Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
JOHN CALVIN : LIFE, LEGACY AND THEOLOGY -<br />
PROF. M. M. NINAN<br />
Just as <strong>John</strong> <strong>Calvin</strong> "stole" Geneva to set up his personal kingdom with himself as "Pope,"<br />
There is even others where <strong>Calvin</strong> is said to be a jew who came in to destroy Christianity.<br />
One of the arguments against <strong>Calvin</strong>istic principles is that it has no place for Love. The only<br />
definition of God in the bible is that God is Love. Love is not even mentioned or a factor in all the<br />
theology of <strong>Calvin</strong>. Again the relationship between Adamic children <strong>and</strong> God is one of Father <strong>and</strong><br />
children. What father will choose some of his children to burn by fire <strong>and</strong> others to enjoy heaven?<br />
Sonship is in the freewill of children. It is the father's business to bring into his nature. A God who is<br />
not a Father but is a Sovereign cannot function as a Father to his children. Many critics of <strong>Calvin</strong><br />
share the view of Erich Fromm, who says, "<strong>Calvin</strong> 's God, in spite of all attempts to preserve the idea<br />
of God's justice <strong>and</strong> love, has all the features of a tyrant without any quality of love or even justice.'<br />
'(Erich Fromm, Escape.fi'om Freedom (New York: Holt, Rinehart, <strong>and</strong> Winston, 1941) , pp. 87-88) <strong>Calvin</strong>'s doctrine<br />
of God is dominated by the concept of God's sovereignty or omnipotence. The word "Father" appears<br />
only once in the chapter headings (Book I I, Chapter V) of the Institute of Christian Religion, <strong>and</strong> there<br />
it is used primarily to distinguish the First Person of the Trinity from the Second Person. Book I<br />
Chapter 13 on the Trinity I.13.24, <strong>Calvin</strong> aruges that the name “God” in Scripture does not refer to the<br />
Father alone. In fact the Trinity refers to the family ( Father, The <strong>Life</strong> giving Spirit Ruach <strong>and</strong> the Son)<br />
Essentialy in <strong>Calvin</strong>istic theology, there is no underst<strong>and</strong>ing of God as the Father of Adam <strong>and</strong> in fact<br />
He was the father of all creation. Creation for <strong>Calvin</strong> lie outside of God. This was central in his<br />
argument with Servetus who insisted that there is nothing outside of God. Orthodox Churches<br />
consider all creation as emanations from God. Since God alone existed to begin there is nothing<br />
outside of him unless we take the dualistic st<strong>and</strong> of God <strong>and</strong> outside of God - Purusha <strong>and</strong> Prakriti -<br />
God <strong>and</strong> Nature - which of course contradicts monotheism. Then creation whether minerals, life or<br />
121
Change language