THE PROVENANCE OF JOHN CALVIN'S EMPHASIS ON THE ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

prepared already in 1536 and 1537. In this passage, Calvin's concern is how Christ's benefits are availed of Christ's own: "As long as Christ remains outside of us, and we are separated from him," says Calvin, "all that he has suffered and done for the salvation of the human race remains useless and of no value for us." So, "to share with us what he has received from the Father, he had to become ours and to dwell within us." To grasp this, we must "climb higher and . . . examine into the secret energy of the Spirit, by which we come to enjoy Christ and all his benefits." 1055 In sum, says Calvin, "the Holy Spirit is the bond by which Christ effectually unites us to himself"—"Huc summa redit, spiritum sanctum vinculum esse, quo nos sibi efficaciter devincit Christus." 1056 Commenting on this passage, Butin notes Calvin's "preeminent focus on the Pauline concept of the Spirit as the testimony and seal of the believer's salvation in Christ." 1057 This, says Butin, "is the biblical root of the theme that had eventually taken expression via Augustine in the classic Western notion of the Spirit as the 'bond of love' between the Father and the Son, and between the believer and Christ." 1058 According to Butin, it is essentially Augustine's thought that Calvin "reflects and sharpens" with his summary statement "the Holy Spirit is the bond by which Christ effectually unites us to 1055 Inst. 1559 LCC 3.1.1. "Ac primo habendum est, quamdiu extra nos est Christus et ab eo sumus separati, quidquid in salutem humani generis passus est ac fecit, nobis, esse inutile nulliusque momenti. Ergo ut nobiscum quae a patre accepit communicet, nostrum fieri et in nobis habitare oportet. . . . altius conscendere ipsa ratio nos docet, ac de arcane spiritus efficacia inquirere, qua fit ut Christo bonisque eius omnibus fruamur" (CO 2:393) 1056 Inst. 1559 LCC 3.1.1. CO 2:394. 1057 Butin, Revelation, 81. 1058 Butin, Revelation, 81. 326
himself." So Butin, for one among others who could be cited, assumes Augustine is the progenitor of the language Calvin employs. In his footnote, Butin gestures in the direction of the discussion at hand, namely, the "patristic provenance" of Calvin's expression. His footnote opens with approving reference to Niesel's discussion of the sermon of Chrysostom discussed above. He invites his reader to cross-reference Augustine's De Trinitate VI.5, and then notes that vinculum appears in neither the sermon of Chrysostom, nor in the treatise of Augustine at this point. In the final paragraph of his extended note, Butin declares We have not discovered any occurrence of the term vinculum in Calvin which directly endorses the Augustinian conception of the immanent Trinity (in which the Spirit is the bond of love between the Father and the Son), although the concept appears to be tentatively present in 1559 Institutes I.13.19. Rather, Calvin characteristically focuses on the economic relationship of the triune God with believers; thus, the emphasis is on the Holy Spirit as 'the bond by which Christ effectually [efficaciter] unites us to himself.' 1059 The point is this: In 1536, while at Lausanne, Calvin declares that in the Holy Supper, the natural body and blood of Christ is not given, but is communicated spiritually: "it is a spiritual communication by which he [Christ] makes us truly participant of his body and blood, but wholly spiritually, that is by the bond of his Spirit." Here, Calvin's expression of the Spirit as the bond is "Augustinianesque," if it may be put that way. It is not wholly incompatible with Augustine's doctrine, particularly (if Osborne is right) as Aquinas receives and interprets it, but it is not Augustine himself. Whether this matters to Calvin or not is ultimately unknowable, since Calvin nowhere explicitly ascribes his employment of this concept to Augustine. And why would he if "tradition" has done so for him? On the one occasion where he 1059 Butin, Revelation, 186n36. 327
Page 1 and 2:
THE PROVENANCE OF JOHN CALVIN'S EMP
Page 3 and 4:
THE PROVENANCE OF JOHN CALVIN'S EMP
Page 5 and 6:
For Paul, Liesl, & Annemarie. Witho
Page 7 and 8:
CONTENTS Acknowledgments...........
