Academics: Philosophy, theology, comparative religions: The life-work of Hendrik Vroom, VU Amsterdam

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Verbum et Ecclesia, Vol 32, No 1, 2011 (found January23,2k12)

Hendrik Vroom is a reformational philosopher and theologian, professor at the theological faculty of the Free University in Amsterdam (VU University).  His monumental book, Religions and the Truth: Philosophical Reflections and Perspective is part of the "Currents of Encounter" series published jointly by Rodopi in Amsterdam and William B. Eerdman in Grand Rapids (1989).  Vroom is a theologian who has considerable ins+t into the philosophical undergirding of every theology that rises above irrationalism, including our Christian Fundamentalism/s.  He advocates intra-Christian dialogue, and inter-faith dialogue where the particularities of belief are not surrendered at the outset.

The article below is by Dirk van Keulen and Annewieke L. Vroom, authors of the title of a book also published by Rodopi, Amsterdam, some two decades after the appearance of his Religions and the Truth.  The Van Keulen / Vroom book itself is in Dutch and has not yet been translated into English, I guess.  Their title is Een waaier van gedachten over geloven: Hoofdlijnen in het theologisch werk van Hendrik M. Vroom. (2010)  [A dispersion of thoughts on religion: Main themes in the theological works of Hendrik M. Vroom] Bibliography of Published Works by Hendrik M Vroom compiled by Annewieke L. Vroom.


The reviewer in V& E is Johann-Albrecht Meylahn, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, South Africa.




A rounded guide to the work of 
Hendrik M. Vroom

This concise book written by Dirk van Keulen of the Protestantse Theologische Universiteit [a multi-campus institution of the newly-reunited Protestant Church in the Netherlands] gives a good and useful introduction to the range of theological and religious philosophical thinking, and impact of Hendrik M. Vroom of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The book introduces Vroom to the reader by narrating a short reflection of the academic and religious journey that shaped Vroom’s work. This is performed by indicating and describing the context of his student years, the various places of ministry as well as the great mentors that influenced and shaped his thought in the exciting and turbulent times of the Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland [Reformed Churches in the Netherlands].

The chapters are divided according to central themes in Vroom’s work, such as faith, Scriptures and hermeneutics, Reformed ecumenism, theology and religions, cultural and political engagement. The author discusses these themes within the context that formed and shaped them. Van Keulen does this by drawing the reader into the world of Europe, the Netherlands and more specifically the world of the Reformed Churches of the Netherlands from the early 1960s until well into the first decade of the new millennium. This context, together with the great philosophical and theological minds that shaped and responded to it, is brought into the discussion and it becomes clear how Vroom’s thoughts emerged in this dialogue of texts and contexts. Vroom was a strong believer in the importance of the context and the fusion of horizons through dialogue, something that Van Keulen remains true to.

The themes are discussed by focussing on and shortly describing a particular work, either an article or a book that best captures the specific theme under discussion, but with numerous cross references to other works.

Annewieke Vroom’s compilation of Hendrik Vroom’s published works, Bibliography of Published Works by Hendrik M. Vroom (pp. 99–120), is useful for further in-depth study of the themes and following up on the cross references.

The book is a good introduction to the range of Vroom’s work. As the title indicates, it is not intended to be a comprehensive nor an in-depth study, but a brief introduction to the main lines of thought. The book awakens the reader’s appetite to further explore the thoughts of this Dutch theologian and with the compilation of the published works the book becomes a useful tool for further in-depth study of one of the more recent modern Dutch theologians.

— Re-posted here by OwlbFollow @Owlb

general editor, refWrite Special Features (page 3)