Showing posts with label John Calvin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Calvin. Show all posts
Monday, July 10, 2017
Happy Birthday John!
Wishing a happy birthday to one of the great, although not without flaws, Reformers John Calvin who is 508 years old today!
Monday, October 31, 2016
Post tenebras lux
The words Post Tenebras Lux form the Latin phrase which is roughly translated "After darkness, light". The phrase is often considered to be the "motto of the Reformation", a recognition that after centuries of the light of the Gospel being shrouded in religious darkness it at long last burst forth once more as the Reformation took hold of Europe. The Reformation may have "officially" started this day in 1517 but it didn't end there and I would say is just as relevant today as it has ever been since the 16th century. Watch this brief video from John Piper in Geneva, home of John Calvin and one of the centers of the Reformation.
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Anabaptism is not the answer
Well, unless the question is “Which faith tradition in the last 1500 years looks the most like the early church?” I make no secret of my admiration for much of what the Anabaptists stood for, how they lived their lives and how they viewed the church. As with any movement, there is a real danger of going too far in my admiration. There is much that we can learn from the Anabaptists, much to glean from how they viewed things that run counter to our traditions (which is why, in my humble opinion, they get slammed so severely by so many evangelicals who have never read a thing about them). I also recognize that the Anabaptists were flawed sinners like me and every other Christian who has ever lived. The original Anabaptists and their modern progeny have much to praise but likewise they have much to be cautious about. I try to remember when praising the Anabaptists that they have their flaws and that we should not seek to “become Anabaptists”. Anabaptism is not the answer, but Anabaptism does help point us to the answer.
This is true when examining any movement in the church. History is replete with movements that spring up, often die out and are looked back at with nostalgia. It is easier to look longingly at the days gone by than it is to ask the hard questions for today, the “good old days” syndrome where the past always seems better than the present.
Nowhere is this more prevalent than among the Reformed. Ah for the glory days of Calvin’s Geneva! If we can only plant more Reformed churches, or convert existing churches to become Reformed. If only we can have more Reformed seminaries and more Reformed conferences. If only less educated Christians would just read more books by Reformed authors. If only we could just get everyone to be Reformed, things would be better. The blogosphere is chock full of evangelists for Reformed theology. What is forgotten or ignored is that so much was left “unreformed” in the Reformation, chiefly the practices and theology of the church. Now don’t get me wrong. I cherish the great Reformed theologians, past and present. What the Reformation recovered from Rome is nothing less than the recovery of the Gospel itself. It can be easy to forget that in the two thousand years since the cross, more than half of that time the Gospel was denied by “the church” and the faith was reduced to empty rituals controlled by power hungry popes. The Reformers risked not just reputation and livelihood but their very lives to take a stand and declare the Gospel of God in the face of violent Roman opposition. So there is much to learn and appreciate from the Reformed but being “Reformed” is not the goal.
How about another stream of the faith? The group we gather with is part of the Plymouth Brethren tradition although you would be hard pressed to ever hear that uttered. We enjoy meeting as we do because we love the people we gather with and because the meetings are so open and participatory. In marked contrast with the incredibly loud church services that typify evangelicalism, our gatherings are quiet and simple. Brethren Assemblies across the world meet in open, unscripted meetings where we break bread every week and every brother has an opportunity to speak. We gather in simple buildings for the most part with little of the pageantry and pizzazz of modern evangelical churches. Having said that, there are concerns in this movement. Even an unscripted meeting can become very rote. We may not have bulletins but we do things in a particular pattern each week. Not as much where we gather but there are aspects of pride and legalism that crop up among the Brethren. We are still far less of a community than we should be. There is a lot to love about the assemblies that come under the umbrella of the Plymouth Brethren but converting the entire church to this movement is not the goal.
When I say we need to be careful when looking at every faith tradition in the church, do I really mean every one? Even the early church? Yes. Recall that Paul rebuked Peter for his fear of eating with Gentiles in front of his fellow Jews. The church in Corinth had all sorts of troubles. The church in Galatia? Don’t get me started! We should not seek to emulate every aspect of the early church because there were plenty of problems. Where we should turn to the early church is for guidance in the key principles of how the church should function as well as warnings about how things can go wrong. When we read the words of Paul and Peter and James and Luke and especially Jesus Christ, we see what the church is all about and how it should behave. In this quest we can learn much from the Anabaptists and the Reformers even though they were at odds in the Reformation period and spoke pretty critically of each other. We can learn a lot from the Plymouth Brethren and from modern Anabaptist movements. The Puritans have much to teach us as well. Ultimately though all of these movements are useful only inasmuch as the help us to be more faithful to Scripture and none of these movements were perfect in that respect. We can and should be discerning and take what is helpful and discard what it not without regard to which faith tradition it comes from. Just because something was written by a Reformed writer doesn’t mean it is right and just because something is written by an Arminian doesn’t mean it is wrong.
The church would be a lot healthier if we would all look outside of our pet faith tradition and humbled ourselves to learn from those we might disagree with. One thing I have especially been blessed by over the last couple of years is exposure to authors and ideas that I would have recoiled from as not being “Reformed” a few years ago. As I have moved away from the idea that being “Reformed” is the pinnacle of the Christian experience, I have actually come to cherish the very real contributions of Reformed writers even more, in spite of their flaws.
This is true when examining any movement in the church. History is replete with movements that spring up, often die out and are looked back at with nostalgia. It is easier to look longingly at the days gone by than it is to ask the hard questions for today, the “good old days” syndrome where the past always seems better than the present.
