Zylstra

Zylstra pages
articles bibliography

Bernard Zylstra (1934-86) was principal of the Institute for Christian Studies (ICS), Toronto.

He was born in the Netherlands and immigrated to the United States in 1948. He received an B.A. Calvin College (1955), M. Div from Calvin theological Seminary (1958), a LL. B. from University of Michigan Law School (1961), a LL. M. (1964) and a S.J.D. (1968) from the Free University in Amsterdam, where he studied under Herman Dooyeweerd. His dissertation was on the political theory of Harold Laski.

He was an instructor in Greek grammar at Calvin College (1955-1958), from 1966-68 he was Executive Head of the Institute of Philosophy at the Free University. He became professor of political philosophy at the ICS in 1968 and then principal from 1978.

He was the editor of Dooyeweerd's Roots of Western Culture (1979) and co-editor, with his wife Josina Van Nuis Zylstra, of L. Kalsbeek's Contours of Christian Philosophy (1975), he was a member of the editorial board of International Reformed Bulletin and from 1978 a member of the editorial council of Philosophia Reformata. He was also president of the Association for the Advancement of Christian Scholarship from 1983.

Josina Zylstra donated Bernard Zylstra's papers to Redeemer University College library. The catalogue can be accessed here. The main Redeemer University College library website is here.

Articles

All articles are (c) Josina Zylstra and used with her permission

1956. Who was Groen Stromata (Nov): 7-8

1970. The Christian teacher and history: can history be approached normatively?

1970. The place of christianity in our times. International Reformed Bulletin 41 (Spring) pp 24-28.

1970. The crisis of our time and the evangelical churches. In Out of Concern for the Church Toronto: Wedge Pub. Foundation. pp 75 ff.

1972. Do Christians have a political future? [Part 1 and Part 2] Vanguard March/ April and August/ September.
(Also published in Where are we Now? ed W A Harper and T R Malloch Washington, DC; UPA)

1972. 'The Individual gospel: sources and shortcomings' The Guide (April/ May)
(Also published in Where are we Now? ed W A Harper and T R Malloch Washington, DC; UPA and in Inside, July 1972).

1972. 'The Bible, justice and the state' International Reformed Bulletin (Also published in Where are we Now? ed W A Harper and T R Malloch Washington, DC; UPA; and in Confessing Christ and Doing Politics ed James W Skillen (Washington, DC: APJ pp 39-53.)

1974. The post-Christian humanism of Karl Marx in Reformasie en Revolusie ed. L. Floor. Potchefstroom, SA: IAC. pp 362-376.

1976. 'Voeglin on Unbelief and revolution.' In Een Staatsman Ter Navoling ed W F Gaay Fortman et al. The Hague: ARP. pp 155-165.

1977. Modernity and the American empire. International Reformed Bulletin 20 pp 3-19

1979. The power of nuclear arms. Vanguard March/ April pp. 14-16. 1979.

1981. Three kinds of rights. Vanguard Jan/ Feb

1981. 'The society of the future in political focus'. Presented at the Canadian Sociology and Anthropology Association. (mimeograph)

1995. 'The kingdom of God: its foundations and implications' in Confessing Christ in Doing Politics (Potchefstroom: IRS)

