Herman Bavinck’s Philosophy of History and its Appropriation in Cornelius Van Til’s Presuppositional Apologetics

This article investigates the philosophy of history of Herman Bavinck and Cornelius Van Til by offering a comparative analysis of Bavinck’s and Van Til’s philosophies of history. It argues that significant continuities exist between the two thinkers, grounded in their shared Dutch Reformed heritage and in Bavinck’s acknowledged influence on Van Til. This article demonstrates that Van Til’s presuppositional apologetics develops Bavinck’s philosophy of history. On this basis, the study shows that both theologians articulate a comparable philosophy of history, one that reflects a deep integration of ontology and epistemology. Read together, Bavinck and Van Til reveal a complementary account of history that reaches its fullest expression within Van Til’s epistemological framework.