John Calvin: Some Reflections on the Man, His Theology and the Issues of Autonomy and Responsibility
Abstract
Whenever the name of John Calvin comes up in discussion, there is an immediate identification of the man with the awesome "doctrine of double predestination." Generally connected with this overpowering doctrine is the attitude that since everything has already been determined by this all-powerful, all-everything God, it is not necessary for us as human beings to do anything, for nothing in terms of our ultimate destiny will be changed by any action or behavior on our part. This is not only most unfortunate; it is fundamentally inaccurate in its assessment of John Calvin. Simply: double predestination was not the primary assumption in John Calvin's theology; nor did Calvin ever suggest that we should be idlers in our daily activities. What follows here is a brief account of the person John Calvin, his theological assumptions and some of the moral implications consequent upon those assumptions. Theology never occurs in a vacuum and thus we must place the great Genevan in his proper historical and theological context. Most of the citations of Calvin are taken from the comprehensive Corpus Reformatorum: Joannis Calvini Opera Omnia. In this collection there are fifty-nine quarto volumes.
Recommended Citation
Anderson, William P.
(1997)
"John Calvin: Some Reflections on the Man, His Theology and the Issues of Autonomy and Responsibility,"
University of Dayton Review: Vol. 25:
No.
1, Article 6.
Available at:
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/udr/vol25/iss1/6
