Clarence Bouma Collection

Collection

Identifier: COLL-018

Abstract

Minister of the Christian Reformed Church and professor of ethics at Calvin Theological Seminary. This extensive collection includes sermons, correspondence, class lecture notes, writings, and various manuscripts. It details ethics, polemics, Christian theism, philosophy, theology, comparative religion, psychology, Christian education, college conferences, organizations, church and state relationships.

Dates

created: 1891-1965
Other: Majority of material found in 1925-1950
Other: Date acquired: 00/00/1993

Creator

Bouma, Clarence (Person)

Biographical or Historical Information

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(1891-1962) In a letter written in 1924 to a minister, Dr. Clarence Bouma explained his position with regard to the Janssen Case. After enumerating points of appreciation as well as criticism and even condemnation, he concluded his letter with a prayer: “May it please the Father of all wisdom to give our church many wise and consecrated builders, men of unqualified scholarship and no less of that sterling piety which trembles at the Word of God . . .” In the course of the succeeding years of service in the Seminary, Clarence Bouma proved to be such a “wise and consecrated builder.” He was a builder not only in the denomination he loved but also in the wider Reformed and evangelical church world. He was defender as well as a propagator of the faith. He did so as a teacher, a speaker, and a writer. His keen mind and his ready pen were in evidence in his classroom in the Seminary and in the classrooms of the ecclesiastical world. Going over the Bouma collection received from the family, we found it was necessary to arrange the material so that Bouma could be readily seen functioning in a variety of positions. In every capacity he served, we find a man of rich gifts, serving diligently, readily, energetically, wisely, and in love. He could speak sharply but doing so one could smell the rose of loving intent. He could forgive and be forgiven in an atmosphere of seeking the truth in love. As students we found him readily accessible, generous with encouragement, and deeply desirous that we would do our best for Christ’s sake. Clarence Bouma was born in Harlingen, the Netherlands, 30 November 1891. The family moved to the United Sates when Clarence was thirteen. After graduating from Calvin Theological Seminary he continued studies at Princeton, the University of Princeton, Harvard, and Berlin scholarship. After serving the Summer Street Christian Reformed Church he received the appointment to the Chair of Dogmatic Theology at Calvin Theological Seminary; later he taught ethics and apologetics. Clarence Bouma passed away in 1962 after suffering with an incapacitating illness for ten years. He left behind his wife, Tessie; and two daughters Mrs. Dick L. (Thea) Van Halsema and Mrs. John J. (June) Bangma; 8 grandchildren.

Note written by

Full Extent

44.00 boxes

Full Extent

22.25 cubic ft. other_unmapped

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement Note

Folder level description

Source of Acquisition

Gift of C. Bouma family. Gift of T. Van Halsema 1993, 2009

Other Descriptive Information

Processing Information

This collection came through Tessie Mae Luidens Bouma, his wife, before 1984; the family in 1993; and his daughter, Thea Van Halsema, in 2009. (Boxes 41-43 were received and processed January 1993; Box 44 was received and processed July 2009). The addenda included initial notes for a book on Theocentric Ethics. C. Bouma’s terminal illness prevented further work on the book. The initial papers received were duly processed and categorically arranged; the latter papers were alphabetically arranged. The reference books in the latter addition were referred to the Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary Library.