Obviously, as a good friend said, certain Reformed communities were all about worshiping freely until it came to putting it into practice. To be honest, my jury is still out on the involvement of Calvin in this. Considering he held no political power, he was prevented from stopping this – although he might have stood more firmly against it. He did, however, try to make it as peaceful a death as possible.
Continue reading “Persecuted of the Day – Michael Servetus”
Tags: john calvin, michael servetus
Every year, about this time, we are hit with two things – Christmas and the War on Christmas – generally from the same ’side’. The Comedy Central FoxNews pundit, Bill O’Reilly, has made it his mission to make a war on the war on Christmas, whether there is such an animal is of no consequence to him. (More than likely, the perceived War on Christmas is the actual ‘war’ on demonstrations of religion on the public square, serving as a confluence of political forces, left and right.) Further, it would most likely not matter to Mr. O’Reilly that the original war on Christmas was began by the Religious Right and that Americans did not celebrate Christmas until the middle of the 19th century, a generation or two after the founding of the Republic and centuries after the first colonies. Nor, I doubt, would it cross his mind that the long-standing Christmas traditions were but recently invented, and that Christmas has been historically derided as a ‘popish’ holiday.
Continue reading “Who started the War on Christmas?”
Tags: american history, bill o'reilly, Billy James Hargis, calvinism, christmas, conservatives, God, history, john calvin, john knox, liberals, Presbyterianism, puritans, regulative principle, religion, religious right
When we say that the pure ministry of the word and pure celebration of the sacraments is a fit pledge and earnest, so that we may safely recognise a church in every society in which both exist, our meaning is, that we are never to discard it so long as these remain, though it may otherwise teem with numerous faults. Nay, even in the administration of word and sacraments defects may creep in which ought not to alienate us from its communion. For all the heads of true doctrine are not in the same position. Some are so necessary to be known, that all must hold them to be fixed and undoubted as the proper essentials of religion: for instance, that God is one, that Christ is God, and the Son of God, that our salvation depends on the mercy of God, and the like. (Institutes 4.1.12)
What else is there is to add?
Tags: God, Godhead, Jesus Christ, john calvin, oneness, trinity
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Product Description
Many would argue that a true understanding of contemporary Christian thought is impossible without a basic understanding of John Calvin’s contributions. Now, just in time for the 500th anniversary of Calvin’s birth, William Stacy Johnson, a leading theologian, offers this clear and fundamental study of Calvin’s insights as a primer for those with little or no knowledge of his work. Calvin is more than just a figure from history. His life and work—both infused with his passion for the reform of the church—had a continuing impact through the centuries, not only on the church but on society in general. Enhanced with questions for discussion and a handy glossary, this volume is sure to be an invaluable resource for those who seek an accessible way into a deeper understanding of Calvin’s role in the development of today’s Christian faith.
About the Author
William Stacy Johnson is Arthur M. Adams Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary.
Continue reading “Review: John Calvin, Reformer for the 21st Century”
Tags: always reforming, john calvin, westminster john knox
I ran across a mention of Calvin’s passage here and it struck a cord with me. The ‘he’ is King Josiah.
Continue reading “Calvin: Knowing God”
Tags: compassion, john calvin, King Josiah, poverty, social justice
“[Zwingli’s] figure has been unduly obscured by the fame of his younger contemporary, Calvin. His place in the history of thought is really more important than Calvin’s, for he was an originator where the latter was only a follower.”
—A. C. McGiffert, Protestant Thought before Kant (London: Duckworth, 1911), p. 61.
(HT)
Tags: john calvin, reformed theology, reformered, zwingli
I must admit, I have some preconceived notions of Calvin(ism) myself.
Myth No.1: John Calvin was a sour puss.
Martin Luther is usually cast as the fun-loving, beer-swigging, warm-hearted Reformer while Calvin is caricatured as dour, the sort of person who (as one Episcopal bishop once notoriously described him) “sucked sour persimmons for fun.” In fact, Calvin was the Reformation’s chief apologist for fun. For example, he reminds us that God created food and drink “for delight and good cheer,” not simply for nourishment. Quoting the Psalms he tells us that wine is given to us to gladden the heart, and olive oil was made for dipping bread. Here’s a person who knew his way around a Michelin Star restaurant (never forget that Calvin was French!). According to Calvin, God did not create the world merely for utilitarian purposes, but for beauty and pleasure.
Read the rest, here:
Duke Divinity Call & Response Blog | Faith & Leadership | Michael Jinkins: Myths and urban legends about John Calvin.
Tags: calvinism, john calvin
Ben Witherington III, in a story on John Calvin, remarks,
I also discovered that Calvinism is actually in the main a redoing of Augustine’s theology. Calvin’s is not at all a distinctively Protestant form of theologizing. But he deserves full marks for working out the logical implications of Augustinianism to the nth degree, as well as for adding some new wrinkles.
Continue reading “Augustine deserves…”
Tags: eastern orthodox, john calvin, predestination