Nowhere is this more prevalent than among the Reformed. Ah for the glory days of Calvin’s Geneva! If we can only plant more Reformed churches, or convert existing churches to become Reformed. If only we can have more Reformed seminaries and more Reformed conferences. If only less educated Christians would just read more books by Reformed authors. If only we could just get everyone to be Reformed, things would be better. The blogosphere is chock full of evangelists for Reformed theology. What is forgotten or ignored is that so much was left “unreformed” in the Reformation, chiefly the practices and theology of the church. Now don’t get me wrong. I cherish the great Reformed theologians, past and present. What the Reformation recovered from Rome is nothing less than the recovery of the Gospel itself. It can be easy to forget that in the two thousand years since the cross, more than half of that time the Gospel was denied by “the church” and the faith was reduced to empty rituals controlled by power hungry popes. The Reformers risked not just reputation and livelihood but their very lives to take a stand and declare the Gospel of God in the face of violent Roman opposition. So there is much to learn and appreciate from the Reformed but being “Reformed” is not the goal.
How about another stream of the faith? The group we gather with is part of the Plymouth Brethren tradition although you would be hard pressed to ever hear that uttered. We enjoy meeting as we do because we love the people we gather with and because the meetings are so open and participatory. In marked contrast with the incredibly loud church services that typify evangelicalism, our gatherings are quiet and simple. Brethren Assemblies across the world meet in open, unscripted meetings where we break bread every week and every brother has an opportunity to speak. We gather in simple buildings for the most part with little of the pageantry and pizzazz of modern evangelical churches. Having said that, there are concerns in this movement. Even an unscripted meeting can become very rote. We may not have bulletins but we do things in a particular pattern each week. Not as much where we gather but there are aspects of pride and legalism that crop up among the Brethren. We are still far less of a community than we should be. There is a lot to love about the assemblies that come under the umbrella of the Plymouth Brethren but converting the entire church to this movement is not the goal.
When I say we need to be careful when looking at every faith tradition in the church, do I really mean every one? Even the early church? Yes. Recall that Paul rebuked Peter for his fear of eating with Gentiles in front of his fellow Jews. The church in Corinth had all sorts of troubles. The church in Galatia? Don’t get me started! We should not seek to emulate every aspect of the early church because there were plenty of problems. Where we should turn to the early church is for guidance in the key principles of how the church should function as well as warnings about how things can go wrong. When we read the words of Paul and Peter and James and Luke and especially Jesus Christ, we see what the church is all about and how it should behave. In this quest we can learn much from the Anabaptists and the Reformers even though they were at odds in the Reformation period and spoke pretty critically of each other. We can learn a lot from the Plymouth Brethren and from modern Anabaptist movements. The Puritans have much to teach us as well. Ultimately though all of these movements are useful only inasmuch as the help us to be more faithful to Scripture and none of these movements were perfect in that respect. We can and should be discerning and take what is helpful and discard what it not without regard to which faith tradition it comes from. Just because something was written by a Reformed writer doesn’t mean it is right and just because something is written by an Arminian doesn’t mean it is wrong.
The church would be a lot healthier if we would all look outside of our pet faith tradition and humbled ourselves to learn from those we might disagree with. One thing I have especially been blessed by over the last couple of years is exposure to authors and ideas that I would have recoiled from as not being “Reformed” a few years ago. As I have moved away from the idea that being “Reformed” is the pinnacle of the Christian experience, I have actually come to cherish the very real contributions of Reformed writers even more, in spite of their flaws.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Paul was a Calvinist
I thought I would throw out an intentionally inflammatory title just to spice things up. I am tired and cranky this morning while I am writing this so I am feeling blogo-cheeky. I also haven’t had a good old fashioned Calvinist rant in a while, so here goes.
I know that title seems silly on its face since Paul lived and died almost fifteen centuries before Calvin was even born. What I meant is that I am asserting that Paul would in essence affirm the doctrines we call Calvinism.
What do I base that assertion on?
First, Paul’s doctrinal statements in Ephesians and Romans especially are unmistakable in their presentation of a God who predestines, elects, effectually calls, regenerate and preserves a select remnant of lost mankind and Paul is equally clear on the lostness and utter inability and complete lack of desire on the part of unregenerate man to even look for Christ, much less make a decision for or “ask Jesus into your heart”. Paul would affirm Calvinism because Calvinism draws as its foundation the teachings of Christ as well as the writings of Paul.
Second and perhaps even more importantly is the account of Saul’s conversion in Acts 9:
But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. (Acts 9:1-9)
What is on display here? God’s sovereign grace or man’s free will? Paul is an especially delicious example because he assumed that he already was doing God’s will. He was a highly educated and fervent Jew. He was not “making a decision for Christ”, just the opposite he was persecuting Christ (Note that Christ said Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting ME?). As anyone who was leading an atheistic life or following a false religion knows, the intrusion of Christ into your life is the sweetest, most wonderful thing that can happen to you but it is also jarring and unexpected. If you are a kid in a Christian home, it is kind of expected that at some point you will come to Christ. You are surrounded by “God-talk”, grow up in church, hear the Bible read. Christ is comfortable because He is at least academically familiar to you. For the radical unbeliever, finding Christ inserting Himself into your life is a world altering event. I am not saying that it is not for a “church kid” but it is doubly so for those who rejected God or followed a false god.
So my point? Just that those who have a problem with Calvinism have a problem with Paul and with Christ Himself. Not the various traditions that have grown up around the Reformed movement but the actual doctrines of Calvinism itself. It is easy to confuse the baggage of Reformed denominational traditions with the doctrines of grace known as Calvinism. There is a small but vocal minority of people in the church who use Calvinism as a straw man to conquer and who decry both Calvinism as heresy and its adherents as heretics. What Paul experienced and what he wrote are far more in line with what Calvin wrote and what Calvinists believe than the man centered doctrines of Arminianism and decisional regeneration popular in the church today. If I have to choose between the followers of Jacob Arminius and the apostle Paul, I am picking Paul 100 times out of 100.