Bibliography

Calvinist Contact Articles and Columns

1960. ‘Readers Write: C.C. Squelches Interest’ - March 8th
1960. ‘Kennedy or Nixon?’ - November 4
1960. ‘Een President gekozen’ - November 18
1961. Commentaar van lezers op ‘Een President gekozen’ and Zylstra's response -January 6
1965. ‘From Kuyper to King’ - November 12
1966. ‘Professor Popma's Levensbeschouwing’ - January 7
1966. ‘1,Velk Boek Bovenaan? - Dr. K.J. Popma: Van het gebed, Opmerkingen over de Heidelbergse Cathechismus Vr, en A. 116-127’ - January 14
1969. ‘Continuity and Change: Reflections on the Reformed Community at the Crossroads’ -July 24 and 31
1969. ‘Continuity and Change: New Directions in the Christian Social Movement’ - August 7 and 14.
1969. Report on the inaugural addresses of Drs. J.H. Olthuis and Bernard Zylstra by Rev. J. Kerssies. entitled ‘Towards a Christian Analysis’ - December 11
1970. ‘Schools in the Christian Community: A provisional statement offered to the Christian community as an opening orientation for communal reflection and discussion’ by James H. Olthuis and Bernard Zylstra - October 22
1970. ‘Schools in the Christian Community: Part II of a positional statement offered to the Christian community’ by Olthuis and Zylstra - November 5
1972 . ‘Professor S. U. Zuidema honored upon his retirement from the Free University’ -March 13
1973. ‘The Christian and the World of Politics’ - Second part of a sermon address presented in the Grace United Church of Brampton, Ontario, as part of its 150th Anniversary series of messages - February 5
1973. ‘De Gereformeerde gezindte in een nieuwe wereld’ - August 6/13
1977. ‘Herman Dooyeweerd - Christian Philosopher until his death’ - March 4
1982. ‘First, second and third world?’ - February 5
1982. ‘Russia and America’ - February 12
1982. ‘There is no Third World out there!’ - February 19, 1982. ‘At the Edge of the West’ - February 26

1983. ‘The World Council in Vancouver’ - September 2
1983. ‘Keep your eye on medicare’ - September 16
1983. ‘Why Russia can't say 'We're sorry!’ - October 7
1983. ‘CRC and the government - A fresh look’ - October 14, 1983.
1983. ‘ICS Charter, a milestone in christian higher education’ - November 18
1983. ‘Reagan can break the nuclear deadlock’ - December 2
1983. ‘Republicans keep the peace; Democrats fight wars’ - December 16

1984. ‘0 God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come’ - January 6
1984. ‘Thank God - George Orwell was wrong!’ - January 27
1984. ‘Reagan - the greatest President since Roosevelt?’ - February 10
1984. ‘Marks of a reformed seminary’ - February 24
1984. ‘Canada is going broke’ - March 9
1984. ‘Trudeau left us no choice’ - March 23
1984. Letter from Harold Jantz, Editor, Mennonite Brethren Herald: 'By what standards greatness' in response to BZ's column 'Reagan—the greatest President since Roosevelt' - March 30
1984. ‘Ronald Reagan revisited’ - Response to Harold Jantz - April 6, 1984. -- ‘Resurrection, America and Russia’ - April 20
1984. ‘Reagan versus Nicaragua’ - May 11
1984. ‘Our first neighbour’ - May 18
1984. ‘Pentecost and the world community’ - June 1
1984. ‘Francis Schaeffer 1912-1984’ - June 15
1984. ‘Response’ to Bill Zuidhof’s letter re BZ's article ‘Reagan versus Nicaragua’ - June 19
1984. ‘John Turner--the pragmatic choice’ - June 29
1984. ‘Let's get it over with!’ - July 20
1984. ‘Courage--the one thing needful’ - August 3
1984. ‘Political involvement and spiritual distance’ - August 24
1984. ‘Apartheid splits international conference’ - September 7
1984. ‘One chapter completed, the next barely sketched’ - September 21
1984. ‘Pope John Paul is a revivalist’ - September 28, 1984. ‘Reply to Jake Kuiken's letter’ responding to BZ's article 'Courage--the one thing needful' - September 28
1984. ‘Is the spirit of 1834 still alive?’ - October 19
1984. ‘Reaganism is not Calvinism’ - November 2
1984. ‘Reagan's counter-revolution and Christianity’ - November 16
1984. ‘Dr. John Bolt's language is faulty’ - November 30, 1984

1985. ‘Dr. Praamsma, Rev. Van Andel--well miss them’ - January 4
1985. ‘Geneva–A new beginning?’ - January 18
1985. ‘The new challenge for educational justice’ - February 1
1985. ‘Prayer, the Bible and defence’ - February 15
1985. ‘A 'Line of Reformation' - March 1
1985. ‘Changes in the Apartheid system?’ - March 15
1985. ‘Gorbachev--Imprisoned by his own system?’ - March 29
1985. ‘May 5, 1945--Our century's most important dale’ - April 26
1985. ‘Looking ahead--the challenge for Calvinism in Canada - September 13

Resources for a Christian worldview

Articles

Bibliography

Calvinist Contact Articles and Columns