Antheunis Janse (1890-1960) was born in Oostkapelle, he was the son of a farmer, Jan Janse and Catharina Wondergem. In 1910, he became a teacher at Schoondijke; in 1917, he taught at Biggekerke; and in 1918, he became head of the Christian school.
In the next two decades or so, he produced numerous booklets and books. Janse had asked Vollenhoven for a copy of his doctoral thesis, and the conversation began from there. They published one paper together: ‘De activiteit der ziel in het rekenonderwijs’ (1918).
Janse was one of the instigators, with Dooyeweerd and Vollenhoven behind the Association for Calvinistic Philosophy (1935). B. J. van der Walt notes that we should see Janse, Dooyeweerd, and Vollenhoven as the three joint founders of reformational thought.
His anthropology led him into conflict with the implicit scholasticism of many in the Gereformeerde churches. Janse stressed the unity of a human being, which was not appreciated by the dualistic approach supported by V. Hepp, H. H. Kuyper, and J. Ridderbos.
During the war, his house was confiscated by the Nazis in 1942, and he had to move with his family to Breda. He suffered from Parkinson’s disease from 1939 onwards. He was arrested in Breda, after its liberation by the Poles, after being accused of sympathising with the Germans during the war.
He died in 1960; his last words to Telder were: ‘May the Lord strengthen you in your work.’
He had a great influence upon Vollenhoven, K. J. Popma, B. Telder and C. Vonk.
A list of his publications has been compiled by D Smits (2003) Inventaris van het archief van A. Janse (1890-1960).
Chris Gousmett is working on translations of some of Janse’s work. Some papers are available below (courtesy of Chris).
On Janse
Geert van Dijk 2014. Het concrete is het wezenlijke. Het denken van A Janse van Biggekerke (1890-1960) over Gods verbond met mensen. [The concrete is the real. The thought of A Janse of Biggekerke (1890-1960) concerning God’s covenant with humanity.] Zoetermeer: Boekencentrum Uitgevers, 2014. An English summary is here.
Chris Gousmett 2021. “Researching all that is ‘under the sun’. Creation order, the limits of science and the error of speculation in the thought of Antheunis Janse.” Findings 2: 49-60.
Chris Gousmett, “Janse’s Anthropology and the Development of Modal Theory,” in In a Reformational Key: Papers Presented in Thankfulness for the Life, Work and Vision of Duncan L. Roper (Dunedin: Thumbwidth Press, 2020).
B. J. van der Walt 2004. “Antheunis Janse of Biggekerke (1890-1960). Morning star of a 20th-century reformation: research article.” Koers 69 (2) 221-257. Also in Steve Bishop (ed.) Like the First Gleam of Dawn: Reformation Studies – a B.J. van der Walt Reader. Ch 12.
abstract This first biography is the result of research on the life and work of the Dutch thinker, Antheunis Janse (1890-1960) of Biggekerke conducted at intervals in South Africa and in the Netherlands during the past 35 years. The stimulus for the research was the fact that Janse has never been acknowledged for his contribution to Christian philosophy – especially anthropology – which originated in the thirties of the previous century in the Netherlands. The aim of this article is to demonstrate that he should be regarded (with Professors D.H. Th. Vollenhoven and H. Dooyeweerd) as a founding father of Christian- Reformational philosophy, also known as the philosophy of the Cosmonomic Idea or simply as the Amsterdam philosophy. No biography on this important thinker exists; the historical information provided is thus needed. The biographical details are intertwined with the following systematic aspects: Why reformation was required during Janse’s lifetime; Janse’s contribution to the development of Reformational philosophy; a more detailed discussion of his anthropological viewpoints; the secret of his reformational endeavours; and in conclusion, some suggestions are given about much needed research to be done to be able to fully profit from the rich heritage of this “morning star of a 20th-century reformation”.
D H Th Vollenhoven 1962. “In Memoriam Antheunis Janse 1890-1960.” Mededelingen van de Vereniging voor Calvinistische Wijsbegeerte May: 2
Articles
1923 Paedagogisch Tijdschrift – Series (Translated by Chris Gousmett)
1933 Op den Uitkijk (Translated by Chris Gousmett)
1934 Man as a Living Soul (Translated by Chris Gousmett)
1935 Het eigen karakter der Christelijke School. Kampen 1935, 170 pages
Sections from this were translated and published in Cornelius Jaarsma (ed.) Fundamentals in Christian Education (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1953). Available here.
1938 Of Idols and Creatures (Translated by Chris Gousmett)
1936-37 “The truly human and Greek philosophy” De Reformatie 17 (1936-37): 44 (30 July 1937): 357-358. (Translated by Chris Gousmett)
1939. “Psalm 2 at Christmastime 1939.” Pro Ecclesia 5 (12/13) (23 December): 46. Reprinted in Gereformeerd Schoolblad 3(2) (1983): 2-7. (Translated by Chris Gousmett)
1946. “God’s Word is more than gold.” Kerkblad van de Gereformeerde Kerk van Breda (13 April). Translation from: Christian Renewal 3(2) (January 21, 1985).
1957. “The work of God that happens under the sun” Opvoeding en Onderwijs (Translated by Chris Gousmett)
Spanish resources
[Concerning the Justified:]
Van de rechtvaardigen. Kampen: J H Kok, 1931. Rijswijk: Stichting Uitgave Reformatorische Boeken, 2nd revised edition, 1962. Spanish translation: Los Justos en la Biblia. 3 Vols. Rijswijk: Stichting Uitgave Reformatorische Boeken; Barcelona: Fundacion Editorial de Literatura Reformada, 1984-1987. Second edition, 1998.
[The relation of Christian politics to that of the world]
De verhouding van Christelijke politiek tot de wereldsche. Aalten: De Graafschap, 1933. Spanish translation: ¿Qué es Política Cristiana Frente a la del Mundo? Rijswijk: Stichting Uitgave Reformatorische Boeken; Barcelona: Fundacion Editorial de Literatura Reformada, 1977. Second edition, 1990.
Other items in Spanish from the publisher (free PDF on line):
allofliferedeemed 