I know that title seems silly on its face since Paul lived and died almost fifteen centuries before Calvin was even born. What I meant is that I am asserting that Paul would in essence affirm the doctrines we call Calvinism.
What do I base that assertion on?
First, Paul’s doctrinal statements in Ephesians and Romans especially are unmistakable in their presentation of a God who predestines, elects, effectually calls, regenerate and preserves a select remnant of lost mankind and Paul is equally clear on the lostness and utter inability and complete lack of desire on the part of unregenerate man to even look for Christ, much less make a decision for or “ask Jesus into your heart”. Paul would affirm Calvinism because Calvinism draws as its foundation the teachings of Christ as well as the writings of Paul.
Second and perhaps even more importantly is the account of Saul’s conversion in Acts 9:
But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. (Acts 9:1-9)
What is on display here? God’s sovereign grace or man’s free will? Paul is an especially delicious example because he assumed that he already was doing God’s will. He was a highly educated and fervent Jew. He was not “making a decision for Christ”, just the opposite he was persecuting Christ (Note that Christ said Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting ME?). As anyone who was leading an atheistic life or following a false religion knows, the intrusion of Christ into your life is the sweetest, most wonderful thing that can happen to you but it is also jarring and unexpected. If you are a kid in a Christian home, it is kind of expected that at some point you will come to Christ. You are surrounded by “God-talk”, grow up in church, hear the Bible read. Christ is comfortable because He is at least academically familiar to you. For the radical unbeliever, finding Christ inserting Himself into your life is a world altering event. I am not saying that it is not for a “church kid” but it is doubly so for those who rejected God or followed a false god.
So my point? Just that those who have a problem with Calvinism have a problem with Paul and with Christ Himself. Not the various traditions that have grown up around the Reformed movement but the actual doctrines of Calvinism itself. It is easy to confuse the baggage of Reformed denominational traditions with the doctrines of grace known as Calvinism. There is a small but vocal minority of people in the church who use Calvinism as a straw man to conquer and who decry both Calvinism as heresy and its adherents as heretics. What Paul experienced and what he wrote are far more in line with what Calvin wrote and what Calvinists believe than the man centered doctrines of Arminianism and decisional regeneration popular in the church today. If I have to choose between the followers of Jacob Arminius and the apostle Paul, I am picking Paul 100 times out of 100.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Drawing the sword on behalf of the Gospel
Romans 13: 1-7 speaks of the relationship between the civil government and the Christian. Christians are to be subject to civil authorities and indeed, as hard as it can be sometimes to accept for some of us, those in authority over us are not there in spite of God's will but because of it. We also should see in Scripture a clear line of difference between the sphere of the secular world and the Church.What then do you think of this from the Belgic Confession, one of the Three Forms of Unity for Reformed denominations and beloved by many of the Reformed denominational churches (emphasis added)?
Article 36: The Civil Government
- We believe that because of the depravity of the human race our good God has ordained kings, princes, and civil officers. He wants the world to be governed by laws and policies so that human lawlessness may be restrained and that everything may be conducted in good order among human beings.
For that purpose he has placed the sword in the hands of the government, to punish evil people and protect the good.
And being called in this manner to contribute to the advancement of a society that is pleasing to God, the civil rulers have the task, subject to God's law, of removing every obstacle to the preaching of the gospel and to every aspect of divine worship.
They should do this while completely refraining from every tendency toward exercising absolute authority, and while functioning in the sphere entrusted to them, with the means belonging to them.
And the government's task is not limited to caring for and watching over the public domain but extends also to upholding the sacred ministry, with a view to removing and destroying all idolatry and false worship of the Antichrist; to promoting the kingdom of Jesus Christ; and to furthering the preaching of the gospel everywhere; to the end that God may be honored and served by everyone, as he requires in his Word.
Moreover everyone, regardless of status, condition, or rank, must be subject to the government, and pay taxes, and hold its representatives in honor and respect, and obey them in all things that are not in conflict with God's Word, praying for them that the Lord may be willing to lead them in all their ways and that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all piety and decency.
And on this matter we denounce the Anabaptists, other anarchists, and in general all those who want to reject the authorities and civil officers and to subvert justice by introducing common ownership of goods and corrupting the moral order that God has established among human beings.
Keep in mind that the Belgic Confession is still used widely among those who are in historically Reformed denominations (I differentiate between being "Reformed" versus being in a church that is part of a "Reformed denomination"). Many of them have modified the content of this article because it is so patently unbiblical but the same mindset that wrote Article 36 in its original form is what crafted the rest of the Belgic Confession.
I was curious to see what Reformed commentators had to say about this. I didn't find much but I did find a commentary on the Belgic Confession by Kim Riddlebarger. Riddlebarger’s defense of article 36 focused far more on the alleged errors of the Anabaptists than it did on the erroneous view of the relationship between the church and the state intended by the authors of the Belgic Confession. I find the mindset that lumps all Anabaptists in with the Muenster Rebellion and therefore arbitrarily rejects anything they wrote or believed to be intellectually lazy.
I agree with Leonard Verduin that the Reformers, Luther and company, were faced with a difficult task. To stand up for the Gospel in the 1500’s was to invite being struck down by the sword, so the Reformers by and large embraced the protection of the state and in doing so preserved their own lives but dangerously intertwined the church with the state. Out of fear of the sword, they in many cases embraced the sword. We can look back and be critical of that but we also aren’t facing a slow death by being burned alive at the stake. Nevertheless, we need to keep that context in mind when we read the confessions and where the confessions or the magisterial Reformers or the Anabaptists are incorrect or need clarification, we should be willing to do so.
