A Kuyperian Theology of Living Under Christ as King: Towards Cultivating a Christian Transformative Cultural Engagement in Croatia

Abstract

Croatia has undergone manifold political changes in the last hundred years, from living in a monarchy through undergoing 45 years of Communist dictatorship and public contempt toward religion to the last 30 years of capitalism and religious freedom. Nevertheless, undesirable markings were left upon Croatian social mentality but also on the evangelical community, which yet has to dare to taste the newfound religious liberties. Indeed, evangelical Christians need to understand that they were released from the bondage of feeling oppressed and detached from the majority of society and can offer themselves as a transformative influence. Unfortunately, this partly transpired because of the influence of a particular form of Christian fundamentalism, which is prone to alienate believers from society. This thesis in systematic theology argues that a Kuyperian vision of living under Christ as King can address these challenges in a way that will cultivate a transformative cultural engagement in Croatia. It utilizes the modified Osborne method of systematic theology, which is integrative and encompasses historical, biblical, contextual, and, to an extent, practical theology. It shows that Christ’s present rule over the whole world, as presented by Kuyperian theology, is grounded in the historical views of Augustine and Calvin and was later developed by Abraham Kuyper and his theological successors. Kuyperian theology holds that God is not working in the human culture only through believers (special grace) but also through unbelievers (common grace). It is both preserving the world from the fall to total corruption and enabling human cultural achievements that align with God’s initial intention for humanity. Nevertheless, Christ’s ascension to heaven means that he is now the world's rightful King, pushing God’s plan even more decisively forward through the engagement of his body, the Church. It gives the impetus to believers and opens up many possibilities for their engagement with the culture in redemptive and transformative ways. The exegetical analysis of Colossians 1:15-20shows that the Kuyperian vision is grounded in the Bible, as the passage elucidates that Christ is the sovereign Creator. He became the Messianic King of the whole world and the Head of the church. He is now ruling and working on reconciliation of all things, which will be completed at his second coming. His Body, the Church, is called to vice-regency with Him and in Him and to be faithful in its proclamational, vocational, exemplary, and incarnational role in the world. Kuyperian theology of Christ’s kingship is then contextualized for Croatian evangelicals—as it is argued that Kuyperianism offers a balanced vision for cultural engagement that evades both the excessive enthusiasm of Postmillennialism and the cultural despondency of some sorts of Premillennialism—and applied to different sovereign spheres. Finally, this vision is applied to evangelical churches in Croatia, as it relates to their functions of formation through Word and Sacrament, exemplification of faith, hope, and love to the watching world, and prophetic proclamation of Christ’s Kingship through evangelism and dialogue.Croatia has undergone manifold political changes in the last hundred years, from living in a monarchy through undergoing 45 years of Communist dictatorship and public contempt toward religion to the last 30 years of capitalism and religious freedom. Nevertheless, undesirable markings were left upon Croatian social mentality but also on the evangelical community, which yet has to dare to taste the newfound religious liberties. Indeed, evangelical Christians need to understand that they were released from the bondage of feeling oppressed and detached from the majority of society and can offer themselves as a transformative influence. Unfortunately, this partly transpired because of the influence of a particular form of Christian fundamentalism, which is prone to alienate believers from society. This thesis in systematic theology argues that a Kuyperian vision of living under Christ as King can address these challenges in a way that will cultivate a transformative cultural engagement in Croatia. It utilizes the modified Osborne method of systematic theology, which is integrative and encompasses historical, biblical, contextual, and, to an extent, practical theology. It shows that Christ’s present rule over the whole world, as presented by Kuyperian theology, is grounded in the historical views of Augustine and Calvin and was later developed by Abraham Kuyper and his theological successors. Kuyperian theology holds that God is not working in the human culture only through believers (special grace) but also through unbelievers (common grace). It is both preserving the world from the fall to total corruption and enabling human cultural achievements that align with God’s initial intention for humanity. Nevertheless, Christ’s ascension to heaven means that he is now the world's rightful King, pushing God’s plan even more decisively forward through the engagement of his body, the Church. It gives the impetus to believers and opens up many possibilities for their engagement with the culture in redemptive and transformative ways. The exegetical analysis of Colossians 1:15-20shows that the Kuyperian vision is grounded in the Bible, as the passage elucidates that Christ is the sovereign Creator. He became the Messianic King of the whole world and the Head of the church. He is now ruling and working on reconciliation of all things, which will be completed at his second coming. His Body, the Church, is called to vice-regency with Him and in Him and to be faithful in its proclamational, vocational, exemplary, and incarnational role in the world. Kuyperian theology of Christ’s kingship is then contextualized for Croatian evangelicals—as it is argued that Kuyperianism offers a balanced vision for cultural engagement that evades both the excessive enthusiasm of Postmillennialism and the cultural despondency of some sorts of Premillennialism—and applied to different sovereign spheres. Finally, this vision is applied to evangelical churches in Croatia, as it relates to their functions of formation through Word and Sacrament, exemplification of faith, hope, and love to the watching world, and prophetic proclamation of Christ’s Kingship through evangelism and dialogue.