Christianity and the Class Struggle (1)

Is there a right way to promote a more just and equitable human society? That question gets to the root of many debates between political opponents. Everyone has an opinion on such matters as how Christians should help the poor, if and how the state should be involved, and whether poverty is even a moral problem. What we often lack in this discussion is the voice of a confessional, reformed theologian, knowledgeable in politics, economics, and history who hasn't been coopted by one or the other "side."

Enter Abraham Kuyper (1837–1920). Kuyper founded the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands which broke from the state Reformed Church. He established the Free University of Amsterdam, and served as the prime minister of the Netherlands from 1901–1905. He was deeply concerned about Christian social and political action.

In three few sermons—drawing heavily from a speech Kuyper delivered in 1891—we'll think through how Christians should understand social stewardship of wealth. My rationale for using Kuyper is two-fold. First, he is a biblical and reformed authority on the topic. He offers penetrating analysis while directing us back to the word of God. He vehemently rejected the answers offered by the atheistic socialists of his day but also unapologetically awakened the church to pressing social issues. Second, his writings are not influenced by twenty-first century political science. His is a well-informed voice that doesn't have a dog in the fight.