Roots of Western Culture

This introduction (pp 1-6) sets the scene for the rest of the book.  The Dutch National Movement’s manifesto although sincere and earnest represented an attempt to synthesise Christian and Marxist ideas.  It rejected the antithesis between Christian and humanistic views of life.

Dooyeweerd seeks to defend this Christian antithesis.  One way he rejects is to place the burden of proof on the Dutch National Movement to prove that the antithesis is not a fruitful foundation to build upon.  The best way is to show that the antithesis has been and is a vital force.

Dooyeweerd makes some introductory remarks about the antithesis:

•    It is not the idea of men – not even Groen van Prinsterer or Abraham Kuyper
•    It is all-pervading – it cuts through Christian life itself
•    It is not a dividing line between Christian and non-Christian.

Dooyeweerd will look at the principle of the antithesis and seek to examine if this principle is still relevant.

He then looks at the difference between genuine and superficial dialogue.  It is not the case that genuine dialogue is only open to those with academic training.  Genuine dialogue is open to all those who are prepared to penetrate to the root differences.

Review questions
1. What is ‘personalistic socialism’?
2. Why does Dooyeweerd reject the ‘shift the burden of proof’ approach?
3. What is the ‘antithesis’?
4. How does genuine dialogue differ from superficial dialogue?

Discussion questions
1. Is the antithesis a fruitful principle today?
2. What threats are there today to the antithesis?

Roots originally started life as a series of newspaper articles in a weekly Dutch paper that Dooyeweerd edited, Nieuw Nederland.  There were originally 58 articles that appeared between August 1945 and May 1948.  These articles formed the basis of a book, Vernieuwing en bezinning om het reformatisch goundmotief (Renewal and Reflection concerning the Reformational Ground Motive), edited by J. A. Oosterhoff, published by J. B. van den Brink in 1959.  The Dutch edition also included 18 other articles by Dooyeweerd published in the newspaper.

The first English edition appeared in 1979 under the title: Roots of Western Culture: Pagan, Secular, and Christian Options.  This edition was translated by John Kraay and edited by Mark Vander Vennen and Bernard Zylstra and published by Wedge Publishing, Toronto.  The basis for the book was an in-house translation prepared by members of the Groen van Prinsterer Society under the direction of H. Evan Runner.  Runner had decided to limit the translation to the treatment of ground motives and the other 18 articles were omitted from this translation.

In 2003 a newly edited version appeared, edited by D[anie]. F. M. Strauss, as Series B, Volume 3 in The Collected Works of Herman Dooyeweerd  and published by Edwin Mellen [ISBN 0 7734 8715 8].  This edition also included a translation of Dooyeweerd’s preface to the 1959 Oosterhoff edition. 

The Oosterhof edition had only three chapters.  The table below shows how these relate to those of the 1979 edition:

Welcome to a study guide for Herman Dooyeweerd’s Roots of Western Culture.  It is a working document. If any one has any comments, criticism or suggestions please make them!