Calvin: 15 Books on his 500th Birthday

Today is the 500th anniversary of John Calvin's birthday. Having written [read: still writing] my MDiv Thesis on his Pneumatology, I have spent the past year becoming acquainted with the massive field of Calvin scholarship. In several weeks I will begin posting on my thesis, but today I would just like to mention several books that I have found particularly helpful and enjoyable over the past year. Since my research pertains to Calvin's doctrines of Union with Christ and the Trinity, many of these books will overlap on these themes.

As far as biographies go, my professor had us read Bernard Cotrett's Calvin, though I found it relatively pedantic and uninteresting. William Bouwsma's John Calvin: A Sixteenth-Century Portrait is much more intriguing, partly for stylistic reasons and partly for some of its controversial interpretations. Though I have not read it, many have commended T. H. L. Parker's John Calvin: A Biography.

Calvin is most known for his magnum opus, The Institutes of Christian Religion. Calvin published several editions in both French and Latin, though there are only a handful in English: the 1536, 1541, and the 1559 edition (Beveridge [free at CCEL] or McNeill) known to most. Even if you already own Beveridge, in order to read, enjoy or understand Calvin, McNeill is worth its $50.00 price tag. Scholars often make the mistake of treating the Institutes as if it was written in a theological-historical vacuum. But the overwhelming consensus among modern Calvin scholarship is that the Institutes should not and ultimately cannot be isolated from Calvin's exegetical writings - especially his commentaries, offered as a 22 volume set ($120) by CBD or free online at CCEL.org.

In order to understand Calvin's theology, one must place it within its historical context. For this, few are as good as Richard Mueller's The Unaccommodated Calvin, which explores the purpose, genre, and structure of the Institutes. Calvin: Origin and Development of His Religious Thought by Francois Wendel is widely regarded as a masterpiece and, therefore, as the standard on the content of Calvin's theology and the way in which it progressed. Though a translation and a bit dated, this is the first book to buy on Calvin's theology. The second book is Wilhelm Niesel's The Theology of Calvin. Niesel's work is shorter and less comprehensive, but tightly written and immanently quotable.

There are a few select topics in Calvin's theology which offer insight into aspects of all of his thought, here are just a few. First, Calvin's Christology is the center of constant debate throughout his theological career. David Willis' book, Calvin's Catholic Christology: The Function of the So-Called 'Extra Calvinisticum' in Calvin's Theology, is the definitive work here and deserves a reading by any interested in either Calvin or Christology. Since it is out of print, you are not likely to buy it. But at only around 200 pages, it is an easy (and well invested) day at the library.

Second, knowledge plays a robust role in Calvin's doctrines of sin, faith, revelation, and God. Two books need to be mentioned here: Edward Dowey's The Knowledge of God in Calvin's Theology and T. H. L. Parker's Calvin's Doctrine of the Knowledge of God. The two represent opposing sides in the Barth/Brunner debate over Calvin's stance on natural revelation and though I think Dowey is more convincing in this regard, I think Parker's attention to the structure of the Institutes is more likely.

Finally, by all accounts, Calvin's soteriology is heavily dependent upon union with Christ. This is some of the best of Calvin's writing and the best way to make entrance into its intricacies is through his Sacramentology. There are scores of books on this topic, many of which are very learned and helpful. If I had only one book to recommend, however, it would be Brian Gerrish's Grace and Gratitude: The Eucharistic Theology of John Calvin. Though the reader will not always be charmed by his movement from Interpreter to Analyst, Gerrish ably and succinctly traces the Eucharistic theme throughout a variety of topics in Calvin's theology, making this the single best volume for introducing the reader to the ins and outs of Calvin's Sacramentology.

There are dozens of other books which I might suggest - these are only a few. Hopefully, you'll make time to read this timeless theologian in 2009, to contemplate his insights into Christian doctrine, and to savor the beauty of God upon which Calvin's faith grew strong. For, as Calvin use to say, "Those for whom doctrine is tasteless ought to be thought of as lacking taste buds."

So Now What?

After six years in my MDiv, a lot of people have been asking me what my plans are now. I figured that since many of those who pray for me most regularly read this blog, this would be a great place to state my plans. This summer I am doing three things: working part-time at my church, The Orchard Evangelical Free Church, as the Intern for College Ministry; putting the finishing touches on my MDiv Thesis, which I will post on once I finish it; and spending some down-time with Julie and Maddy.

However, this next year holds some exciting things for our family. Starting August 1st, I will be joining the staff at The Orchard full-time, where my responsibilities will include pastoral care and mentoring, administration over the Saturday night service, and leading the College Ministry. Also beginning in August, Julie will return to school to finish the MA in Education, nearly half of which she had completed before Madison's arrival. This will involve several more classes, a practicum, and a thesis. If the Lord allows, we hope for her to complete this by the end of next summer.

