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Calvin and the Perpetual Virginity (?) of Mary … plus the Real Francis Turretin
In his commentary on the synoptic gospels, Calvin wrote: And knew her not This passage afforded the pretext for great disturbances, which were introduced into the Church, at a former period, by Helvidius. The inference he drew from it was, that Mary remained a virgin no longer than till her first birth, and that afterwards…
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John Calvin and the Fathers on Baptism
I’ve been told that John Calvin invented a justification for infant baptism that was new. I’m not fully persuaded that, in its essence, Calvin’s justification was new. My impression is that the main argument is that Calvin was departing from medieval Western tradition that viewed baptism essentially as regenerative by virtue of its operation. However,…
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Muller on the Reformation
The following is a very brief response I had written and placed on hold some time ago, but which I might as well post now. After that is some more recent news, brought to my attention by the helpful folks at Historical Theoblogy. *** Older Portion *** I’ve perceived that Ponter, battered and bruised by…
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Baking Clay Pots – Subtracting Water or Adding Hardness?
Louis Ruggiero (aka LouRugg) asked my friend Dr. White: Oh and by the way, when Turretinfan said that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart by taking away his common sense, I almost fell off my chair. Did he get that stuff from you, or did he make that one up on his own? I answer: One of…
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Jonathan Prejean on John Calvin
Roman Catholic (calls himself “Crimson Catholic”) Jonathan Prejean provides the following description of Calvin: In my opinion, Calvin’s Institutes is the equivalent of spiritual pornography, worse than anything you hear in 99% of Beatles’ songs, and most people who read it aren’t doing it as an example of Middle French theological literature or as a…
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Paul Helm on Calvin and the Stoics
If you are interested in the relationships, both similarities and differences, between Calvinism and Stoicism, I highly recommend Paul Helm’s excellent recent philosophical post on Calvin and the Stoics (link). The article is also helpful in terms of explaining how Calvinism is not fatalism, a pit into which William Lane Craig, with many of his…
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Calvin on Birthdays – Don’t Overdo It
Calvin wrote: With regard to what Moses records, that Pharaoh celebrated his birthday by a great feast, we know that this custom has always been in use, not only among kings, but also among plebeian men. Nor is the custom to be condemned, if only men would keep the right end in view; namely, that…
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>Vatican Praise for Calvin?
>”Vatican newspaper praises French Protestant John Calvin” that’s the AP headline for this article (link). The paper apparently called Calvin extraordinary and emphasized that Calvin was a Christian. Isn’t interesting how times change? To God be the Glory!
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Calvin and Limited Atonement – Impetration Argument
Calvin never heard of the acronym “TULIP” and never argued with an Arminian. The Arminian controversy and the “five points of Calvinism” that were presented by the Reformed folks against the Arminians came after Calvin’s death. After (and perhaps because of) the Arminian controversy, there arose a smaller controversy between the Calvinists and the Amyraldians.…