John Calvin, Myth and Reality

John Calvin, Myth and Reality PDF

Author: Amy N. Burnett

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2011-05-11

Total Pages: 272

ISBN-13: 160899693X

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The chapters in this volume were originally presented as papers at the 2009 colloquium of the Calvin Studies Society, held to mark the five-hundredth anniversary of John Calvin's birth. They offer a fresh evaluation of Calvin's ideas and achievements, and describe how others--from his contemporaries to the present--have responded to or built upon the Calvinist heritage. This book dispels popular misperceptions about Calvin and Calvinism, allowing readers to make a more accurate assessment of Calvin's importance as a theologian and historical figure. Contributions address areas in which Calvin's legacy has been most controversial or misunderstood, such as his attitude toward women, his advocacy of church discipline, and his understanding of predestination. These essays also give a nuanced picture of the impact of Calvinism by taking account of both the positive and negative reactions to it from the early modern period to the present. Part 1: Calvin: The Man and His Work Part 2: Appeal of and Responses to Calvinism Part 3: The Impact of Calvin's Ideas

Monstrous Fictions

Monstrous Fictions PDF

Author: Carl J. Rasmussen

Publisher: Lexington Books

Published: 2016-09-14

Total Pages: 199

ISBN-13: 0739193600

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The Reformer John Calvin has influenced America in a formative way. Calvin remains respected as a theologian to whose work intellectuals on both the right and left appeal. In the nineteen-nineties, Evangelicals and Catholics Together (ECT) formed a politically influential ecumenical coalition to oppose abortion and change the culture. Its ecumenism of the trenches influenced the administration of George W. Bush and continues to influence religious elements in the Tea Party. Evangelicals in the coalition presume to speak for Calvin. This book provides a counter argument. Calvin rejects the ethics advocated by ECT, an ethics of individual virtue, conscience and natural right. Instead, he affirms an ethics of obedience to the authority of secular government as an institution with a divinely ordained mandate. This work considers the following themes in Calvin: Calvin on Faith. Modern and postmodern philosophical approaches, including Reformed epistemology, do not explain how Calvin understood faith. Faith is divine activity. Belief is human activity. Faith is not a belief system or worldview on which to base a political theology. The author provides four Augustinian theses about Calvin on faith Calvin on Sanctification. Calvin rejected virtue ethics or an ethics of individual conscience. His ethics require self-denial and service. An important requirement of his ethics is obedience to government. The author provides three theses about Calvin on sanctification, as a critique of attempts to revive virtue ethics. Calvin on Natural Law. Calvin’s doctrine of natural law is one of the most vexed issues in Calvin studies. The author provides five theses to clarify Calvin’s doctrine of natural law. For Calvin, secular government transcends the authority of conscience, and Christians in conscience are required to obey it. In conclusion, the author discusses Karl Barth’s interpretation of Calvin and its relevance for the church struggle against the Third Reich. Based on his analysis of Calvin, he provides a defense of gay marriage and the right to terminate a pregnancy, as well as an analysis of religious freedom. Calvin would reject ECT’s theology of virtue, conscience and natural law. But he would affirm its ecumenism as a possible path out of culture war.

Restoration Through Redemption:John Calvin Revisited

Restoration Through Redemption:John Calvin Revisited PDF

Author: H. van den Belt

Publisher: BRILL

Published: 2013-01-09

Total Pages: 299

ISBN-13: 9004244662

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The restoration of creation offers the perspective through which Calvin’s heritage is analyzed and made fruitful for contemporary Reformed theology. Restoration through Redemption shows that Calvin’s theology hinges on Christology, but extends to the whole creation.

