Abstract
Antheunis Janse of Biggekerke (1890-1960). Morning star of a 20thcentury reformation This first biography is the result of research on the life and work of the Dutch thinker, Antheunis Janse (1890-1960) of Biggekerke conducted at intervals in South Africa and in the Netherlands during the past 35 years. The stimulus for the research was the fact that Janse has never been acknowledged for his contribution to Christian philosophy – especially anthropology – which originated in the thirties of the previous century in the Netherlands. The aim of this article is to demonstrate that he should be regarded (with Professors D.H. Th. Vollenhoven and H. Dooyeweerd) as a founding father of Christian- Reformational philosophy, also known as the philosophy of the Cosmonomic Idea or simply as the Amsterdam philosophy. No biography on this important thinker exists; the historical information provided is thus needed. The biographical details are intertwined with the following systematic aspects: Why reformation was required during Janse’s lifetime; Janse’s contribution to the development of Reformational philosophy; a more detailed discussion of his anthropological viewpoints; the secret of his reformational endeavours; and in conclusion, some suggestions are given about much needed research to be done to be able to fully profit from the rich heritage of this “morning star of a 20th-century reformation”. An addendum of his most important publications are also provided.
Highlights
Even though we believe that every age in history calls for an ongoing reformation, we can learn from reformations of the past and from reformers in history
We look at things differently today and maybe beyond
The many textbooks, handwritten by him and illustrated with his own drawings, showing special drawing talent, testify to this. He especially had a keen interest in history. (He by the way, knew the history of South Africa.) It is interesting that – contrary to the norm – he did not begin with the history of the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, but that he started his history education with the Biblical story about creation
Summary
Reformation will never finish – it is a continuing task. The sixteenthcentury motto, ecclesia reformata semper reformanda est (a reformed church must always keep reforming), is as valid today as 500 years ago and this is true of the church, but of all of society. If Christians do not take their reformational task to heart every day, stagnation will certainly set in. We should not believe that our reforming task was completed in the distant past and that in the present we can relax. Even though we believe that every age in history calls for an ongoing reformation, we can learn from reformations of the past and from reformers in history. We look at things differently today and maybe beyond. It is important that the focus on an almost forgotten figure of our Reformational tradition, Antheunis Janse van Biggekerke, should be brought to the fore again. (In the Epilogue it will be explained why and how this biographical overview came into being.)
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