Prof. dr. G. van den Brink

Presence

Varies.

Research

My main project is ‘The Doctrine of the Trinity and Its Contemporary Renaissance’.
As the late American theologian Stanley Grenz wrote in 2004, ‘exploring the triunity of God has developed into one of the most popular theological pursuits, and trinitarian theology has emerged as one of the most widely touted theological labels, encompassing the efforts of thinkers representing nearly every ecclesiological tradition and theological persuasion’ (Rediscovering the Triune God, p.1). In this project an attempt is made to trace the development of the doctrine of the Trinity in the West, to describe the various motives behind its remarkable worldwide “renaissance”, and to evaluate its meaning for Christian faith and theology today – especially in relation to the Dutch theological scene, where until recently the trinitarian revival was largely ignored.
Next to this main project, I also incidentally study aspects of the relationship between the Christian doctrines of creation and (general) revelation on the one hand and (the philosophy of) modern science on the other.

Teaching

• Dogmatiek 1
• Dogmatiek 2
• Inleiding systematische theologie
• Symboliek/Oecumenica
• Living Reformed Theology I (coordinator)
• Living Reformed Theology II (coordinator)
• Master Course III: Life Stories
  

Recent publications

• Philosophy of Science for Theologians. An Introduction, Frankfurt am Main 2009 (forthcoming)
• Als een schoon boec. Achtergrond, receptie en relevantie van artikel 2 van de Nederlandse Geloofsbelijdenis (1561) [As a Beautiful Book. Background, Reception and Relevance of article 2 of the Belgic Confession (1561)], inaugural lecture 14-12-2007, Leiden 2008, 31 pp.
• ‘How to Speak with Intellectual and Theological Decency on the Resurrection of Christ? A Comparison of Swinburne and Wright’, Scottish Journal of Theology 61 (2008), p.408-419 (copyright: Cambridge University Press; cf. journals.cambridge.org)
• (samen met Dirk van Keulen),`Kees de gashond en andere zonnigheden in de theologie van Van Ruler', in: Gijsbert van den Brink & Dirk van Keulen (red.),  Van schepping tot Koninkrijk. Teksten uit het theologische oeuvre van A.A. van Ruler, Barneveld 2008, 7-19.
• ‘Reformed Scholasticism and the Contemporary Trinitarian Renaissance’, in: Willemien Otten, Marcel Sarot & Maarten Wisse (eds.), Scholasticism Reformed (Festschrift Willem van Asselt), Assen 2009, 321-339.
• ‘Trinitarian Ecclesiology and the Search for Unity – A Reformed Reading of Miroslav Volf’  (to be published)
• Co-authored with Stephan van Erp, `Ignoring God Triune? The Doctrine of the Trinity in Dutch Theology', International Journal of Systematic Theology 11 (2009), 72-90.
• `Introduction: The Doctrine of the Trinity in Faith and Global Theology', Journal of Reformed Theology 3.1 (2009), 1-6.
• `Calvijn en de Drie-eenheid', in: W. de Greef & M. van Campen (red.), Calvijn na 500 jaar, Zoetermeer 2009 (forthcoming 13-2).
• ‘Christelijk geloof en wetenschap: op zoek naar consonantie’, in: Cees Dekker, René van Woudenberg & Gijsbert van den Brink (red.), Omhoog kijken in platland. Over geloven in de wetenschap, Kampen 2007, p.50-75.

CV

General

Gijsbert van den Brink
Born: May 15th 1963 in Utrecht
Nationality: Dutch
Marital status: Married to Gerie-Anne Blankesteijn, with two children (born 1999, 2001) and a foster-child (born 2005).

1976-1981: Corderius College, Amersfoort
1981-1982: Evangelische Hogeschool, Amersfoort
1982-1988: University of Utrecht: Study Theology
1988: 'Doctoraal' examination.
1988-1992: Research Assistant in Philosophy of Religion, Utrecht University
1990: Church Examination
1993: Ph.D. in Theology (philosophy of religion; c.l.)
1994-1999: Minister of the Netherlands Reformed Church in Lelystad (0,5 fte)
1999-2001: Minister of the Netherlands Reformed Church in Bilthoven (0,5 fte)
1992-1995: Lecturer in Philosophy of Religion, University of Groningen (0,5 fte)
1995-2001: Lecturer in Philosophy of Religion, University of Utrecht (0,5 fte)
2001-2006: Lecturer in Systematic Theology (Christian Doctrine), Theological Academic Institute, location: Leiden University (1,0 fte)
2007-2008: Lecturer in Systematic Theology (Christian Doctrine), Protestant Theological University, Leiden/Utrecht/Kampen (0,8 fte)
2007-heden: Extraordinary Professor in the History of Reformed Protestantism (Chair instituted by the Gereformeerde Bond), Faculty of Theology, Leiden University (0,2 fte)

Website

www.pthu.nl/gvandenbrink