An Explorer's Guide to John Calvin

An Explorer's Guide to John Calvin PDF

Author: Yudha Thianto

Publisher: InterVarsity Press

Published: 2022-07-12

Total Pages: 226

ISBN-13: 1514001276

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Creation is the theater of God's glory. Scripture is like a pair of glasses that clarifies our vision of God. Justification is the hinge on which religion turns. These and other affirmations are often associated with John Calvin, the 16th-century French Protestant Reformer best known for his ministry in Geneva and his authorship of the Institutes of the Christian Religion. Over the course of his lifetime and through several editions, Calvin expanded the Institutes from a brief study to a four-volume book that covers the main doctrines of the Christian faith and continues to shape the theology of the Reformed tradition. In this volume, Reformed theologian Yudha Thianto guides readers through a careful study of Calvin's Institutes. After setting Calvin and his writing in their historical context, he outlines the most significant aspects of Calvin's theology, guiding those who would know more about his work and, through it, the God who inspired him. Books in the Explorer's Guide series are accessible guidebooks for those studying the great Christian texts and theologians from church history, helping readers explore the context in which these texts were written and navigate the rich yet complex terrain of Christian theology.

Theology Made Practical

Theology Made Practical PDF

Author: Joel R. Beeke

Publisher: Reformation Heritage Books

Published: 2015-09-20

Total Pages: 306

ISBN-13: 1601785372

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In Theology Made Practical , Joel R. Beeke, David W. Hall, and Michael A. G. Haykin declare the significance of John Calvin’s life and ideas—particularly his contributions to systematic theology, pastoral theology, and political theology—as well as the influence he had on others through the centuries. With focused studies related to the Trinity, predestination, the Holy Spirit, justification, preaching, missions, principles of government, welfare, and marriage, this book demonstrates how Calvin’s thought has been, and still is, a dynamic wellspring of fruitfulness for numerous areas of the Christian life. More than 450 years since Calvin experienced the beatific vision, his thinking about God and His Word still possesses what our culture passionately longs for—true relevancy. Table of Contents: Part 1: Calvin’s Biography 1. The Young Calvin: Preparation for a Life of Ministry—Michael A. G. Haykin 2. Practical Lessons from the Life of Idelette Calvin—Joel R. Beeke Part 2: Calvin’s Systematic Theology 3. “Uttering the Praises of the Father, of the Son, and of the Spirit”: John Calvin on the Divine Triunity —Michael A. G. Haykin 4. Calvin on Similarities and Differences on Election and Reprobation—Joel R. Beeke 5. Calvin on the Holy Spirit—Joel R. Beeke 6. Explicit and Implicit Appendixes to Calvin’s View of Justification by Faith —David W. Hall Part 3: Calvin’s Pastoral and Political Theology 7. Calvin’s Experiential Preaching—Joel R. Beeke 8. John Calvin and the Missionary Endeavor of the Church—Michael A. G. Haykin 9. Calvin on Principles of Government—David W. Hall 10. Calvin on Welfare: Diaconal Ministry in Geneva—David W. Hall 11. Christian Marriage in the Twenty-First Century: Calvin on the Purpose of Marriage—Michael A. G. Haykin Part 4: Calvin’s Legacy 12. Calvin’s Circle of Friends: Propelling an Enduring Movement—David W. Hall 13. Calvin as a Calvinist—Joel R. Beeke 14. Calvinism and Revival—Michael A. G. Haykin

Truth for All Time

Truth for All Time PDF

Author: Jean Calvin

Publisher: Banner of Truth

Published: 1998

Total Pages: 106

ISBN-13:

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'This simplest of summaries of the Christian Faith is a kind of Institutes in miniature ... It covers all the fundamental points and reveals Calvin's passionate and practical devotion to God' (Peace and Truth).

What if Calvin Was Wrong?

