview, a book about Kuyper’s life and famous Princeton Stone Lectures on Calvinism.  Some of you have already read that book by now; hopefully others will follow.  Whether you have or not, you need to put Near Unto God on your immediate book-buy list to use in your spiritual growth and development.  If you are tempted to stay away from reading Kuyper because he is too theological and philosophical, and you will not be convinced otherwise, you should start with this book.

At the early part of this century John DeVries translated Near Unto God from Dutch to English.  Schaap has taken that volume and adapted it for today’s readers.  He has also put it into a daily-devotional format with 109 short readings. 

When we think of Kuyper, we think of him as a statesman (Prime Minister of the Netherlands), theologian, educator, and philosopher.  His life and teachings have impacted the understanding many of us have of a biblical and Calvinistic world and life view.  In this book we see Kuyper, the man, “near to God.”  It is no wonder that his life and works have influenced so many.  Kuyper was a man of deep spiritual devotion to God.  Remember this is the man that was fond of saying, “There is not a square inch of the entire creation about which Jesus Christ does not cry out, “This is mine!  This belongs to me!”  Schaap’s update of this great devotional classic gives Kuyper a fresh voice that addresses our contemporary context.  His emphasis is urgently needed by Christians and the church today to remind us that we are citizens of this world and the world to come, and neither citizenship should prevent us from being and doing what God would have us be and do in this generation.

I agree with Richard Mouw, president of Fuller Seminary in California.  “Kuyper is one of my heroes, and these meditations are a regular source of spiritual nourishment for me.”  The list of people expressing gratitude to God for Kuyper’s influence in their lives is endless.  Schaap captures Kuyper’s heart when he says, “Our job is to look to glory without overlooking God’s world.  That’s not easy.”  These daily devotionals underscore that you can be reformed with a Calvinistic worldview, and deeply spiritual at the same time.  Actually Kuyper reminds us that in thought and life the two must not be separated.

Use this book with your family, or to start a Sunday school class session or small group study, or for your own personal growth and development. 

- Charles Dunahoo, CEP Coordinator