Book Review
The author of this book illustrates the life of Calvin, his experiences academically and his theology and most important Calvin’s turbulent relationship with the city of Geneva emphasizing that both man and the city had an impact on each other. There are various issues that have been discussed in the book and these may include the theology of Calvin and the structure of the Geneva government and politics[1].
Generally, the author focused on the social and cultural influence that was created by Calvin through his religious ideas during his lifetime and practical structures developed in place while at Geneva. For instance, Calvin’s refining of the French language through his exegesis and significant arguments concerning ideas of religion. In addition, Calvin’s use of documented medium to spread the reformation, the application of foreign capitalization in order to maintain Geneva at the time of siege by the house of Savoy is also emphasized. The book also discussed some concepts concerning the work of ethics implying that God gave all people a unique job to carryout. Calvin therefore influenced not only Geneva but also France and the rest of the Western culture. The main position of the author was the financial ideas, social work ethics, and theology of Calvin concerning predestination that offered the foundation for the growth of Marxism and capitalism.
According to theme of the author, which is the idea of reformed theology, it shows reformed theology illustrating God as the one who chooses people but not people choosing God. In addition, it is argued the people chosen by God will come to Him and they will not be cast out. This argument is true because God is able to select any person whom He can use to spread His message to the rest of the world. For instance, the story shows Calvin was a humble man chosen by God to in order to make a positive impact in the entire world. God chooses people to serve Him according to His own goodness and wisdom but not depending on the bad and goodness typical of a person. This means God’s pursuit of people is not conditional therefore; reformed theology puts faith after regeneration. Therefore, all human beings owe their lives to God because came on earth in form of a human being to save His people from sins hence all the glory and honor belongs to God and not to human creatures.
According to book, religion was the main force that led to the French civil wars. For instance, the growth of Calvinism increased the killings of the French kings yet it never attempted to put to an end the spread of Calvinism. A good number of Calvin’s followers tried to implement much of his thoughts especially on politics despite their difference in the later political convictions from the Geneva reformer. Through the conclusions and explicating of the bible, Calvin’s political though is significantly presented where he is not perceived as an authority in the fullest but as a leader for those who share his discourse of the biblical authority. This thus, demonstrates Calvin as an inspiration to others and a hero[2].
Through Calvin, western culture was shaped because he promoted liberty where he emphasized the role of Calvinist churches in the New England emphasizing its role in the promotion of democratic government, education, and culture. These are some of the thoughts of calving concerning political aspects, which lead to the achievement of liberty in western culture[3]. The political and theological system demonstrated in the story came to be a significant justification fro the practice of the division of races. For instance, basing not on liberty, but rather on order and submission to leading authorities, these ideas aimed at preserving the societal order in ,western cultures albeit a racist order within a diverse and potentially explosive political and cultural environment.
However, on the other hand, Calvin’s thoughts demonstrate him as a theological dictator with ruthless and enforced principles in a city with a large number of police officers, many pliable judges, many prisons and many scaffolds. Through his movements, a good number of lives were lost. The era of Calvin is linked with that of Adolf Hitler where in his acts as a compulsive neurotic led to the transformation of people perception of God from loving to cruel and hateful is. Calvin is also known to have misled people and hindered them from attaining growth in their spiritual walk and better relationship with God.
By reading this story of McGrath, one gets the idea Calvin was the originator of the schimasmatic system of Presbyterianism. In addition, the developer of a repulsive theological concept referred to as predestination that leads to reduction of human beings into the low levels and God to the level of a tyrannical dictator, which should not be the case. The idea of Calvin that the church and the state should be separate is not right because in most cases, the church always acts as a guide to the state. Unfortunately, Calvin shows these two should be separate because they both have their own ordained aspects of influences. For instance, it is assumed the church has no power to impose penalties for civil offenses. I disagree with this because the church has a duty to ensure civil offences are punished.
Through the story of McGrath, Geneva managed to become a safe place especially for the Protestants refugees both from France and all over the western cultures. For instance, an institution to provide instructions to people in reformed theology was established where people were trained and instructed to go back home in order to spread the Gospel and build more churches. As a result, the influenced managed to spread the doctrines worldwide.
Bibliography
Linder, Robert. The reformation Era. New York, NY: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2008.
McGrath, Alister E., A Life of John Calvin: A Study in the Shaping of Western Culture. Oxford: Blackwell, 1990 2000.
McGrath, Alister E. A life of John Calvin: a study in the shaping of Western culture. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 1993.
[1] Linder, Robert. The reformation Era (New York, NY: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2008), 150.
[2] Alister E. McGrath. A Life of John Calvin: A Study in the Shaping of Western Culture (Oxford: Blackwell, 1990 2000), 78.
[3] McGrath, Alister E. A life of John Calvin: a study in the shaping of Western culture (Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 1993), 128.
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