I am not anyone's idea of a pacifist. However, I find the idea that the church should embrace the state to raise the sword to strike down heretics repugnant. There is a legitimate role for the state to promote an orderly society but the church should not use the state as muscle to enforce its doctrines and promote one faith over another. We see the results of this sort of thinking with the turmoil after the beginning of the Reformation, when Rome had "heretics" put to death, where Protestants killed Catholics and where both magisterial Reformers and Roman Catholics had Anabaptists put to death. In every case, the state was used as the sword for the church to enforce its doctrines. I think you are hard pressed to argue that the time between the rise of Constantine and the beginning of the Reformation was a golden age in the church. In times and places where the state has used prison, the sword and the stake to enforce loyalty to the church, the Gospel witness has suffered. Even men we admire like John Calvin need to be held to account where they err. In places where Calvin approved of and later defended the state taking the life of Servetus, he erred and we should not fear to say so. In places where the confessions call for things that are unbiblical like the state enforcing doctrine with the sword, we shouldn’t try to explain it away, we should acknowledge that the authors of the confessions were in error.
Having too high a view of the creeds and confessions leads to defenses of things that are on their face indefensible. I appreciate the confessions as useful aids to our study. I would be in fundamental agreement with most of the 1644 and 1689 London confessions, and find much I agree with in the Belgic and Westminster confessions especially where the confessions address the nature of God and justification. Taken to an extreme however, confessional devotion can be dangerous. I think you see signs of this when men respond to questions of doctrine with quotes from confessions, as if the confessions are settled matters and unquestionable. As Article 36 proves, there are plenty of places in even the most cherished confessions where we need to hold what is written up to the light of Scripture. Being old and carrying the label “Reformed” does not place a document above examination or reproach.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Happy Birthday!
Today is John Calvin's 500th birthday. I am sure that the web will be full of tributes to him, many very good and a lot not so much. So no need in this case to add my two cents. I just look forward to spending eternity with this man and pointing out to him that he was wrong on infant baptism.
Happy Birthday John!
Saturday, July 04, 2009
Vatican paper declares John Calvin a Christian
Vatican newspaper praises French Protestant John Calvin
VATICAN CITY (AFP) – The Vatican newspaper Friday praised influential French Protestant John Calvin, a critic of the Roman Catholic Church, hailing him an "extraordinary" figure.
The Osservatore Romano, on the 500th anniversary of Calvin's birth, said it recognised the theologian as a Christian who had a major impact on European life.
"Considering the strength of arguments against him, we think it necessary to point out that Calvin is a Christian," the daily paper said of the man who played a major role in the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century.
Well I am sure that is a relief to Calvin! Happy 500th birthday John, you have arrived now!
VATICAN CITY (AFP) – The Vatican newspaper Friday praised influential French Protestant John Calvin, a critic of the Roman Catholic Church, hailing him an "extraordinary" figure.
The Osservatore Romano, on the 500th anniversary of Calvin's birth, said it recognised the theologian as a Christian who had a major impact on European life.
"Considering the strength of arguments against him, we think it necessary to point out that Calvin is a Christian," the daily paper said of the man who played a major role in the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century.
Well I am sure that is a relief to Calvin! Happy 500th birthday John, you have arrived now!
Friday, July 03, 2009
John Piper on Calvin for today
A brief video but it gets to the heart of why Calvin remains so important today, his absolute focus on the majesty of God.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
More than Martin Luther
Although I haven’t studied it thoroughly, I find the era of the “Radical Reformation” to be pretty interesting. It doesn’t get a lot of attention compared to the “Magisterial Reformation” led by men like Luther, Zwingli and Calvin. Not many people know who Menno Simons is or Jacob Hutter or Conrad Grabel. As a rule, we are pretty ignorant of large swaths of our history in the church, almost as if we went from October 31, 1517 and jumped right into the current denominational structure we see today. But the Radical Reformation really took what the “Magisterial Reformers” started and went to a whole new level. In some ways that was very bad but in other ways it was (and is) sorely needed.
The Radical Reformers went beyond merely trying to "reform" the existing church and pretty much just chucked the whole thing. Given the state of Rome at the time, that is understandable. As these men shed tradition and turned to the Word, they found all sorts of issues to be outside of what was taught in Scripture, from an unhealthy laity-clergy distinction to infant baptism which led to many Radical Reformers being biblically baptized as believers and a lot of them subsequently paid for that action with their life, lives taken at the hands of both Roman Catholics and fellow Protestants.
So here is the problem. As the Radical Reformers broke away from centralized authority and sought their own way, inevitably many went so far afield that they wandered into error and outright heresy. For all of the quite orthodox men who led the early Radical Reformation, there were also plenty of heretics and kooks, men like Servetus and the “Zwickau prophets”. Freed from institutionalization of the church, some took that liberty and engaged in all manner of crass and immoral behavior like the libertines or abandoned core doctrines of the faith like the Trinity. That is a cautionary tale not a restrictive one. It really doesn’t matter what stream of the church you are in, from the most conservative and orthodox to the most liberal, the tendency to wander away from Scripture and into heresy must always be tempered by the Word of God.
The excesses of some parts of the Radical Reformation have led many to categorically dump everything they believed. The guys from the White Horse Inn use “Anabaptist” like a curse word (of course to be fair, some Baptists use “magisterial Reformer” as a pejorative). It is a classic “baby with the bathwater” syndrome. That has in turn led to a paucity of material about these men and this era. Luckily with the rise of the internet, much of the material that was inaccessible a few years ago is now readily available with the click of a mouse.
It is vital to remember that even the greatest theologians, preachers, authors, servants are merely depraved sinners saved by grace. Was Menno Simons a perfect guy with flawless theology? Not hardly but then again neither was John Calvin or Martin Luther. The fact that these men were flawed sinners saved by grace doesn't negate their value to us today, whether the man in question is John Calvin or Balthasar Hubmaier.
