William Careys Theology - World Evangelical Alliance

30 William Carey’s Theology
In 1909, W.O. Carver observed that the Postmillennial view was the
most common motivation for missions. 138 This remained the case until the
end of the First World War.
Was Calvin a Postmillennialist?
John Jefferson Davis observes that Calvin assumed that true religion and
the glory of Christ’s dominion would spread over the whole earth, 139 as he
had repeated in numerous sermons and commentaries, as well as in his
dedication of the Institutes to Francis I of France. Jefferson adds, “Calvin’s
outlook does not, of course, represent a fully articulated postmillennialism,
but does foreshadow subsequent developments.” 140 Positively stated, Davis
says, “John Calvin ... had an understanding of the kingship of Christ that
paved the way for the full flowering of the postmillennial view in English
Puritanism.” 141
Iain Murray shares this view and demonstrates that Calvin, in contrast to
Luther, expected a great future for the Kingdom of God. 142 Charles L.
Chaney also assumes that the Puritans, as well as Jonathan Edwards, built
their Postmillennialism on Calvin’s eschatology. 143 Calvin, says Chaney,
had been familiar with the three steps of salvation history, the Age of the
Apostles, the Age of the Antichrist (Calvin’s day) and the Age of the Expansion
of the Church among all peoples, whereby the Gospel would reach
various nations at different times, according to divine election. 144
Walter Nigg, describing Calvin’s eschatology, writes:
“Seeing the Kingdom of God in history is the new motif in Calvin’s understanding
of divine dominion. The Kingdom is not to be expected in its completion
in the near future, it is in a state of development, in a mighty battle
with the powers of Darkness.” 145
In his belief that the Kingdom of God is involved in an historical wrestling
match, Calvin implies that salvation history is closely bound to politi-
138 . W. O. Carver, “The Missionary Consummation-Prophecy of Missions,” Mission in
the Plan of the Ages (New York: Revell, 1909) pp. 213-282.
124 . John Jefferson Davis, Christ’s Victorious Kingdom, op. cit., pp. 16-17.
140 . Ibid. p. 17
141 . Ibid. p. 16
142 . Iain Murray, The Puritan Hope, op. cit., pp. 40-41.
143 . Charles L. Chaney, The Birth of Missions in America, op. cit., pp. 32-35.
144 . Ibid., p. 270.
145 . Walter Nigg, Das ewige Reich (Berlin: Gebrüder Weiss, n d.) pp. 32-35.