Dr. J. Glenn Friesen

Studies relating to Herman Dooyeweerd Linked Glossary of Terms

© J. Glenn Friesen 2003-2004

Linked Glossary of Terms
(references to De Wijsbegeerte der Wetsidee, unless indicated.See concordance for correlation with pages in the New Critique. The concordance is in pdf format.)

The Ground-Motive of Nature and Grace is an accommodation between the Christian Ground-Motive of Creation, Fall and Redemption with the Greek motive of Form and Matter. It involves a dualism between the natural and the supernatural.

Baader also opposes a separation between nature and supernature (Zeit 57). The scholastics make a distinction between natural and supernatural knowledge; they place 'Verstand' above 'Vernunft' (Weltalter 128). These theologians try to give a theory of the world from a perspective of supernaturalism where power, glory and freedom are opposed to our powerless imprisonment in nature (Begründung 54). They separate the will from its unconscious drives, and they regard the creature as pure Intelligence, as a Will and a Reason without desires or senses (Begründung 34). But in making this distinction, they confuse the suprarational (the transcendent) with something that is against nature or against reason (Begründung 22, 34, 66). Supernaturalism sees spirituality as literally sense-less (Werke IX, 64f; cited by Sauer 35).

This kind of supernaturalism leads to a hyperasceticism; it is not a liberation of the senses, but a total absence of senses; it is like a self-castration (Fermenta II, 23; p. 97). Baader quotes Böhme: it is pure arrogant pride to want to be before God without a body (Weltalter 199). Supernaturalism has made supernatural idols (Fermenta III, I).

Supernaturalism leads to a spiritualistic view. Both Baader and Dooyeweerd oppose such spiritualizing. Kuyper appreciated Baader's opposition to spiritualizing.

Revised Dec 27/04