This series of posts will provide an introduction the protestant Christian doctrine of Common Grace in general and to begin a critical appraisal of its articulation by the Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper. The overall aim is threefold:
1) To describe the theological content of the doctrine
2) To outline the historical conditions necessitating the doctrine
3) To highlight prominent strands of criticism and objections to the doctrine and their counterarguments.
It is necessary to begin with some general definitions of the overarching term, ‘grace’. Viewed externally, the Christian theological concept of grace might be described as “the expression of God’s love in his free unmerited favour or assistance.” (The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions : 2003) In religious studies and philosophy of religion, this then serves as a comparative term for the description of proximate concepts in other religious systems. Internally as a term of the church, grace is described as “the supernatural assistance of God bestowed upon rational beings with a view to their sanctification. While the need for this aid is generally admitted, the manner of it has been the subject of much discussion.” (Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church : 2006) The second sentence in this description alludes to the broad area of discourse under which the doctrinal considerations of this paper will fall. A more theological reckoning states that “In the Bible, the term grace combines ideas in tension that point to profound mystery. Grace names the undeserved gift that creates relationships and the sustaining, responding, forebearing attitude‐plus‐action that nurtures relationships. Grace concerns the interaction between gracious person and graced recipient, involving the wills of both. The motives of the grace giver; the acceptance, rejection, or forgetfulness of the recipient; the forbearance of the giver; the entire dynamic of forgiveness; the life‐renewing impact of the gift—all these are at issue. All pertain whether the gracious one is divine or human. English translations interchange “grace,” “favour,” “mercy,” “compassion,” “kindness,” and “love” in probing the theme.” (Oxford Companion to the Bible : 1993, 259-260) At least from the Reformation onwards, common practice has been to associate the doctrine of grace strongly with God’s work in freely (viz. gratuitously), saving sinners.
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