Hendrik G. Stoker

Hendrik G. Stoker (1899–1993) was a South African Neo-Calvinist philosopher in the Afrikaner Calvinist tradition, academic, Afrikaner nationalist and supporter of Apartheid, known during his lifetime for the development of the "Philosophy of the creation-idea".

Early life and education

Hendrik Gerhardus Stoker was born on 4 April 1899 in Johannesburg. South African Republic (present-day, South Africa) to Pieter Stroker and Leentje Nienhuis. Both of Stoker's parents immigrated to South Africa from the Netherlands, with his father being born in Assen and his mother being born in Bedum.

Six months after Stoker was born the Second Boer War broke out, his father joined the Boer commando's as a Dutch volunteer.

Stoker first attended the Deutsche Internationale Schule Johannesburg before graduating in 1916 from Potchefstroom Gimnasium, a Afrikaans language school in Potchefstroom. During this period Stoker also obtained a teaching diploma.

Philosophy Stoker developed a unique strand of Calvinistic philosophy called "Wysbegeerte van die skeppingsidee" or translated in English "Philosophy of the creation-idea". He's disagreed with Herman Dooyeweerd and D. H. Th. Vollenhoven who called their philosophy "Wijsbegeerte van die Wetsidee" or translated "philosophy of the cosmonomic idea", because the creation was more encompassing principle for Stoker than the laws of creation. The name had the further benefit for Stoker that it was distinctly Christian, while the use of the term "law" instead of "creation" was preferred by Dooyeweerd and Vollenhoven.

Imprisonment During Jan Smuts' term as Prime Minister Stoker joined the Ossewabrandwag.

Stoker can probably be seen as one of the main theological underpinnings of the apartheid ideology and made statements about it and wrote about it. H.H. William writes about it: There are several people today who blame Stoker for this, such as the following quote from the church archive of the Dutch Reformed Church:

In 1957, Stoker advocated for separate universities for Africans, White, and Coloured people, and for the further extension of apartheid education policies.

Antisemitism Stoker held Antisemitic views, believing that Jews shouldn't be given full civil rights whilst also stating that Antisemitism should be rejected.

Scholastic influence B.J. Van der Walt criticizes Stoker for not succeeding in freeing himself from the scholastic influence of Herman Bavinck. Bavinck is considered by Van der Walt to be a scholastic thinker and initially Stoker planned to study under Bavinck.

Personal life

In September 1925, Stoker married Miriam Francoise du Plessis (1902–1994) at the Pretoria Reformed Church. The wedding was officiated by Totius.

Stoker and Plessis had four children.

Publications Een en ander oor menslike vrijheid. In: Festschrift für H.J. de Vleeschauwer. 1960, S. 150−172.

Awards 1957: Master Prize of the Afrikaans Literary Association 1964: Stals Prize for Philosophy awarded by the South African Academy of Science and Art 1987: Honorary doctorate awarded by Rand Afrikaans University 1987: President's Decoration for Distinguished Service