So here is the problem. As the Radical Reformers broke away from centralized authority and sought their own way, inevitably many went so far afield that they wandered into error and outright heresy. For all of the quite orthodox men who led the early Radical Reformation, there were also plenty of heretics and kooks, men like Servetus and the “Zwickau prophets”. Freed from institutionalization of the church, some took that liberty and engaged in all manner of crass and immoral behavior like the libertines or abandoned core doctrines of the faith like the Trinity. That is a cautionary tale not a restrictive one. It really doesn’t matter what stream of the church you are in, from the most conservative and orthodox to the most liberal, the tendency to wander away from Scripture and into heresy must always be tempered by the Word of God.
The excesses of some parts of the Radical Reformation have led many to categorically dump everything they believed. The guys from the White Horse Inn use “Anabaptist” like a curse word (of course to be fair, some Baptists use “magisterial Reformer” as a pejorative). It is a classic “baby with the bathwater” syndrome. That has in turn led to a paucity of material about these men and this era. Luckily with the rise of the internet, much of the material that was inaccessible a few years ago is now readily available with the click of a mouse.
It is vital to remember that even the greatest theologians, preachers, authors, servants are merely depraved sinners saved by grace. Was Menno Simons a perfect guy with flawless theology? Not hardly but then again neither was John Calvin or Martin Luther. The fact that these men were flawed sinners saved by grace doesn't negate their value to us today, whether the man in question is John Calvin or Balthasar Hubmaier.
I am planning on spending some time studying the Radical Reformation and will likely post some thoughts here as I go.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
When good theologians do bad things
In the 500th anniversary year of John Calvin’s birth, Calvin is getting lots of attention. Expect that to approach a real frenzy in a few weeks on his birthday, July 10th when I would expect to hear all manner of reports and stories about John Calvin as one of the great influences, not just in Reformed theology but in Christianity and indeed Western Civilization as a whole. Around the world there are a substantial number of celebrations going on, from Geneva to East Lansing. I have been to one conference exclusively on Calvin this year and I am going to another one in August. So 2009, at least in the Reformed ‘hood, is “All Calvin, all the time” even more so than usual.
Inevitably, whenever Calvin comes up so does Michael Servetus. The Michael Servetus thing frankly drives me batty in two respects. First, the way that people who either misunderstand or misrepresent Calvinism throw Servetus out as an argument against Calvinism. People, Calvinism stands or falls on it’s faithfulness to the teachings of the Bible, not on the character or actions of John Calvin. Calvinism would be true even if John Calvin had never been born. Second is the way that some who cherish the teachings of the Geneva Reformer try to defend the execution of Servetus.
Some of the details are sketchy. What we know is this. Servetus was an open and unapologetic heretic who denied the Trinity. That seems like a minor thing today when “pastors” who deny the Trinity have bestselling books in “Christian” bookstores and show up routinely on lists of the most influential Christians. But in the 1500’s, denying the Trinity along with a list of other heresies was punishable by death. Calvin also wrote a book defending the legitimacy of executing heretics (I have not read the book) after the death of Servetus, so he was fully aware of the consequences of a man put on trial for the supposed crime of heresy. Regardless, in 1553 Michael Servetus showed up in Geneva and was arrested, tried and burned at the stake as a heretic.
Whether Calvin enthusiastically encouraged the execution of Servetus as some suggest or he merely stood by mutely while it happened as others imply, it was the wrong thing to do. It is my understanding that Calvin had Servetus arrested which led to his trial and his execution, an outcome that Calvin had to know was likely. Calvin also reportedly pled for Servetus to be beheaded instead of burned, a quicker and more humane death than being burned alive at the stake but asking for a nicer way of execution is hardly the same as a plea for mercy. All of that is irrelevant to the value of Calvin for the church. It is not a news flash that Calvin was a sinner! Christians from Paul to Augustine to Calvin to John Piper have all recognized their own sins and flaws. I would hope that people who examine my beliefs base their judgment on the truth of what I say and how it conforms to the Word of God, not on my personal flaws and foibles which are myriad.
Let’s enjoy the 500th anniversary of John Calvin without the small minded attempts to paint him as a murderer nor the knee jerk reflexive defenses of him that are unnecessary. His work and his thoughts stand on their own. Let’s celebrate the life and legacy of a man who is arguably the greatest theologian the church has known in all of his brilliance and in all of his flaws.
Inevitably, whenever Calvin comes up so does Michael Servetus. The Michael Servetus thing frankly drives me batty in two respects. First, the way that people who either misunderstand or misrepresent Calvinism throw Servetus out as an argument against Calvinism. People, Calvinism stands or falls on it’s faithfulness to the teachings of the Bible, not on the character or actions of John Calvin. Calvinism would be true even if John Calvin had never been born. Second is the way that some who cherish the teachings of the Geneva Reformer try to defend the execution of Servetus.
Some of the details are sketchy. What we know is this. Servetus was an open and unapologetic heretic who denied the Trinity. That seems like a minor thing today when “pastors” who deny the Trinity have bestselling books in “Christian” bookstores and show up routinely on lists of the most influential Christians. But in the 1500’s, denying the Trinity along with a list of other heresies was punishable by death. Calvin also wrote a book defending the legitimacy of executing heretics (I have not read the book) after the death of Servetus, so he was fully aware of the consequences of a man put on trial for the supposed crime of heresy. Regardless, in 1553 Michael Servetus showed up in Geneva and was arrested, tried and burned at the stake as a heretic.
