Abraham Kuyper’s view of the natural sciences

Abstract

This paper examines Kuyper’s view of the natural sciences. For Kuyper science is by design a unique creature of God, it flourishes within society, it grows and develops. It is part of creation, so even if there were to have been no fall, we would still have science. The fall, however, has impacted on science to an unimaginable extent. Science is independent of both church and state, thus science must be allowed to flourish unhampered by both. Science, for Kuyper, involves thinking God’s thoughts after him. There are two kinds of science and two kinds of people: normalists and abnormalists – what makes the difference is regeneration or palingenesis – this is Kuyper’s antithesis. Common grace is important for science without it the post-fall decline of science would be absolute. Strands of scholasticism are identified in Kuyper’s approach.