On 29 and 30 August, the 6th European Neo-Calvinism Conference, dedicated to Neo-Calvinism and Capitalism, took place at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. During this conference, the connections between neo-Calvinist theology and economics were discussed. On the one hand, attention was paid to the economic thought of important neo-Calvinists such as Bavinck and Kuyper, while on the other hand there was room for the theological principles of neo-Calvinist economists such as Jan Ridder and P.A. Diepenhorst. Attention for contemporary phenomena such as stewardship and "Business as Mission" was also not lacking.
The conference was opened by prof. Van der Duyn Schouten, dean of the Theological Faculty at the VU. As the last dean of the faculty, which is being fused into a broader one, he emphasized the importance of theology at a broad university. For the contact with other sciences it is essential that theology does not withdraw into its own confessional institutions, but thrives in the middle of academic life.
Several speakers shed light on the connections between theology and economics. Prof. Kees van der Kooi unfolded a perspective on God, in which he tries to understand God through the metaphor of the Investor. By seeing God as an Investor in creation, who makes an effort and takes risks in order to obtain a spiritual profit, we receive a deeper insight into his work, he argued.
Anke Teeuw discussed the intellectual legacy of the recently deceased Bob Goudzwaard. This neo-Calvinist economist advocated greater attention for the environment and sustainability, based on a philosophy inspired by Dooyeweerd. In doing so, he opposed a consumerist economy, in which 'more' is the adage and satisfaction with 'enough' plays no role. Teeuw explained the development of Goudzwaard's thinking about stewardship, and the relevance that the concept can have for the enterprise today.
Joost Hengstmengel also discussed Goudzwaard's legacy. As his work on Goudzwaard's biography is progressing steadily, he outlined the essence of his main work 'Capitalism and Progress'. Hengstmengel argued that this should be seen as a social critique on a neo-Calvinist basis. Goudzwaard combines an architectural critique à la Kuyper, an immanent critique à la Dooyeweerd and a theory of disclosure in the spirit of Mekkes into a coherent critique of the contemporary, capitalist economy. Moreover, he points the way to a more sustainable, greener economy based on shared ideals.