Page 9 and 10:
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am deeply indebte
Page 11 and 12:
ABBREVIATIONS BDS Bucer, Deutsche S
Page 13 and 14:
INTRODUCTION With respect to one of
Page 15 and 16:
and secondary source material to my
Page 17 and 18:
among humanists who dwell deeply on
Page 19 and 20:
of the Greek Fathers for whom the i
Page 21 and 22:
Optima ineundae concordiae ratio (1
Page 23 and 24:
in the Supper," 13 Calvin refers to
Page 25 and 26:
To make his point even more forthri
Page 27 and 28:
I come to close quarters at once wi
Page 29 and 30:
ends. 33 Read critically it becomes
Page 31 and 32:
purpose, 'My flesh is meat indeed,'
Page 33 and 34:
eality" (rei exhibitionem). 51 That
Page 35 and 36:
themselves, because of their "natur
Page 37 and 38:
locally present on earth, at least
Page 39 and 40:
that there is a medium between thes
Page 41 and 42:
another to receive." 85 The "nature
Page 43 and 44:
the mouth of faith, 91 are truly fe
Page 45 and 46:
concordiae ratio of 1560, "raises u
Page 47 and 48:
1.4 Coda under the symbols of bread
Page 49 and 50:
CHAPTER 2 A STUDY OF CALVIN'S REFER
Page 51 and 52:
a historical development." 108 As J
Page 53 and 54:
The chapter itself unfolds as a chr
Page 55 and 56:
instructs us by his Word, confirms
Page 57 and 58:
and blood in the Supper, he does no
Page 59 and 60:
In light of his first treatment of
Page 61 and 62:
y which under bread and wine he rep
Page 63 and 64:
under the bread, or of the blood un
Page 65 and 66:
participation we are fed on eternal
Page 67 and 68:
François Gilmont conclude, "If it
Page 69 and 70:
enclosed under some corruptible ele
Page 71 and 72:
paragraphs before in this very trea
Page 73 and 74:
preaching, as far as God uses the i
Page 75 and 76:
moved and our souls opened for the
Page 77 and 78:
ody, spirit, and soul with him. The
Page 79 and 80:
In this passage Calvin concerns him
Page 81 and 82:
order that they might truly receive
Page 83 and 84:
minister and catechumen. He publish
Page 85 and 86:
exert his energy (virtutem) by his
Page 87 and 88:
same year Calvin published a liturg
Page 89 and 90:
the vital role of the Holy Spirit w
Page 91 and 92:
communicated in the sacrament, and
Page 93 and 94:
(per spiritum), even although it is
Page 95 and 96:
sacramentally, is Calvin's emphasis
Page 97 and 98:
The nub of disagreement between Cal
Page 99 and 100:
are three: "that the signs are not
Page 101 and 102:
seemingly conceded the use of the t
Page 103 and 104:
Spirit still figures as the "agent"
Page 105 and 106:
truly fulfils what he figures, he t
Page 107 and 108:
CHAPTER 3 A NARRATIVE, BIOGRAPHICAL
Page 109 and 110:
with another, one must not simply i
Page 111 and 112:
Paris were reading, appreciating, a
Page 113 and 114:
Faculty and Parlement censured Berq
Page 115 and 116:
devotio moderna" who longed for his
Page 117 and 118:
Beyond the foregoing detail, little
Page 119 and 120:
"brilliant classical scholar" 332 o
Page 121 and 122:
oyally endowed lectures in the 'thr
Page 123 and 124:
In May 1532, Calvin returned to Orl
Page 125 and 126:
writes: "Like most of the humanists
Page 127 and 128:
possibility exists, to which father
Page 129 and 130:
which offered scholars opportunitie
Page 131 and 132:
Oecolampadius' death in 1531 (just
Page 133 and 134:
communes theologici, the first edit
Page 135 and 136:
What of patristic influence? Lane t
Page 137 and 138:
open repudiation of the "papist" in
Page 139 and 140:
the churches and the destruction of
Page 141 and 142:
defended the evangelical position,
Page 143 and 144:
to his complete vilification by the
Page 145 and 146:
is wholly due to "the secret and mi
Page 147 and 148:
intention of devoting himself once
Page 149 and 150:
Among medievals: Calvin cites Thoma
Page 151 and 152:
whether positive or negative, of Me
Page 153 and 154:
sources—the exegesis of Origen, 4
Page 155 and 156:
placing loci into their commentarie
Page 157 and 158:
"confluence" of humanistic and scho
Page 159 and 160:
And, of course, Calvin seems to hav
Page 161 and 162:
specifically refers include Bernard
Page 163 and 164:
By now, an emphasis on the Holy Spi
Page 165 and 166:
traditions, rather than by way of h
Page 167 and 168:
subsequent early expressions (prepa
Page 169 and 170:
distinguished Calvin's earliest ins
Page 171 and 172:
sacraments" as seals of promises).
