From the Garden to Government

How should we, as Christians, think about the role of government? And how should we think about our own roles as public servants? Dr. Vince Bacote leads a theological discussion on government, authority, and sphere sovereignty — a term coined by Dutch theologian, politician, and pastor Abraham Kuyper in the 19th century — looking at the unique vocations and responsibilities God has given to creation.

Vincent Bacote (Ph.D., Drew University) is Professor of Theology and the Director of the Center for Applied Christian Ethics at Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL. Publications include the books Reckoning with Race and Performing the Good News: In Search of a Better of a Evangelical Theology (2020) and The Political Disciple: A Theology of Public Life and he has contributed to books including Cultural Engagement: A Crash Course in Contemporary Issues (2019), The Church’s Social Responsibility(2015), and Black Scholars in White Space (2015).

He is a fellow for the Center for Public Justice, a Trinity Forum Senior Fellow, and has been an assistant theology editor for Christianity Today and has been a columnist for Comment (wrf.ca/comment) and has also had articles appear in magazines such as The Banner, Books and Culture, Christianity Today, Think Christian and re:generation quarterly and journals such as The Journal of Markets and Morality, Christian Scholars Review, Urban Mission and the Journal for Christian Theological Research. An avid tennis player, occasional bass guitarist and incessantly curious person, he lives in the Chicago area with his family.

Vincent Bacote, Ph.D., is Professor of Theology and Director of the Center for Applied Christian Ethics at Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL.

He is the author of Reckoning with Race and Performing the Good News: In Search of a Better Evangelical Theology (2020), The Political Disciple: A Theology of Public Life (2015), The Spirit in Public Theology: Appropriating the Legacy of Abraham Kuyper (2005), and has contributed to books including On Kuyper (2013), Aliens in the Promised Land (2013), Keep Your Head Up (2012) and Prophetic Evangelicals (2012).

He has been a regular columnist for Comment Magazine and contributes to other magazines, including Books and Culture, Christianity Today, Think Christian and re:generation quarterly, and journals such as Christian Scholars Review, Urban Mission and the Journal for Christian Theological Research.