[Dr. Eckleburg]

A wonderful article on the REAL John Calvin.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Ping to the GRPL and all who love God's word.

[drstevej]

*** His was the attitude of a pastor.***

Indeed, he was a pastor/theologian dealing with both pastoral as well as systematic theology.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

BUMP of grace.

[sinatorhellary]

Although I diagree with Mr. Calvin's major doctrines, I would say that there's a bit of the "pot calling the kettle black" when the late-medieval Roman Church is calling someone inhumane.

[RobbyS]

I never forget that Calvin was a Catholic heretic, not a Puritan. So everything he says has to be read in that light. Most later Protestant theologians have an academic knowledge of Catholicism rather than a personal one. Therefore his criticisms of Catholicism are much more instructive to this RC.

[connectthedots]

The 1994 edition of the CD-ROM Webster's Concise Interactive Encyclopedia claims that Michael Servetus "was burned alive by the church reformer Calvin,"

Just a couple observations. First, the article does not deny or dispute this claim. In that the writer appears to be an admirer of Calvin, one must assume that this allegation is true.

Secondly, this article ascribes positive characteristics about Calvin that are missing from some around here. I find it a bit difficult to believe that a man who was supposedly friendly toward those who disagreed with him on theology would have several people who did not agree with him put to death over those disagreements.

I think the author is being a bit too generous in his comments about John Calvin.

[P-Marlowe]

One would hope that even those who staunchly disagree with Calvin's theology would treat Calvin with the historical fairness accorded Calvin by his nineteenth century French opponent, Ernest Renan, who called him "the most Christian man of his age."

Sorry but I would not attribute that to any theologian of any age.

I would suggest that the "most Christian man of his age" was more likely some old illiterate hard working bricklayer who blew his back out building one of those gaudy European Cathedrals and yet continued to work in pain without complaining to anyone for another 20 years and who all the while had praise in his heart and gave glory to God, and who knew as much about intricacies of "Theology" as a 7 year old Sunday School pupil.

We simply know too much about the life of John Calvin to believe that he was "the most Christian man on his block," much less "the most Christian man of his age." He wasn't. He wasn't even a close second.

[drstevej]

"Having been for sixteen years a witness of his labors, I have pursued the history of his life and death with all fidelity; and I now unhesitatingly testify that every true Christian may find in this man the noble pattern of a truly Christian life and Christian death; a pattern, however, which it is as easy to calumniate as it would be difficult to follow."

- Theodore Beza (Calvin's Successor)

"Having been for sixteen years a witness of his labors, I have pursued the history of his life and death with all fidelity; and I now unhesitatingly testify that every true Christian may find in this man the noble pattern of a truly Christian life and Christian death; a pattern, however, which it is as easy to calumniate as it would be difficult to follow."

- Theodore Beza (Calvin's Successor)

[Corin Stormhands]

"I believe Calvin was a great instrument of God; and that he was a wise and pious man. But I cannot but advise those who love his memory to let Servetus alone."
- John Wesley

[Gamecock]

Nice post