Gijsbert Van Den Brink

Why is God's existence not more obvious? Why does he seem hidden? This is commonly known as the Problem of Divine Hiddenness. In What Can be Known about God is Plain, Tyler Taber seeks to elucidate these questions from a Christian perspective. Drawing from the work of noted Christian philosopher Alvin Plantinga, Taber addresses the Problem of Divine Hiddenness with theological acumen as well as with resources from the Reformed tradition. Taber argues that the problem has an answer when these questions are analyzed in conjunction with Plantinga's epistemology and alongside certain Reformed doctrines (for instance, the doctrines of general revelation, sin's noetic effects, the internal witness of the Holy Spirit, and so forth).

Why is God's existence not more obvious? Why does he seem hidden? This is commonly known as the Problem of Divine Hiddenness. In What Can be Known about God is Plain, Tyler Taber seeks to elucidate these questions from a Christian perspective. Drawing from the work of noted Christian philosopher Alvin Plantinga, Taber addresses the Problem of Divine Hiddenness with theological acumen as well as with resources from the Reformed tradition. Taber argues that the problem has an answer when these questions are analyzed in conjunction with Plantinga's epistemology and alongside certain Reformed doctrines (for instance, the doctrines of general revelation, sin's noetic effects, the internal witness of the Holy Spirit, and so forth).

To many people, science and the Christian faith are worlds apart. As a result, those who love both the Bible and science often have something to explain. Hasn't science taken over the role of religion in our days? And what relevance can such an ancient book as the Bible possibly still have in our hypermodern times? This study attempts to elucidate the Bible's continuing appeal and significance in an age characterized by science and ever more sophisticated technology. It does so by means of ten soundings in individual biblical texts, which are applied to the thought world of contemporary science. The results are remarkable and offer a lot of food for thought.

This is an adventure that began almost fourteen billion years ago, one that so often threatened to fail. It's truly a miracle I'm still here. Despite everything, I wouldn't have wanted to miss one second of it. And the best is yet to come. With the help of an extraordinary narrator, you're invited to discover the wonder and drama of the history of the cosmos. In this story we follow the journey of one proton who comes into existence at the beginning of creation and makes it all the way through history to today. By becoming a part of atoms and molecules that turn up at some of the universe's most important moments, our friend Proton witnesses emerging galaxies, the origin of life, its evolution into a wild diversity of life forms, the first human beings, the birth and life of Jesus, the beginnings of the Christian church, all the way up to the present day. Through it all, the mysterious, seemingly unbelievable plans of the Creator continue to unfold. . . . Combining its authors' mind-bending scientific knowledge, storytelling skills, and insights from theology, Dawn provides a fresh look at the fundamentals of cosmology, evolutionary biology, and the good news of God in one overarching adventure—in the form of a gripping story. Readers who love both science and Scripture will discover an engaging, thought-provoking tale that reminds us we each have a big place in God's plan of creation—even if we're very, very small. BioLogos Books on Science and Christianity invite us to see the harmony between the sciences and biblical faith on issues including cosmology, biology, paleontology, evolution, human origins, the environment, and more.

A fresh, inviting text on the content of Christian faith in our contemporary context. This one-volume systematic theology presents an accessible, orthodox overview of the Christian faith for students, teachers, pastors, and serious lay readers. Cornelis van der Kooi and Gijsbert van den Brink not only cover all the traditional themes--creation, sin, Jesus Christ, Scripture, and so on--but also relate those classical themes to contemporary developments like Pentecostalism, postmodernism, and evolutionary theory. Consisting of sixteen chapters, the book is ideal for classroom use. Each chapter begins with engaging questions and a statement of learning goals and concludes with a list of recommended further reading. Written in a student-friendly tone and style and expertly translated and edited, van der Kooi and van den Brink's Christian Dogmatics splendidly displays the real, practical relevance of theology to the complexities of today's world.

There is a growing focus on the Christian confession of God's completed kingdom, the new heaven and the new earth. This theme has time and again seduced people into elaborate fantasies that stimulated the senses. How can we talk about it meaningfully? Raymond R. Hausoul relates systematic theology to biblical theology by comparing three theologians: the Catholic theologian Karl Rahner, the Protestant Jurgen Moltmann, and the Reformed Gregory Beale. This leads to reflections on differences between matter, space, and time of the new heaven and new earth and those of our present reality. The hope for renewal and resurrection is thus linked to the prophecies of the new Jerusalem, the tree of life, and the resurrection body.

Many books aim to help beginners explore whether or not evolutionary science is compatible with Christian faith. This one probes more deeply to ask: What do we learn from modern evolutionary science about key issues that are of special theological concern? And what does Christian theology, especially in its Reformed expressions, say about those same key issues? Gijsbert van den Brink begins by describing the layers of meaning in the phrase "evolutionary theory" and exploring the question of how to interpret the Bible with regard to science. He then works through five key areas of potential conflict between evolutionary theory and Christian faith, spelling out scientific findings and analyzing Christian doctrinal concerns along the way. His conclusion: although some traditional doctrinal interpretations must be adjusted, evolutionary science is no obstacle to classical Christian faith.

This one-volume systematic theology presents an accessible, orthodox overview of the Christian faith for students, teachers, pastors, and serious lay readers. Cornelis van der Kooi and Gijsbert van den Brink not only cover all the traditional themes-creation, sin, Jesus Christ, Scripture, and so on-but also relate those classical themes to contemporary developments like Pentecostalism, postfoundationalism, and evolutionary theory. Consisting of 16 chapters, the book is ideal for classroom use. Each chapter begins with engaging questions and a statement of learning goals and concludes with a list of recommended further reading. Written in a student-friendly tone and style and expertly translated and edited, van der Kooi and van den Brink's Christian Dogmatics splendidly displays the real, practical relevance of theology to the complexities of our world today.

This book tells the story of the philosophy of science from its inception in the aftermath of the first World War to its current stage, and relates this story to the status of theology. In doing so, it fills a remarkable gap in the literature. The unexpected resurgence of religious issues in often heated discussions since the beginning of the 21st century gave a new urgency to the question of the academic treatment of religion(s). Is it still adequate to allow for the academic study of religion only in a distanced and matter-of-fact way, without people’s own views of life being brought into play and confronted with each other? Or can we also have a viable form of theology that starts from a basic religious commitment, but nevertheless fully satisfies academic standards? There is a wide debate on topics like these – but seldom this debate is conducted in a way that is informed by the state of the art in the philosophy of science.