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!
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
May his bones truly be ground into dust
Jacob