Kuyper and vaccinations: a case study in Kuyper’s approach to an ethical issue

Abstract

The 2019 translation of the second volume of Abraham Kuyper’s Pro Rege contains chapters on his approach to vaccinations. This article examines his arguments in favour of vaccinations as a case study on Kuyper’s approach to an ethical issue. Kuyper utilizes both sphere sovereignty and common grace as the key philosophical tools as well as using scriptural, rhetorical and pragmatic arguments to make his case.

Keywords: Kuyper, Common grace, vaccinations, ethics, sphere sovereignty

Opsomming

Die 2019-vertaling van die tweede volume van Abraham Kuyper se Common Grace bevat hoofstukke oor sy benadering tot inentings. Hierdie artikel ondersoek sy argumente ten gunste van inentings as 'n gevallestudie oor Kuyper se benadering tot 'n etiese kwessie. Kuyper maak gebruik van beide sfeer soewereiniteit en algemene genade as die sleutelfilosofiese gereedskap sowel as die gebruik van skrif, retoriese en pragmatiese argumente om sy saak te maak.

Kernbegrippe: Kuyper, Algemene genade, inentings, etiek, sfeer-soewereiniteit

https://doi.org/10.19108/KOERS.84.1.2462