The First Q&A Session, Part Two

Continuing with the questions...

5) What was Calvin's relation with Martin Luther and Lutherans? In a word, distant. Luther and Calvin probably never met. Calvin acknowledged an enormous debt to Luther but thought there were troubling elements in Luther's theology. Out of respect he took great care to correct without scolding. He had a different relationship with Philip Melancthon but was unhappy that (in his opinion) Melancthon pussyfooted and watered down Luther's stronger predestinarian views. He considered Luther a kind-of spiritual father and had hoped early on that Melancthon would prove a like-minded colleague. There was a bit of a falling-out when Calvin realized that Melancthon would not work for a thorough reformation. He had hoped for greater unity in the various reform movements but was disappointed.

6) What aspects of Calvin's thought should we disregard? The answer on this one was a little fuzzy. The panel began with a side comment that there were two Baptists on the dias, evidently referring to the disagreement over sacramentology. Someone also observed that Calvinism is broader than the famous five points.

7) What was central to Calvin's theology? The ideas represented by the five points (although anacronistic when applied to Calvin) reflect an underlying unity. The influence of the book of Romans. Solid trinitarianism. God himself is the gospel. A very high Christology.

8) Are we guilty of over-revering Calvin? We have to be careful not to be too vigorous in defending the five points, which are often the focus of attacks, thinking the whole of Calvin's teaching is at stake. We all have spiritual geneologies as well as physical geneologies. It is more important that someone have a high view of God, of Christ, and of the Bible than that he self-identifies as a Calvinist. We've come up with labels as shorthand, based on the previous experiences of the church.

9) What are some significant gleanings from Calvin's life and thought? The model of a gospel minister in a local congregation. A model preacher. A teacher who understood the necessity of the people of God learning. The fundamental problem man has is idolatry. Calvin's exposition of the atonement.