Page 173 and 174:
that "a static view of the eucharis
Page 175 and 176:
Supper between the publication of t
Page 177 and 178:
Davis continues just a little on: O
Page 179 and 180:
Chrysostom and published it in one
Page 181 and 182:
It was in a sermon which Erasmus ha
Page 183 and 184:
Like van't Spijker, Wendel claims d
Page 185 and 186:
up again the question of the proven
Page 187 and 188:
CHAPTER 5 ASSIMILATION: CALVIN'S DO
Page 189 and 190:
when Calvin concerns himself with "
Page 191 and 192:
the Lord's Prayer, and the Sacramen
Page 193 and 194:
creation, "we are never to doubt or
Page 195 and 196:
We are persuaded that there is for
Page 197 and 198:
Here, the "efficacy" of the Spirit
Page 199 and 200:
length. While the doctrine of the T
Page 201 and 202:
Calvin's Trinitarian conception of
Page 203 and 204:
… our faith receives from baptism
Page 205 and 206:
the Godhead into itself. Now who do
Page 207 and 208:
As noted in Chapter 2, Calvin inter
Page 209 and 210:
Calvin broaches the conception of d
Page 211 and 212:
with respect to the person and work
Page 213 and 214:
In his exposition of the confession
Page 215 and 216:
So Christ, the Son, is appointed by
Page 217 and 218:
us to seal the gift of a thing invi
Page 219 and 220:
himself, not the Spirit, but Christ
Page 221 and 222:
Spirit He consecrates us as temples
Page 223 and 224:
This is evident from Calvin's prefa
Page 225 and 226:
CHAPTER 6 ASSIMILATION: THE THOUGHT
Page 227 and 228:
integrate his ideas into a powerful
Page 229 and 230:
Bourges. 694 So it is not unlikely,
Page 231 and 232:
Luther's own doctrine of the Lord's
Page 233 and 234:
Luther's doctrine of the Lord's Sup
Page 235 and 236:
Supper of 1528, 718 Luther employs
Page 237 and 238:
proof that only a spiritual eating,
Page 239 and 240:
ifurcation of these two views, not
Page 241 and 242:
The point is then, that although Ca
Page 243 and 244:
naturally'—vere et efficaciter ex
Page 245 and 246:
Therefore just as the word is an in
Page 247 and 248:
eading them." 760 Given its context
Page 249 and 250:
this view in his definition of the
Page 251 and 252:
the contemplation of faith" (adesse
Page 253 and 254:
doctrine as an argument for Christ'
Page 255 and 256:
physically." This fact seemingly mi
Page 257 and 258:
He then proceeds to his exegetical
Page 259 and 260:
sharers in all his blessings." 800
Page 261 and 262:
century. 808 Oecolampadius had been
Page 263 and 264:
Oecolampadius' treatment of the sac
Page 265 and 266:
The extent to which Calvin had acce
Page 267 and 268:
Clearly Oecolampadius is concerned
Page 269 and 270:
Calvin's thought and expression is
Page 271 and 272:
faithfully defending his predecesso
Page 273 and 274:
which, being received spiritually b
Page 275 and 276:
sacraments, as signs of things sign
Page 277 and 278:
espect to the sacraments, at least
Page 279 and 280:
eliever, operatio spiritu sancti. A
Page 281 and 282:
The Zwinglian, even "Karlstadtian,"
Page 283 and 284:
judiciously, distinguished his thou
Page 285 and 286:
Bucer and Capito given that it was
Page 287 and 288: might have been picked up from Bren
Page 289 and 290: "Lutheran-leaning," or, as Amy Nels
Page 291 and 292: Confessionis Augustanae (1530), 912
Page 293 and 294: Spirit might incite confusion, migh
Page 295 and 296: signified. Christ himself is encoun
Page 297 and 298: The 1537 Synod of Bern was called,
Page 299 and 300: This is the confession Bucer ratifi
Page 301 and 302: Lausanne, but also the Pays de Vaud
