Monday, October 18, 2004
John Calvin?
Just this weekend I bought a book on the reformation in europe by some random loser. He is Abdrew Chibi and is writing as an atheistic humanist on the issues. Interesting to see I was interested and so read his chapter on Calvin. The author makes some quite astounding statements. I'll put a few down for you to wonder at how anyone can reach such conclusions...
But he wrote his institutes just as a side, a laff? hmmm... Our politicians quote his ethical statements all the time but his teaching doesn't influence a large proportionan of evangelical, reformed Christians today?
Did I quote that correctly? Yes, I did. Has this guy read anything of Calvin? No, he hasn't. I have no quotes here at hand but will produce them for you some day.
It would be nice if this man quoted Calvin...
Pretty scary non? That people can write that?
"Calvin himself had relatively little interest in doctrine... The
impact he made was institutional, social and ethical (rather than
religious)"
But he wrote his institutes just as a side, a laff? hmmm... Our politicians quote his ethical statements all the time but his teaching doesn't influence a large proportionan of evangelical, reformed Christians today?
"Like the Romans, humanists and Luther, Calvin agreed that God was the
omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent Creator of the universe, just and active
in human affairs. For these others however, God is love, at which
point Calvin parts company [!]"
Did I quote that correctly? Yes, I did. Has this guy read anything of Calvin? No, he hasn't. I have no quotes here at hand but will produce them for you some day.
"Luther... hinted that the elect could recognise themselves... Calvin was
having none of this. He said it was impossible to tell if you were
elect"
It would be nice if this man quoted Calvin...
So Jesus' human nature was flawed and deserving of judgement?"A loving God might well sacrifice, but would a just God have done so for the sake of a mankind beneath his notice?...
...by dividing Jesus' nature into its Divine (perfect) and human (flawed) constituencies. By punishing Jesus' human nature, and not his divine nature God was just."
Pretty scary non? That people can write that?
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