Calvinus Africanus: Calvyn en Calvynnavorsing in Suid-Afrika in die laat 20ste eeu – ’n Kroniek van enkele lyne

Abstract

Buiten belangrike mylpale ten opsigte van Calvyn en Suid-Afrika in die eerste helfte van die 20ste eeu (die stigting van die Calvyn Jubileum Boekefonds (CJBF) in 1909, die oprigting van die Koers-vereniging in 1926 gepaardgaande met Koers bulletin sedert 1935, enkele studies oor Calvyn en sy werk, die vestiging van ‘n Calvinistiese filosofie deur bv. HG Stoker en andere en die drie bande Koers in die krisis deur die Federasie van die Calvinistiese Studenteverenigings in Suid-Afrika) was dit veral tydens die tweede helfte van die 20ste eeu wat ‘n opbloei in Calvyn-belangstelling geblyk het. Dié opbloeiing is die fokus van hierdie bydrae. Hierdie toenemende aandag wat op Calvyn toegespits was, het op drie maniere tot uitdrukking gekom: eerstens deur akademiese studies, insluitend proefskrifte oor Calvyn en sy werk; tweedens deur inisiatiewe vir die bevordering van amptelike Calvynnavorsing (soos kongresse), veral as resultaat van die momentum wat gekry is na aanleiding van die Internasionale Calvynnavorsingskongres (eers gehou in 1974 en 1978), wat sedert 1980 tot reëlmatige Suid-Afrikaanse kongresse gelei het; en derdens deur die aanpak van ‘n groot, omvattende projek om Calvyn se werke in Afrikaans vertaal. Daarmee het Suid-Afrika – spesifiek die Afrikaanse Calvynwerke – deel geword van die wêreldgemeenskap van Calvynvertalings langs groot taalgroepe soos Engels, Nederlands, Duits en Koreaans, om enkeles te noem.

Calvinus Africanus. Calvin and Calvin Research in South Africa in the late 20th century – A Chronicle

Apart from significant milestones regarding Calvin and South Africa in the first half of the 20th century—such as the establishment of the Calvin Jubilee Book Fund (CJBF) in 1909, the founding of the Koers association in 1926 along with the Koers Bulletin since 1935, some studies on Calvin and his work, the development of a Calvinist philosophy by figures like H.G. Stoker and others, and the three-volume Koers in die Krisis published by the Federation of Calvinist Student Associations in South Africa – it was especially during the second half of the 20th century that a resurgence of interest in Calvin became evident. This resurgence is the focus of this contribution. The increasing attention to Calvin was expressed in three main ways: 1. Academic studies, including dissertations on Calvin and his work. 2. Initiatives to promote official Calvin research, such as congresses, particularly as a result of the momentum generated by the International Congress on Calvin Research (first held in Amsterdam in 1978), which led to regular South African congresses from 1980 onward. 3. A major, comprehensive project to translate Calvin’s works into Afrikaans. This endeavour integrated South Africa – particularly the Afrikaans Calvin translations – into the global community of Calvin translations, alongside major language groups such as English, Dutch, German, and Korean, to name a few.

https://doi.org/10.19108/KOERS.90.1.2613