Bavinck formuliert im Vorwort zur ersten Auflage seiner “Reformed Dogmatics” zwei wichtige Anforderungen an den (systematischen) Theologen:
- Die Entwicklung der Dogmatik “in Gemeinschaft mit allen Heiligen”
- Die Verknüpfung mit spezifischen Fragestellungen der Gegenwart
A love that surpasses all knowledge can only be grasped with all the saints in communion. It is first of all in and by means of their fellowship that a theologian leanrs to understand the dogmas of the church that articulate the Christian faith.
This work of dogmatic theology is eager to carry the imprint of its own time. It would be an unending task to loosen one’s ties to the present; it would also not be pleasing to God wo speaks to us as seriously and loudly as to previous generations.
Calvin Theological Journal 45 (2010): 9-10 Herman Bavinck, „Foreword to the First Edition (Volume 1) of the Gereformeerde Dogmatiek“ (trans. John Bolt)
