Abraham Kuyper

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A revised and updated version of
Abraham Kuyper: An Annotated Bibliography 1857-2010 by Tjitze Kuipers (2011)

You can buy a printed edition of this book on the site of the publisher.

1885

1885.09
Bedoeld noch gezegd. Schrijven aan Dr. J.H. Gunning Jr.
Amsterdam, J.H. Kruyt 1885 (Amsterdam, Kon. Nederl. Stoomdrukkerij). 46, [1] pp. 25cm.—ƒ0.50.
Run: 900.
Published: July 1885.
Dated: Interlaken, July 10, 1885.
The title (number of copies unknown) was acquired by J.A. Wormser, Amsterdam, on January 15, 1887; the remainder (60 copies) was put up for auction and acquired by J.H. Kok, Kampen, on December 12, 1907.
RKB 85.
ET: Neither intended nor said. Letter to Dr. J.H. Gunning Jr.

A response to the brochure, “De heelen en de halven.” Een woord aan de gemeente te ’s Gravenhage, ook naar aanleiding der weigering van de Kloosterkerk, by J.H. Gunning jr. (’s Gravenhage, 1885). Gunning was professor in Amsterdam from 1882 to 1889 and in Leiden from 1889 to 1899. From Kuyper’s use of 1John 2:19 in a lead article in De Standaard (no. 4064, June 17, 1885) Gunning had inferred that Kuyper believed antichrists were present in the Dutch Reformed Church.

In this response Kuyper writes that he neither intended nor said this. He had used the scriptural citation in his article to describe a general trend. By “the halves” Kuyper simply meant those members of the congregation who go along with the confession of the Lord, but do so only halfway because they do not want to follow the implications of their confession into politics, law, and the sciences. Kuyper explains his intentions in the controverted article (reprinted in this brochure), referring extensively to 1885.08. Gunning had originally thought that the Kloosterkerk should have hosted the prayer service for the Vrije Universiteit (see 1885.08) with certain stipulations. But after reading the article in De Standaard, he had experienced a radical change of heart and now contended that the Consistory of The Hague had been absolutely right. Kuyper discusses the issue in some detail and then briefly lists five serious points of disagreement that had divided him from Gunning for some time. Finally, Kuyper proposes to Gunning that from now on each should go his own way. That would be better for them as brothers. Gunning should put his energy into promoting the heritage of Chantepie de la Saussaye while Kuyper would in like manner secure the legacy of Groen van Prinsterer.

Kuyper wrote the brochure while regaining his strength in the Swiss Alps.