Whether Calvin enthusiastically encouraged the execution of Servetus as some suggest or he merely stood by mutely while it happened as others imply, it was the wrong thing to do. It is my understanding that Calvin had Servetus arrested which led to his trial and his execution, an outcome that Calvin had to know was likely. Calvin also reportedly pled for Servetus to be beheaded instead of burned, a quicker and more humane death than being burned alive at the stake but asking for a nicer way of execution is hardly the same as a plea for mercy. All of that is irrelevant to the value of Calvin for the church. It is not a news flash that Calvin was a sinner! Christians from Paul to Augustine to Calvin to John Piper have all recognized their own sins and flaws. I would hope that people who examine my beliefs base their judgment on the truth of what I say and how it conforms to the Word of God, not on my personal flaws and foibles which are myriad.
Let’s enjoy the 500th anniversary of John Calvin without the small minded attempts to paint him as a murderer nor the knee jerk reflexive defenses of him that are unnecessary. His work and his thoughts stand on their own. Let’s celebrate the life and legacy of a man who is arguably the greatest theologian the church has known in all of his brilliance and in all of his flaws.
Monday, June 01, 2009
Calvin for the 21st Century Conference
There is a very cool conference coming up in Grand Rapids August 27-29 at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. The event is part of the worldwide celebration of the 500th anniversary of the great Reformer and theologian, John Calvin. The conference is Calvin for the 21st Century and the line-up of speakers is going to be great: Dr. Joel Beeke, Dr. Cornelis P. Venema, Dr. Nelson D. Kloosterman, Dr. Ligon Duncan, Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin just to name a few. As an added bonus, it is cheap for a conference at only $65 before June 27th (and only $45 for students!). You have less than a month to save before the price goes up to $90. I am certainly planning on going since it is only an hour a way, pretty cheap for a conference with this line-up of speakers and I can only use one vacation day for it.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Speaking of conferences
There is another one coming up in August, the 27th-29th. Sponsored by Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Calvin for the 21st Century. Pretty good line-up of speakers...
As a sponsor of CALVIN 500, an international event honoring Calvin in Geneva this July (see here), Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary will also be hosting a follow-up conference August 27-29 on the theme, "Calvin for the 21st Century." The conference will be held at the Prince Center in Grand Rapids, which offers first-class accommodations. The conference will feature nationally and internationally acclaimed speakers such as Jerry Bilkes, Ligon Duncan, Michael Haykin, Nelson Kloosterman, David Murray, Joseph Pipa, Neil Pronk, Donald Sinnema, Derek Thomas, and Cornel Venema. They will be addressing a variety of ways in which Calvin can assist us in understanding the Word of God, the love of God, the work of the Holy Spirit, redemption, reforming the church, ethics, the benefits of salvation, and reprobation.
Joel Beeke is also speaking. Should be a good one, and the price is right at $65 if you register by June 26th. I wonder if I can talk my wife into another conference this year?
As a special treat for book hounds, they are having a deal on books at the conference as well...
Our non-profit conference bookstore - Reformation Heritage Books - will sell many substantive titles at low prices. All RHB and Soli Deo Gloria titles will sell for 50% off the retail price! Don't forget to budget for books! Not only are you be able to purchase books at the conference center, you are welcome to visit RHB at their store located just minutes away.
Any takers?
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Sound words from over four hundred years ago...
Speaki g of Calvin...
From Calvin's commentary on the Book of Romans, in the preface:
Such veneration we ought indeed to entertain for the Word of God, that we ought not to pervert it in the least degree by varying expositions; for its majesty is diminished, I know not how much, especially when not expounded with great discretion and with great sobriety. And if it be deemed a great wickedness to contaminate any thing that is dedicated to God, he surely cannot be endured, who, with impure, or even with unprepared hands, will handle that very thing, which of all things is the most sacred on earth. It is therefore an audacity, closely allied to a sacrilege, rashly to turn Scripture in any way we please, and to indulge our fancies as in sport; which has been done-by many in former times.
From Calvin's commentary on the Book of Romans, in the preface:
Such veneration we ought indeed to entertain for the Word of God, that we ought not to pervert it in the least degree by varying expositions; for its majesty is diminished, I know not how much, especially when not expounded with great discretion and with great sobriety. And if it be deemed a great wickedness to contaminate any thing that is dedicated to God, he surely cannot be endured, who, with impure, or even with unprepared hands, will handle that very thing, which of all things is the most sacred on earth. It is therefore an audacity, closely allied to a sacrilege, rashly to turn Scripture in any way we please, and to indulge our fancies as in sport; which has been done-by many in former times.
Magnifying God: The Legacy of John Calvin Break-Out Sessions
Calvin for the Whole Church: His Influence Among Baptists, Anglicans and Beyond
I chose, no surprise, the session on Calvin's influence throughout the church, not just in traditional "Reformed" denomination traditions. It was moderated by one of the organizers of the conference, Doug Phillips from South Church in Lansing. The focus was on how Calvin has influenced the entire church, not just the Reformed denominations. I would have liked to spend more time in discussion in the smaller setting, but it was still a good lecture.
Calvin is important not just for those who adhere to every jot and tittle he ever penned, but is an influence on all sorts of Christians. I love much of what he wrote and even where I disagree with him, I still marvel at his love for the Word, how Scripture saturated and how carefully he handled the Word of God. We could all learn to emulate Calvin in the way we handle the Bible, Calvinists and non-Calvinists alike.
I chose, no surprise, the session on Calvin's influence throughout the church, not just in traditional "Reformed" denomination traditions. It was moderated by one of the organizers of the conference, Doug Phillips from South Church in Lansing. The focus was on how Calvin has influenced the entire church, not just the Reformed denominations. I would have liked to spend more time in discussion in the smaller setting, but it was still a good lecture.
Calvin is important not just for those who adhere to every jot and tittle he ever penned, but is an influence on all sorts of Christians. I love much of what he wrote and even where I disagree with him, I still marvel at his love for the Word, how Scripture saturated and how carefully he handled the Word of God. We could all learn to emulate Calvin in the way we handle the Bible, Calvinists and non-Calvinists alike.
