Happy Birthday John Calvin -- #500


I almost missed it, today is John Calvin's 500th birthday. While I'm not a Calvinist, like most Protestants I owe at least some of my heritage to the Genevan Reformer. Although coming after Luther and Zwingli, Calvin's influence is wide and deep, and for the most part deeper than Zwingli's.

Like Paul, it's likely that Calvin's followers have more to do with his reputation -- especially the negative parts -- than he himself does. There is much that I don't care for in Calvin's theology, but there is much to commend as well. He is part of our heritage, whether we agree with his take on such things as penal substitution or predestination. I happen to like much of what he wrote on the Eucharist -- the idea of spiritual presence is an improvement on Zwingli's more memorialistic view.

I will try to speak more to the man and his legacy, but for now, let me say Happy Birthday!

Comments

Allan R. Bevere said…
As a committed Wesleyan I say, "Happy birthday, Father Calvin-- a great systematic theologian and exegete!"
jacob said…
If you want to read about John Calvin from the Jewish perspective and his assault against the true messiah of Israel Marcus Julius Agrippa read Stephan Huller's blog entry at www.stephanhuller.blogspot.com entitled 'the Day of John Calvin the accursed, may his bones be ground into the dust.' It will help round your opinion of this accursed man.

May his bones truly be ground into dust

Jacob

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