Evening Prayer

McNiell, John Thomas. The History and Character of Calvinism. New York: Oxford University Press, 1962. Geneva under Calvin’s Sway, 178-200. The Libertines of Geneva were driven off. Various names praise Geneva, including John Knox and a Marian exile, John Bale, a Bishop of Ossory. Different nationalities, manners, customs, and dress were expats to Geneva—Italians, Germans, Frenchmen, Scotsmen and Englishmen. Knox raved about the beauty, tranquility and Christianity of Geneva (177-178). We have learned to not listen to modern voices on Calvin and Geneva. Few are deeply ensconced in his writings and many bigots simply hate the theology. Oh well. We soldier on with joy, jubilance, trust and industry—standards of Reformed doctrine, worship and piety. Greg Allison’s “Historical Theology:” Prof. Allison gives a quick wrap on Luther and Calvin’s Christology, largely Chalcedonian, but appearing as Eutychianism in one and Nestorianism, allegedly, in the other. Both affirmed Chalcedon, but broke ranks on the Eucharist. As for the Post-Reformation period, one hears of the kenoticist, Gottfrield Thomasius (1802-1875) as he struggles with the divestiture issue and that natures-Person issues. More tomorrow (380-381). Edward Cairns’s “Christianity Through the Centuries:” The story of Renaissance Popes is given. Nicholas V established with Lorenzo Valla’s help the highly esteemed Vatican library, still a resource for scholars. Julius II seeks to unify the Papal states of Italy and commissions Michaelangelo’s work in the Sistine Chapel and variously. Leo X is the indulgence peddler interested in fast cash for his projects. The Renaissance to the north focused on religious literature, texts, and theology and less on art, architecture and the Hellenistic past. A Florentine school emerges with de Medici money. Colet of England, Lefevre of France and Reuchlin of Germany spend time in the Florentine school of Plato and the Bible. Colet, notably, on our view, preached Romans and JFBA in England before Luther did in Germany. Lefevre was influential on Huguenots, but also the young Calvin (286-287). Millard Erickson’s “Christian Theology:” Prof. Erickson begins the slow-walk on immanence in the decadent schools, denying miracles, immanentizing all of nature, reducing the Creator-creature distinction, and more. Man was not corrupted, but is perfectible through education and social programming. And so on (304-305). This warrants a very slow read as generalizations are piling up. A rework is ordered up. Justo Gonzalez’s “History of Christianity: Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation:” Our scholarly crank, Jerome, gets into a literary duel with Augustine over the LXX and Jerome’s translation. A Jonah passage emerges over “gourd” or an “ivy plant.” Jerome is rough on Augustine noting that he was exploiting things for fame. Later on, Jerome consults Augustine on the Pelagius-problem and finds Augustine substantial. Fences are mended. Jerome’s rich girlfriend, Paula, dies and her daughter, Eustochia, predeceases Jerome. He dies in loneliness in Gonzalez’s telling. Gonzalez writes crisply, briskly and briefly (238-239).