Many of you who are closest to me know that for some time I have been deliberating between pursuing Pastoral or Academic ministry. Guidance in making this decision was a major motivation behind moving to Chicago and receiving training at TEDS. After two years here, the decision is not any clearer: about three months ago I received strong encouragement from my Thesis Reader to pursue academic ministry, and at about the same time my church called me to the pastorate. After long conversations with many [patient] counsellors and friends, I felt it best to agree to serve at the church for a period of one year, during the course of which we can better assess if I am suitably gifted for pastoral ministry while also making application to PhD and/or ThM programs in Systematic Theology. Currently, I am most interested in Aberdeen, Wheaton, and St. Andrews.

We would appreciate your prayers over the next year as we are confident that this will be pivotal in determining our family's direction and ministry focus. Please pray that God would give us a year of fruitful ministry at The Orchard, strengthening the church and proclaiming the gospel. Pray also that God would provide wisdom, creativity, and support to balance family, church, work, and school responsibilities. Pray that as I make application to various PhD and/or ThM programs that God would give me patience, sober-mindedness, wisdom, and humility to discern which program [if any] would be the best place to prepare for future service to Christ. Finally, pray that God would grant wisdom to our counsellors and that his providence would make our path straight.

Courage for Preaching from Calvin

"We see that [Christ] was anointed by the Spirit to be herald and witness of the Father's grace. And that not in the common way -- for he is distinguished from other teachers with a similar office. ON the other hand, we must not this: he received anointing, non only for himself that he might carry out the office of teaching, but for his whole body that the power of the Spirit might be present in the continuing preaching of the gospel. This, however, remains certain: the perfect doctrine he has brought has made an end to all prophecies. All those, then, who, not content with the gospel, patch it with something extraneous to it, detract from Christ's authority."

- Institutes II.xv.2

Praise for My Wife on the Occasion of my Graduation from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Unlike the time it took me to graduate, I'll keep this short.  In August of 2006, I sat down and told Julie that I felt it was time to make a change.  We had been at CBTS for three years, but feelings that God wanted me to do PhD studies and conflicts with the school over the Sovereign Grace Church we were attending were beginning to make it plain that it was time for us to go.  Three years is a long time to be a grad student - even longer to support one.  But when I sat Julie down to explain the possibility of moving to TEDS to finish my MDiv, she was immediately in full support.  I knew that she would be - everything about Julie is supportive of me.  So we decided, and we moved, and we lost about 30 credits in the transfer, and we started over again in Chicago.

Last week I was driving down the road thinking about what my experience at TEDS has meant to me and how thankful I am that God directed me here.  For years I had wanted to make an exit from Fundamentalism, but could not muster the courage.  For almost as long, I felt the desire to study in a place that would push me academically and prepare me for academic ministry.  The move to TEDS afforded both of these and more.  Not only was I able to make new contacts in an Evangelical world with which I had no acquaintance [Colin Hansen was the first person I met on campus . . . standing in front of me waiting for a parking pass], and not only was the degree held in high academic esteem, but I also got to study under men whose writing had shaped me intellectually, theologically, and morally.

But all at once, it became clear to me for the first time that while the move to TEDS was motivation enough for me, Julie had no compelling reason to come.  She never read Kevin Vanhoozer [though she did read some D. A. Carson].  Julie had never dreamed of a PhD or theological academia.  Julie came for me.  She left a comfortable town house which we had worked together to make into a lovely home, and moved into an apartment that looks as if we lived in the Warsaw Ghetto so that I could fulfill a dream of mine.  She left a job she loved, teaching children whose parents loved and appreciated her, to take a job teaching the underprivileged on the West Side of Chicago - the first day of school for both of us, she called me crying: "I can't do this."  She has done it for two years now with what the principal has called the hardest class she has ever seen, so that my ministry could benefit from Cultural Hermeneutics.  She left our convenient location in Greenbrier, just a three minute drive from work, to commuting an hour both ways each day, so that I could have the joy of taking Calvin with Dr. Manetsch.  She willingly gave up my completion of the MDiv in four years, and graciously accepted a two year extension so that I could hear Dr. Sweeney lecture on Jonathan Edwards.  She came here for me.

