you know you are presbyterian when you spend a GORGEOUS sunday afternoon inside reading john calvin... and don't hate it.
surprise, surprise, i appreciate calvin's thoughts and theology much more than i thought i would. today's highlight:
"If to anyone the authority of the church is doubtful, he is impious and contentious, not only to the church but also to the Spirit of Christ, by whose direction the church is without doubt ruled."
no, he wasn't accusing people who questioned the church of being impious, he was describing the religious climate in which questions were considered a sign of disbelief. this is not new? i know that there are many religious communities that welcome, with open arms, minds and hearts, any and all questions. but i also know that there are just as many that don't... that judge the questions in just the way that calvin described.
what makes me sad is that the second group tends to be louder.
i will take comfort in my apparent solidarity with calvin (at least on this) and put my hope in the Spirit to overcome the loud voices that shutdown the questions and the conversation.
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6 comments:
I still love you even when you're one with Calvin.
have you ever read calvin? you might be surprised...
Calvinist site TheAmericanView.com.
My date with Calvin ended in bed...quite a hot first date!
I felt the same way the first time I ever really read Calvin, especially when I went to the predestination stuff that seemed to get everyone else all uptight. I remember that reading, in particular, made me think Calvin was more focused on decentralizing the power of the church to decide who is "saved" and who isn't. It's not often we hear about Calvin described in terms of the radical reformer he really was.
Which is not to say he was perfect (Michael Severtus, anyone?), but I affirm your date with Calvin :-)
i totally think we can commune with Calvin, even get theology and wisdom with him w/o agreeing with everything he says. some of it seems more political than theological anyway...
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