Page 303 and 304: the disputation, the Lord's Supper
Page 305 and 306: By esprit, Viret is presumably spea
Page 307 and 308: ecepvoir de grace en son corps et e
Page 309 and 310: thought, though never in a direct q
Page 311 and 312: 1542, when he edited for publicatio
Page 313 and 314: efers to the Spirit as the nexus be
Page 315 and 316: Now, it cannot be declared definiti
Page 317 and 318: Charybdis of Zwingli's spiritualist
Page 319 and 320: Since Calvin's early interest in th
Page 321 and 322: "Calvin's use of the fathers (espec
Page 323 and 324: . . . quando hoc beneficii per spir
Page 325 and 326: the Spirit as the vinculum 1013 —
Page 327 and 328: Interestingly, in his presentation
Page 329 and 330: is likely spurious, its preparer be
Page 331 and 332: Once again Calvin's signature expla
Page 333 and 334: of the Institutio, and the expressi
Page 335 and 336: Even though such an expression is n
Page 337: Throughout the dialog between the K
Page 341 and 342: sacramental is equivalent merely to
Page 343 and 344: Spirit is not expressed in Augustin
Page 345 and 346: Ratramnus were monks at the Benedic
Page 347 and 348: as the papal legate designated to p
Page 349 and 350: Lord's Supper and Ratramnus'. 1089
Page 351 and 352: Here, as in the passage above, Ratr
Page 353 and 354: theological tradition of the church
Page 355 and 356: 8.1 Calvin's Liturgy: Context and C
Page 357 and 358: himself and printed in Strasbourg i
Page 359 and 360: On the day of the Lord's Supper, th
Page 361 and 362: himself invites us to His Table: th
Page 363 and 364: one "disposes" one's soul "to be no
Page 365 and 366: edition of his Institutio, "suggest
Page 367 and 368: Their content is likewise distinct.
Page 369 and 370: lavishness of God's "peace, grace,
Page 371 and 372: Bürki suggests. And yet such a ric
Page 373 and 374: Bucer's rhetorical set-up of this c
Page 375 and 376: truly be for us the communion of Hi
Page 377 and 378: in true childlike trust, and always
Page 379 and 380: "Gott sei gelobet" or a psalm, afte
Page 381 and 382: The prayer of confession immediatel
Page 383 and 384: Calvin's Genevan and Strasbourg rub
Page 385 and 386: not only Germany, but also the Neth
Page 387 and 388: However, given their thematic struc
Page 389 and 390:
For all their resonance, though, it
Page 391 and 392:
disposition could subscribe to it,
Page 393 and 394:
and beyond? 1213 What is the measur
Page 395 and 396:
CONCLUSION The front matter of this
Page 397 and 398:
expositions of the sacrament—pres
Page 399 and 400:
uniquely ordained for such proclama
Page 401 and 402:
Institutio christianae religionis,
Page 403 and 404:
Hazlett, W. Ian P. "Calvin's Latin
Page 405 and 406:
-----. "Confession on the Eucharist
Page 407 and 408:
-----. De Trinitate, translated by
Page 409 and 410:
Battles, Ford Lewis. "The Sources o
Page 411 and 412:
-----. Revelation, Redemption, and
Page 413 and 414:
Farge, Benjamin W. Orthodoxy and Re
Page 415 and 416:
Guggisberg, Hans R. Basel in the Si
Page 417 and 418:
Koopmans, J. Het oudkerkelijk dogma
Page 419 and 420:
Macy, Gary. The Theologies of the E
Page 421 and 422:
Neuser, Wilhelm H., and Brian G. Ar
Page 423 and 424:
Partee, Charles. "Farel's Influence
Page 425 and 426:
------. "Philip Melanchthon." In Re
Page 427 and 428:
van Stam, Frans Pieter. "Das Verhä
show all

THE PROVENANCE OF JOHN CALVIN'S EMPHASIS ON THE ...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?