Graduate school is difficult.  And I suppose that it is natural at the end of such a long road for us to consider with gratitude all of those who have supported us in our studies.  If time permitted, I would thank my many friends who have challenged my thinking, family who have patiently prayed for and encouraged my academic pursuits, my parents who first taught me about Jesus, professors who instructed me the spiritual discipline of intellectual morality, and my churches [Berean Bible Fellowship, The Orchard and Sovereign Grace Church] which have patiently encouraged and supported me in my studies while they waited for me to understand that Revelation was given to them by God - it is theirs and for their benefit - and that my calling is to be a humble minister of this grace to them.  As much as I have received from all of these and as much as I am indebted to them for their kindness, none of them have so completely poured themselves out for this accomplishment like Julie has.  For the past six years, Julie has made herself of no reputation and taken on the form of a servant so that I could be equipped for the ministry, and while the degree I'll hang on my wall will only bear my name, I want her to know that I know the truth - it's more hers than it is mine.

Luther and the Five Points of Calvinism: A Closer Look by Dr. Doug Sweeney

On Wednesday of last week (4.15.09), I took some time out from writing my thesis to attend a lecture sponsored by The Aldersgate Society featuring TEDS own professor of Church History, Dr. Douglas Sweeney.  Dr. Sweeney is a gifted scholar and historian, an world-leading specialist in life and thought of Jonathan Edwards, and a confessional Lutheran.  Though my schedule in these last several weeks of the semester is always demanding, having taken Dr. Sweeney's Edwards class and knowing how skilled he is at historical theology, I made time.  But I also had additional motivation.  Many [I use this term loosely] of my readers come to Luther's Stein looking for an answer to just this question - Was Luther a Calvinist?  Here I will briefly sketch Dr. Sweeney's answer.  The headings and citations are taken from Dr. Sweeney's handout, "Lutherans and the Five Points of Calvinism".

Introduction: 2 reasons why this could be a bad question, but isn't

A.  It is Anachronistic:  Simply put, Luther was a 1st generation reformer.  Calvin was a 2nd generation reformer, and Arminius was a 3rd generation reformer.  Luther knew nothing whatsoever of the later debates within the Reformed camp about the TULIP.

B.  It is Parochial: It concerns itself with a debate that is somewhat isolated within one tradition.

C.  It is a Valid Question:  Though particular to one theological tradition and a bit anachronistic, in as much as Luther dealt with the Biblical text he discussed theological issues related to the concerns of the TULIP.  Dr. Sweeney found this to be an interesting question, in part, because he was not aware of anyone who had done anything on the topic.

Total Depravity: "yes, but let's be careful"

Dr. Sweeney argued that while Luther held to Total Depravity [and it would seem, total inability] (Augsburg Confession [1530], Art 2), believing that original sin corrupts the whole of human nature leaving nothing "sound or uncorrupted" (Formula of Concord [1557], Epitome, Art. 1).   At the same time, Luther was careful to avoid any notion that this depravity in some way constitutes the substance of the human soul.  Rather, sin is a philosophically accidental quality of man; not human nature itself, but its derangement (Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Art. I).

Unconditional Election: "yes and no (and no double predestination)"

Drawing on Luther's characteristically strong-willed denial of free will in Bondage of the Will, Sweeney argued that Luther did, in fact, believe in something like unconditional election (Bondage of the Will [1525], 7.18).  Luther's acceptance of this doctrine is of course deeply connected to the psychological torment he felt from later Nominalist teachings on the nature of the security of personal salvation.  Early Lutherans and Lutheran confessions followed Luther in this regard (Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Art. 11; Epitome, Art. 11).  However, as Lutheranism began to gain distance from Catholicism, later Lutherans diverged from this teaching out of pastoral concern that the people stand confidently upon the promises of God rather drowning in uncertainty in an attempt to discern their own election in the hidden will of God (David Hollaz [272] and Johann Quenstedt [288-289] as quoted in Heinrich Schmid, Doctrinal Theology of the Evangelical Lutheran Church). 

Limited Atonement: "no"

Though Lutherans didn't begin to discuss limited atonement until after the Calvinist-Arminian controversy, according to Sweeney, Luther held unambiguously to a universal atonement which places him in opposition to the Calvinist doctrine of Limited Atonement (Forumula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Art. 11).  Later Lutherans likewise affirmed a universal atonement (Quenstedt [363] and Johann Gerhard [363] in Doctrinal Theology of the Evangelical Lutheran Church).