Magnifying God: The Legacy of John Calvin Session 4
Calvin’s Kin: Where They’re Headed
Collin Hansen finished his talks with a look to the future. I have kind of weighed in on this before. He really looked a lot at why Reformed theology seems to flourish in secular schools more so than "Christian" schools, even schools like Calvin College that bear the name of Calvin.
Collin attributes a lot of it as hand in hand with urban ministry. In those settings, being a Calvinist is not controversial, being a Christian is controversial! Calvinism is also academically rigorous, demanding, hard but rewarding. He is a big fan of "Gospel outposts" in the big urban areas, where ideas spread outward.
I think that much of it stems from the fact that in a secular school, if you are going to be a Christian, you are going to be persecuted to an extent. You either grow stronger in your faith or leave it all together and demonstrate that you never really were committed to it in the first place. It is easy to be a cultural Christian at a Christian school because it is likely no one will challenge your faith, so you can drift along just like you can in a big, institutional church. Plus in a secular school, you are free to read the Bible and great theologians without being influenced by some of the elements in "Christian" schools that tend to be hostile in most cases to Reformed theology.
Collin Hansen finished his talks with a look to the future. I have kind of weighed in on this before. He really looked a lot at why Reformed theology seems to flourish in secular schools more so than "Christian" schools, even schools like Calvin College that bear the name of Calvin.
Collin attributes a lot of it as hand in hand with urban ministry. In those settings, being a Calvinist is not controversial, being a Christian is controversial! Calvinism is also academically rigorous, demanding, hard but rewarding. He is a big fan of "Gospel outposts" in the big urban areas, where ideas spread outward.
I think that much of it stems from the fact that in a secular school, if you are going to be a Christian, you are going to be persecuted to an extent. You either grow stronger in your faith or leave it all together and demonstrate that you never really were committed to it in the first place. It is easy to be a cultural Christian at a Christian school because it is likely no one will challenge your faith, so you can drift along just like you can in a big, institutional church. Plus in a secular school, you are free to read the Bible and great theologians without being influenced by some of the elements in "Christian" schools that tend to be hostile in most cases to Reformed theology.
Magnifying God: The Legacy of John Calvin Session 3
Calvin’s Kin: What They’re Facing
The third session was another session by Collin Hansen and his focus was on the challenges faced by Calvinists today, some external but much internal.
The external challenges are manifested in things like the strife in the Southern Baptist Convention over Calvinism, where it is not something minor but (I believe) threatens schism in the SBC. Much of it is overblown rhetoric, like the Ergun Caner assertion that Calvinists are worse than Muslims. More on this to come, as Tom Ascol at Founders has a very compelling blog post on this very issue.
The other side of the coin is the the internal fighting among Calvinists. Calvinists are often cannibals, eating our own. Collin brought up the "Truly Reformed" idea and the whole topic made the room uncomfortable.
The elephant in the room was infant baptism, and the tension between the old school Presbyterian Calvinists and the new, Reformed baptist Calvinists who seem to be dominating the scene. There were a few questions on this, but the issue was skirted a lot.
Collin is clearly, based on what he said and wrote, more of a Together for the Gospel guy than a White Horse Inn guy. As a Baptist who is Calvinist, perhaps his view is colored by his doctrine, but it is apparent that other than a few places, the wave of the future of Calvin's kin is in T4G, in Reformed Baptists, SBC churches pastored by Southern Seminary graduates. The next wave of Reformed leaders are almost all Baptists. The White Horse Inn guys can hide away in their "Truly Reformed" gatehouse, but the movement is passing them by.
The third session was another session by Collin Hansen and his focus was on the challenges faced by Calvinists today, some external but much internal.
The external challenges are manifested in things like the strife in the Southern Baptist Convention over Calvinism, where it is not something minor but (I believe) threatens schism in the SBC. Much of it is overblown rhetoric, like the Ergun Caner assertion that Calvinists are worse than Muslims. More on this to come, as Tom Ascol at Founders has a very compelling blog post on this very issue.
The other side of the coin is the the internal fighting among Calvinists. Calvinists are often cannibals, eating our own. Collin brought up the "Truly Reformed" idea and the whole topic made the room uncomfortable.
The elephant in the room was infant baptism, and the tension between the old school Presbyterian Calvinists and the new, Reformed baptist Calvinists who seem to be dominating the scene. There were a few questions on this, but the issue was skirted a lot.
Collin is clearly, based on what he said and wrote, more of a Together for the Gospel guy than a White Horse Inn guy. As a Baptist who is Calvinist, perhaps his view is colored by his doctrine, but it is apparent that other than a few places, the wave of the future of Calvin's kin is in T4G, in Reformed Baptists, SBC churches pastored by Southern Seminary graduates. The next wave of Reformed leaders are almost all Baptists. The White Horse Inn guys can hide away in their "Truly Reformed" gatehouse, but the movement is passing them by.
Magnifying God: The Legacy of John Calvin Session 2
All Men are Like Grass: The Life of John Calvin
The first morning session was presented by Kevin DeYoung, the host pastor at University Reformed Church. The title was taken from Isaiah 40: 6-8
A voice says, "Cry!" And I said, "What shall I cry?" All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isa 40:6-8)
The central point he made was that Calvin doesn't have a love-hate relationship, he has a love or hate relationship. People either love and revere Calvin and what he taught, or they hate what he taught and everything about him. It is true that Calvin, like all of us, had faults and some of those faults (i.e. impatience) have passed down to his "kin".
The session was mostly a historical overview of Calvin's life, which is something that is not documented that well and not studied by many Calvinists, but I think that it gives you a view of the man, who he was, where he came from and what sorts of ideas helped form his study of the Bible. Overall, Calvin was a man who can be described (as Kevin DeYoung did) "His life was consumed by the Word of God" and a man who saw his universe through the lens of God is infinitely big and we are small.
