Gerhard Herman Johannes Wilhelm Jacobus Geesink (27 May 1854 – 23 January 1929), known as G. H. J. W. J. Geesink, or Willem Geesink, was a Dutch theologian.[1] He served as professor at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam from 1890 to 1926, and was rector magnificus four times.

Willem Geesink

Geesink was by training a church historian, but taught philosophy, ethics, elenctics, and New Testament exegesis as well.[2] Arie van Deursen notes that "as a philosopher he was simply in over his head," and wrote mainly in the field of theological ethics.[2] Hans Schaeffer summarises his thought as follows:[3]

The sovereign God created a moral world-order, which He imposes on the spiritual as well as on the natural world. For the spiritual world – which is the moral one – God's ordinances are his commandments.

References

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  1. ^ "Gerhard Herman Johannes Wilhelm Jacobus Geesink". Biografisch Portaal. Huygens Institute for the History of the Netherlands. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b van Deursen, Arie (2008). The Distinctive Character of the Free University in Amsterdam, 1880-2005: A Commemorative History. Eerdmans. p. 49. ISBN 9780802862518. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  3. ^ Schaeffer, Hans (2012). Createdness and Ethics: The Doctrine of Creation and Theological Ethics in the Theology of Colin E. Gunton and Oswald Bayer. De Gruyter. p. 17. ISBN 9783110916874. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
Academic offices
Preceded by Rector Magnificus of the
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

1896-1897
1901-1902
1908-1909
1918-1919
Succeeded by
Preceded by Succeeded by
Preceded by Succeeded by
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