Irresistible Grace: "a poorly phrased doctrine"

Luther's language about the "beast of burden" in Bondage of the Will provides Dr. Sweeney with his entry point into this issue.  Luther described the will as a donkey with one of two riders: God or the devil.  He rejoiced that there was no freedom of will, claiming that were he to have it, he would be irrevocably lost (7.18).  If the will is to ride a straight course, God must be its rider.  Salvation is thus "not of our own strength or counsel, but depends on the working of God alone" (2.8).  Yet, at the end of his life, Luther became increasingly aware that some were using God's sovereign will as an excuse for immoral living.  In a lecture on Genesis 26:9, Luther emphasized the inscrutability of God's eternal will and encouraged his people to trust God's revealed promises and not to attempt to know His secret predestination, claiming the devil often discourages by such arrogance.  Later editions of Bondage of the Will (1546), though not overturning the necessity of human response corresponding to God's work of drawing, nevertheless came to include a qualification that God's operation in the will does not involve any "compulsion" but rather involves Him granting a "sheer pleasure or desire" that is congruent with "true freedom."  It is debated whether this paragraph was included by Luther himself, or by some other hand.  

Later Lutherans argued that while human beings "resist the Word and will of God until God awakens them", God does not "force" people to trust him.  "The Lord draws those people whom he wants to convert and does so in such a way that an enlightened understanding is fashioned out of a darkened understanding and an obedient will is fashioned out of a rebellious will" (Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Art. 2; cf. Leonhard Hutter in Doctrinal Theology of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, 475).

Perseverance of the Saints: "not in the way that many assume"

While Luther did appear to believe that salvation was based on the eternal, sovereign, unconditional, and effectual will of God, he also appears to have taught and believed that those who were once regenerate could lose the Holy Spirit and fall from grace (Smalcald Articles [1537], 3.3).  The church had seen many who had been baptized as infants walk away from their faith and, since the church closely associated peado-baptism with the promise of conversion, it often regarded these as regenerates whom the Spirit had vacated (Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Art. II).  Strangely, Luther also believed that the elect would persevere according to God's eternal decree, creating the possibility that one might be "saved" [that is, in-dwelt by the Spirit], though not elect.  Nevertheless, the regeneration of the apostate may be regained by repentance (David Hollaz in Doctrinal Theology of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, 465).

Conclusion:

Dr. Sweeney concluded with a complaint and a call.  His complaint was that Lutherans are often regarded as people of "paradox" (e.g. Neibuhr's, Christ and Culture), which is a diplomatic way of saying they are confused.  The Lutheran concern to maintain tensions found in scripture should not be regarded as a confusion or lack of commitment to Systematic Theology.  His call was for a more irenic tone in debates between Calvinists and Arminians, who often ignore their massive historical and theological congruity in favor of their differences, particularly within the EFCA.

Books of Interest:

Here are several of the books Dr. Sweeney recommended for further study:

1.  Edited by Kolb, Wengert, and Schaffer, The Book of Concord

2. Heinrich Schmid, Doctrinal Theology of the Evangelical Lutheran Church

3. Heinrich Heppe, Reformed Dogmatics

4. Robert Kolb, Bound Choice, Election, and Wittenberg Theological Method

Holding Bravely with Both Hands: Union with Christ as the Ground of the Christian's Assurance of Salvation

This past weekend, while preaching at Raccoon River Bible Camp and reading the Institutes, I came across this passage dealing with the nature of the Christian's assurance of Salvation.  Calvin is attacking a "half-papist" teaching that claims Christian existence necessarily involves a perpetual dialectic between fear and hope:

"Whenever we look upon Christ, they confess that we find full occasion for good hope in him.  But because we are always unworthy of all those benefits which are offered to us in Christ, they would have us waver and hesitate at the sight of our unworthiness.  In brief, they so set conscience between hope and fear that it alternates from one to the other intermittently and by turns.  They so relate hope and fear that when the former is rising up the latter is oppressed; when the latter rises again, the former falls once more . . . If, they say, you contemplate Christ, there is sure salvation: if you turn back to yourself, there is sure damnation.  Therefore unbelief and good hope must alternately reign in your mind.  As if we ought to think of Christ, standing afar off and not rather dwelling in us!  For we await salvation from him not because he appears to us afar off, but because he makes us, ingrafted into his body, participants not only in all his benefits but also in himself.  So I turn this argument of theirs back against them: if you contemplate yourself, that is sure damnation.  But since Christ has been so imparted to you with all his benefits that all his things are made yours, that you are made a member of him, indeed one with him, his righteousness overwhelms your sins; his salvation wipes out your condemnation; with his worthiness he intercedes that your unworthiness may not come before God's sight.  Surely this is so: We ought not to separate Christ from ourselves or ourselves from him.  Rather we ought to hold fast bravely with both hands to that fellowship by which he has bound himself to us." -- III.ii.24

The Word Resurrected: Calvin on Preaching

"If the gospel be not preached, Jesus Christ is, as it were, buried." 

Commenting on 2 Timothy 1:8-9:

So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.

John Calvin, The Mystery of Godliness and Other Selected Sermons [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1950], 25.