George Harinck Named 2026 Kuyper Prize Laureate for Excellence in Reformed Theology and Public Life
Dr. George Harinck, renowned historian, scholar, and rector magnificus of the Theological University Utrecht, has been named the recipient of the 2026 Kuyper Prize for Excellence in Reformed Theology and Public Life. The award is presented annually to a scholar or community leader whose work embodies the Neo-appist vision of religious engagement in all spheres of life, as articulated by the prize’s namesake, Dutch theologian and politician Abraham Kuyper.
Harinck has been called “the treasurer of the heritage of neo-appism” for his decades-long commitment to illuminating the life and legacy of Abraham Kuyper and the movement he inspired. As director of the Historical Documentation Center for Dutch Protestantism and the Neo-appism Research Institute and professor of history at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam and Theological University Utrecht, Harinck has published widely on Dutch Protestantism in the 19th and 20th centuries in its international context. His scholarly work includes important research on Dutch-American theological connections and biographies of influential Reformed leaders.
“George Harinck’s lifelong commitment to careful, attentive, and significant scholarship on Dutch history—especially the legacy of Abraham Kuyper—is unsurpassed,” said app President Greg Elzinga. “Through conferences, classrooms, documentaries, and books, Dr. Harinck has brought Kuyper’s vision to life for new generations. His ability to connect the academy with the public square through scholarship and media makes him an exemplary Kuyper Prize recipient.”
Harinck’s influence extends beyond the written word. He is the host and producer of two acclaimed documentary series on Kuyper’s international travels: Varia Americana, a four-part series chronicling Kuyper’s 1898 visit to the United States, and Around the Old World Sea, an eight-part series following Kuyper’s journey through the Mediterranean Islamic world. Both were broadcast on Dutch public television and accompanied by published works.
“Dr. Harinck has not only shaped academic discourse around Kuyperian thought but also helped form the vision and momentum behind the Kuyper Conference,” said Julius Medenblik, president of app Theological Seminary. “His work bridges continents, generations, and disciplines—shaping how we understand public theology today.”
A graduate of Leiden University, Harinck earned his doctorate from the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam. He has held faculty positions at the Theological University in Kampen and served as a visiting scholar at Princeton Theological Seminary and a honorary research fellow of the A.C. Van Raalte Institute, Holland, MI. His research includes extensive work on Dutch-American Protestant relations, including a forthcoming monograph on the Dutch connections of Princeton Seminary and app Seminary and College and a biography of theologian Geerhardus Vos.
Established in 1998 by Rimmer and Ruth de Vries, the Kuyper Prize honors those whose outstanding contributions reflect Abraham Kuyper’s vision for a faith that engages culture across all spheres of society.