Syste Ulbe Zuidema (1906-1975) was one of the second generation of reformational scholars. In 1925 he began studies at the Free University, Amsterdam, where he was influenced by H.J. Pos, V. Hepp and D.H. Th. Vollenhoven.
He held a chair of Calvinistic philosophy at the University of Utrecht from 1948 before teaching philosophy at the Free University (1954 onwards). He had also been a minister in the Reformed Churches (1931-1934) and a missionary in Indonesia (1935-1945). During the second world war he was held at a Japanese prisoner of war camp on Java. His doctoral dissertation was on the nominalistic philosophy of William of Ockham (1936) and completed at the Free University. In 1948 he took up the Chair of Christian Philosophy at University of Utrecht and at the Free University. From 1954 he taught only at the Free. He retired early due to poor health in 1971.
Robert Knudsen and Hendrik Hart both completed their doctoral dissertations in philosophy under Zuidema.
English Publications A full bibliography of his writings can be found here complied by A. M. Petersen and L. D. Derksen. (Amsterdam : Filosofisch Instituut V.U, 1977).
1955
“The idea of Revelation with Karl Barth and with Martin Heidegger: The comparability of their patterns of thought.” Free University Quarterly 4 (1955), p. 71-84.
1958
“Man in Philosophy.” Free University Quarterly 5 (1958), p. 77-96.
1960
Kierkegaard in Modern Thinkers, an International Library of Philosophy and theology (Presbyterian & Reformed: Philadelphia)
Pragmatism Toronto: Association for the Advancement of Christian Scholarship.
Satre in Modern Thinkers, an International Library of Philosophy and theology (Presbyterian & Reformed: Philadelphia)
The kingdom of heaven and its King. The Reformation Review 8 (Oct) pp 157-127.
1961
Existentialistic communicationChristian Perspectives 1961 (Pella Publishing: Pella, Iowa) [pdf – off site]
1971
‘Existence and the content Revelation in the Theological Hermeneutics of Rudolph Bultmann’ in: Jerusalem and Athens. Discussions on the Philosophy and Apologetics of Cornelius van Til.New Jersey, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co. pp. 205-220.
1972
Communication and Confrontation. A Philosophical Appraisal and Critique of Modern Society and Contemporary Thought. Assen/Kampen Royal VanGorcum Ltd, 1972 ‘Common grace and christian action in Kuyper’ [pdf – off site]
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