What if Calvin Was Wrong? PDF

Author: Billy Prewitt

Publisher: TrinityBibleSchool.com

Published:

Total Pages: 150

ISBN-13:

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Timing is everything. Nothing could be truer as it relates to John Calvin and his teaching. If Calvin had lived a century earlier, his teaching would have been swallowed up in the Catholic tradition, and he would likely be a footnote in Christian history rather than a pillar. If he had come a century later, his teaching would have faced the daunting task of shaping a movement that was already in motion. When Calvin developed his doctrine, it was the perfect time. The Western World was ready for a new theological system as it had not been since the time of Constantine. This time, however, the system was able to ride the wings of revolution that bore the historically powerful impetus of freedom from religious tyranny. But, what if Calvin was wrong? In this book, readers will learn the basics of the Calvinistic teaching of Eternal Security and the disparity between this teaching and the clear teaching of the Bible. For example: Ezekiel 18:24 says, "But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die." Eternal Security and Ezekiel clash at this point. What should the responsible Christian do? What about all of the Christians who have fallen into sin and even died in a backslidden state? What about all the parables that conflict with the teaching of Eternal Security? The Bible lists several sins that are capable of destroying a believer's hope in Heaven. Among those are unforgiveness and hatred. Is the answer that Eternal Security provides strong enough to overrule these Scriptural teachings? In addition, "What if Calvin Was Wrong?" exposes several myths that are often propagated by modern Calvinists. Many of these myths are faulty interpretations of Scripture. See how these myths stack up when evaluated in the light of the truth. The most dramatic of these myths is the teaching of modern Calvinists that suicide victims can go to Heaven. Is this true? Is it what the Bible says? What if Calvin was wrong?

Richard Hooker and Reformed Orthodoxy

Richard Hooker and Reformed Orthodoxy PDF

Author: W. Bradford Littlejohn

Publisher: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht

Published: 2017-03-13

Total Pages: 356

ISBN-13: 3647552070

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For more than forty years now there has been a steady stream of interest in Richard Hooker. This renaissance in Hooker Studies began with the publication of the Folger Library Edition of the Works of Richard Hooker. With this renaissance has come a growing recognition that it is anachronistic to classify Hooker simply as an Anglican thinker, but as yet, no generally agreed-upon alternative label, or context for his thought, has replaced this older conception; in particular, the question of Hooker's Reformed identity remains hotly contested. Given the relatively limited engagement of Hooker scholarship with other branches of Reformation and early modern scholarship to date, there is a growing recognition that Hooker must be evaluated not only against the context of English puritanism and conformism but also in light of his broad international Reformed context. At the same time, it has become clear that, if this is so, scholars of continental Reformed orthodoxy must take stock of Hooker's work as one of the landmark theological achievements of the era. This volume aims to facilitate this long-needed conversation, bringing together a wide range of scholars to consider Richard Hooker's theology within the full context of late 16th- and early 17th-century Reformed orthodoxy, both in England and on the Continent. The essays seek to bring Hooker into conversation not merely with contemporaries familiar to Hooker scholarship, such as William Perkins, but also with such contemporaries as Jerome Zanchi and Franciscus Junius, predecessors such as Heinrich Bullinger, and successors such as John Davenant, John Owen, and Hugo Grotius. In considering how these successors of Hooker identified themselves in relation to his theology, these essays will also shed light on how Hooker was perceived within 17th-century Reformed circles. The theological topics touched on in the course of these essays include such central issues as the doctrine of Scripture, predestination, Christology, soteriology, the sacraments, and law. It is hoped that these essays will continue to stimulate further research on these important questions among a wide community of scholars.

The Myth of the Reformation

The Myth of the Reformation PDF

Author: Peter Opitz

Publisher: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht

Published: 2013-06-19

Total Pages: 386

ISBN-13: 3647550337

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Im Juni 2011 fand die erste Konferenz des Reformation Research Consortium (RefoRC) am Institut für Schweizerische Reformgeschichte an der Theologischen Fakultät Zürich statt. Der Titel »Mythos der Reformation« ermutigte kritische Perspektiven auf herkömmliche Vorstellungen über die Reformation des 16. Jahrhunderts. Peter Opitz bietet eine Auswahl von dort gehaltenen Vorträgen und versammelt facettenreiche Aspekte und Perspektiven zur Thematik. Dadurch gelingt es Opitz zumindest einen Mythos zu widerlegen, nämlich dass die Reformationszeit eine langweilige Periode war, in der es nicht viel mehr außer den herkömmlichen Mythen zu entdecken gäbe.