accrue to the individual.^124 The intimacy of unio mystica naturally leads to a
consideration of experience. Once again it will become clear that the apprehension
and anxieties of Barth have receded as Bavinck embraces a deeper appreciation for
experiencing God’s presence.
Experience
Bavinck also faced a major personal crisis that challenged his understanding
of experience, however, unlike Barth they did not cripple him. Similar to Barth,
Bavinck’s father was a pietistic pastor. Bavinck was raised within the Secession
Church that had broken away from the National Reformed Church in 1834 due to the
lack of vibrant faith and orthodox theology. This fledging denomination reflected
many of the same principles and practices of the Nadere Reformatie and English
Puritanism. In preparation for his pastoral training he first attended his
denomination’s seminary in Kampen. However, after his first year he transferred to
the more prominent University of Leiden. This was motivated by his desire for the
most progressive and modern theological teaching. His father and others were
concerned about his faith due to the strong liberal nature of Leiden. While Bavinck
writes in his journal of his desire to “remain standing [in the faith]” and succeeds in
that desire, he looks back in retrospect commenting, “Leiden has benefited me in
many ways: I hope always to acknowledge that gratefully. But it has also greatly
impoverished me, robbed me, not only of much ballast (for which I am happy), but
also of much that I recently, especially when I preach, recognize as vital for my own
spiritual life.”^125 In fact, he once described his training at Leiden as “stones for
124
Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics, 3:591, cf. 4:123, 578-81 and Bavinck, Sacrifice of
Praise (^125) Editor’s introduction, , 24. (^) Reformed Dogmatics, 1:13.