On Celebrating Calvin's 500th Birthday
An Opportunity to glimpse 500 years of IC History
No doubt you have heard something of the celebrations now underway marking the birth of one of Protestantism's most influential individuals, John Calvin. So what does that have to do with us here at SimpleChurch? As Paul once said, "much in every way". Let me try to suggest a few things.
First of all, placing him in his context regarding the Protestant Reformation will give us some much needed sense of both our heritage as Bible-believing, Christ-following, Church-centered, members of the redeemed humanity. It can give us the stabalizing assurance that we are in fact a part of God's main flow of redemptive history, not just a small off-shoot in the back-waters of Christianity. Of course you already know through the Ministry of Christ's Spirit in the inner spirit together with personal ongoing discovery through His living Word all about God's global activity of forming for Himself a People, a habitation, a Kingdom of Priests. But what does this look like in real-time world history?
Calvin is actually placed in the second generation of the Magisterial Reformers. By the time the Lord brought him into the Kingdom, the Protestant movement had already established itself in a number of ways, including some very basic divisions along such things as how to celebrate the Lord's Supper, and how to govern the Lord's churches. You may be a little surprised to find out just how much Calvin fought for the purity of the Church, while recognizing the reality of her impurity, fought for her diversity while insisting on her Unity, and even the extent which he emphasized the primacy of the local church. All these things and more provide us an incredible insight into the state of Christianity, at least in the West, 500 years ago, and just how deep the grooves of what we call the IC run. Oh yes, and not only the Protestant wing of the IC, but we will have an excellent observation point to see into the RC at this time as well. For Calvin was not all protests, but is an example of one who labored, based upon his own convictions (liberty of conscience) to attempt to heal the divisions in the name of unity of the universal Church.
With the hope that some may want to read and study this chapter of Church history during this 500th birthday party, I will post here a link to an article posted on (where else), the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, surveying John Calvin's life-long efforts on behalf of the Church of Jesus Christ and her Unity.
Calvin on Unity of The Church
Do you think of yourself as an "Heir of the Protestant Reformation"?
No doubt you have heard something of the celebrations now underway marking the birth of one of Protestantism's most influential individuals, John Calvin. So what does that have to do with us here at SimpleChurch? As Paul once said, "much in every way". Let me try to suggest a few things.
First of all, placing him in his context regarding the Protestant Reformation will give us some much needed sense of both our heritage as Bible-believing, Christ-following, Church-centered, members of the redeemed humanity. It can give us the stabalizing assurance that we are in fact a part of God's main flow of redemptive history, not just a small off-shoot in the back-waters of Christianity. Of course you already know through the Ministry of Christ's Spirit in the inner spirit together with personal ongoing discovery through His living Word all about God's global activity of forming for Himself a People, a habitation, a Kingdom of Priests. But what does this look like in real-time world history?
Calvin is actually placed in the second generation of the Magisterial Reformers. By the time the Lord brought him into the Kingdom, the Protestant movement had already established itself in a number of ways, including some very basic divisions along such things as how to celebrate the Lord's Supper, and how to govern the Lord's churches. You may be a little surprised to find out just how much Calvin fought for the purity of the Church, while recognizing the reality of her impurity, fought for her diversity while insisting on her Unity, and even the extent which he emphasized the primacy of the local church. All these things and more provide us an incredible insight into the state of Christianity, at least in the West, 500 years ago, and just how deep the grooves of what we call the IC run. Oh yes, and not only the Protestant wing of the IC, but we will have an excellent observation point to see into the RC at this time as well. For Calvin was not all protests, but is an example of one who labored, based upon his own convictions (liberty of conscience) to attempt to heal the divisions in the name of unity of the universal Church.
With the hope that some may want to read and study this chapter of Church history during this 500th birthday party, I will post here a link to an article posted on (where else), the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, surveying John Calvin's life-long efforts on behalf of the Church of Jesus Christ and her Unity.
Calvin on Unity of The Church
Do you think of yourself as an "Heir of the Protestant Reformation"?
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Tags: Calvin, Church, Reformation, Unity, history
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