Institutes of the Christian Religion- John Calvin

Problems with Calvin's Civil Obedience ideas

(disagreeing, confusion, too much individual freedom) 1-People disagree over the "way" to follow God 2-How do you know if a leader is following God? 3-Less authority; greater individual freedom with interpretation leads to an increase in disagreements about authority

Spiritual Equality?

-One soul is not better than the other; gifts are different "the diversity of grace...gifts of the Spirit are variously distributed"

Calvin's views on Civil Government

-argues for Aristocracy&Democracy, or Democracy ("renders it safer and more tolerable for the gov. to be in the hands of many...") -wants mutual authority and a representative gov. (leaders should listen to ppl, but ppl are subject to their authority)

"Jewish Folly" folly=foolishness/lack of good sense

= separation of religion and government; -Jews favor separation; Calvin favors Theocracy "...since it is a Jewish folly therefore, to seek & include the kingdom of Christ under the elements of this world..."

"true church"/"the elect"

=there is a visible church and a "true" church (the invisible); may or may not be similar; -we can't know who is in the "true church"

3 Sacraments

Baptism, Communion, & Ordination -ordination: disagreed on who should be ordained (predestination)

Describe Civil Obedience in Calvin's eyes

Paradoxical; obey God rather than men; "if leaders follow God- obey them" "if leaders don't follow God- disobey them"

Background

Reformed Protestantism (protesting things in the Roman Catholic Church); "reforming"; Calvin was a lawyer; held onto the 3 sacraments, spoke in paradoxes/complex, (believed in predestination)

The Church Universal famous quote?

The Church Universal=One faith one baptism; the church can't be divided, it would be dividing Christ (Christ is the Church)

Describe the ladder of "ideal" government for Calvin

the authority is on top of the ladder with Civil Gov on one side and the Church on the other: 1- Civil leaders and Presbyterian Pastor, 2-Aristocracy and Elders/Deacons, 3-the people (the people elect elders to represent their interests; & ordination occurs to determine authority in the Church)

Why/how is unity important?

the church was dividing into different congregations; Calvin says the "church is universal"-needs to stay united (Calvin quotes Paul and Augustine on faith, hope, & love & unity)

What does Calvin mean by Jewish Folly in regards to foolishness?

the separation of religion and government is foolishness= the Jewish Folly

Civil polity?

the state/community whether it is physical or not