The one thing I kept thinking was that John Calvin was the last good thing to come out of France...
The first morning session was presented by Kevin DeYoung, the host pastor at University Reformed Church. The title was taken from Isaiah 40: 6-8
A voice says, "Cry!" And I said, "What shall I cry?" All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isa 40:6-8)
The central point he made was that Calvin doesn't have a love-hate relationship, he has a love or hate relationship. People either love and revere Calvin and what he taught, or they hate what he taught and everything about him. It is true that Calvin, like all of us, had faults and some of those faults (i.e. impatience) have passed down to his "kin".
The session was mostly a historical overview of Calvin's life, which is something that is not documented that well and not studied by many Calvinists, but I think that it gives you a view of the man, who he was, where he came from and what sorts of ideas helped form his study of the Bible. Overall, Calvin was a man who can be described (as Kevin DeYoung did) "His life was consumed by the Word of God" and a man who saw his universe through the lens of God is infinitely big and we are small.
The one thing I kept thinking was that John Calvin was the last good thing to come out of France...
Friday, February 20, 2009
Magnifying God: The Legacy of John Calvin Session 1
Calvin’s Kin: Why They’re Multiplying
Tonight was the opening session of the Magnifying God: The Legacy of John Calvin conference at University Reformed Church in East Lansing (across the street from Michigan State University). Quite a few people for a midsized town holding a theology conference celebrating John Calvin on a Friday night. A mixed bag of young and old. The first session was quite good and it should be a good day of teaching tomorrow.
Collin Hansen opened up the conference with a look at why Calvin's kin (those who embrace much of his teachings) are multiplying so rapidly recently. Calvinism has always had pockets in places like Grand Rapids and northern Iowa, but it has gone mainstream in spite of what Collin called Calvin's "image problem". After a brief overview of Reformed theology so we are all on the same page, Collin listed three reasons for the upswing in interest in Calvinism:
Tonight was the opening session of the Magnifying God: The Legacy of John Calvin conference at University Reformed Church in East Lansing (across the street from Michigan State University). Quite a few people for a midsized town holding a theology conference celebrating John Calvin on a Friday night. A mixed bag of young and old. The first session was quite good and it should be a good day of teaching tomorrow.
Collin Hansen opened up the conference with a look at why Calvin's kin (those who embrace much of his teachings) are multiplying so rapidly recently. Calvinism has always had pockets in places like Grand Rapids and northern Iowa, but it has gone mainstream in spite of what Collin called Calvin's "image problem". After a brief overview of Reformed theology so we are all on the same page, Collin listed three reasons for the upswing in interest in Calvinism:
- Transformation: The transforming work of God in people's lives; dramatic conversions of "first generation Reformed" people; transformative teachers leading the Reformed charge.
- Tradition: A return to the pastor-theologian model, Piper as an example and he emulates Jonathan Edwards; a new appreciation of ancient practices; Ligon Duncan: Young people seeking formal, historical, transcendent worship.
- Transcendence: The idea of the Christian life as not being about you, but rather being about God is the first step to Calvinism;
Friday, January 23, 2009
Magnifying God: The Legacy of John Calvin - East Lansing, MI Feb 20-21
Just in time for us moving in there is a pretty cool sounding conference that will be all of 3 ½ miles from our new home. The speakers should be good, somewhat different from some of the, ahem, older speakers you normally get at conferences…
Conference Speakers
Collin Hansen, Keynote Speaker
An editor at large for Christianity Today, Hansen is the author of the book, Young, Restless, Reformed: A Journalist’s Journey with the New Calvinists, which was published in March, 2008.
Adam Barr
A graduate of Hope College, Adam earned a ThM from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and did PhD work at Westminster Theological Seminary. Adam is currently a pastor at Corinth Reformed Church (Grand Rapids) and president of Borderlands.
Kevin DeYoung
A graduate of Hope College and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Kevin is the co-author of Why We're Not Emergent: By Two Guys Who Should Be and is the senior pastor of University Reformed Church (East Lansing).
Jason Helopoulos
A graduate of Eastern Illinois University, Jason earned a ThM in Historical Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. Currently he is the founding pastor of Providence Presbyterian Church (East Lansing).
Doug Phillips
A graduate of Cedarville University and Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, Doug currently serves as executive pastor for ministries at South Church (Lansing).
The downside is that day two of the conference is my wedding anniversary, I am sure my wife won’t mind me going to a conference that day though…
Magnifying God: The Legacy of John Calvin - East Lansing, MI Feb 20-21
Conference Speakers
Collin Hansen, Keynote Speaker
An editor at large for Christianity Today, Hansen is the author of the book, Young, Restless, Reformed: A Journalist’s Journey with the New Calvinists, which was published in March, 2008.
Adam Barr
A graduate of Hope College, Adam earned a ThM from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and did PhD work at Westminster Theological Seminary. Adam is currently a pastor at Corinth Reformed Church (Grand Rapids) and president of Borderlands.
Kevin DeYoung
A graduate of Hope College and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Kevin is the co-author of Why We're Not Emergent: By Two Guys Who Should Be and is the senior pastor of University Reformed Church (East Lansing).
Jason Helopoulos
A graduate of Eastern Illinois University, Jason earned a ThM in Historical Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. Currently he is the founding pastor of Providence Presbyterian Church (East Lansing).
Doug Phillips
A graduate of Cedarville University and Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, Doug currently serves as executive pastor for ministries at South Church (Lansing).
The downside is that day two of the conference is my wedding anniversary, I am sure my wife won’t mind me going to a conference that day though…
Magnifying God: The Legacy of John Calvin - East Lansing, MI Feb 20-21
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