'Perichoresis, Theosis' and Union with Christ in the thought of John Calvin (original) (raw)
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Recent literature has cited the importance of union with Christ in Calvin’s theology, however, little scholarly research is devoted to discovering the historical and theological factors contributing to the growth and integrity of this doctrine within Calvin’s theology, especially the relationship of this doctrine to Calvin’s doctrine of the duplex gratia (double grace) of salvation in justification and sanctification. This thesis will investigate John Calvin’s development and defense of his doctrine of union with Christ against the backdrop of the ‘antinomian’ question raised by Luther’s formulation of justification and good works. The first chapter addresses the historical context of the Lutheran-Catholic controversy over the place of good works in salvation and ensuing impasse with a view to understanding the theological context in which Calvin found himself. Calvin’s perception of the social context in Geneva preceding his exile in Strasbourg and the formative work accomplished—a commentary on Romans and revision of the Institutes—provide the immediate backdrop for his creative formulation of the duplex gratia grounded in union with Christ. Based on the importance Calvin accorded to Paul, especially the epistle to the Romans, chapter two traces Calvin’s development of union with Christ from the 1536 Institutes and the Strasbourg exile through his later commentaries to the final edition of the Institutes in 1559 as expansions on an initial Pauline theme. Finally, the integrity of Calvin’s doctrine of union with Christ and the success with which it responded to the Lutheran impasse is addressed through an investigation of three influential controversies Calvin engaged in: his debate with Pighius over free will, the Eucharistic controversies with Westphal and his response to Osiander in his 1559 Institutes. From the perspective of Calvin’s historical and theological environment early in his career, his doctrine union with Christ takes on a new shape as the doctrine necessary for allowing the ‘distinction without separation’ of justification and sanctification in salvation.
Of Doorposts and Hinges: Calvin on Union with Christ
They are likely the first words that come to mind when we think of Calvin and union with Christ. Taken from the opening lines of Book Three in his 1559 Institutes, they read: " First we must understand that as long as Christ remains outside of us, and we are separated from him, all that he has suffered and done for the salvation of the human race remains useless and of no value for us. " If carefully considered, we recognize this as truly a bold, striking statement on the importance of union with Christ. All that Christ has suffered – his obedience under the yoke of the law, his anguish in swallowing the cup of covenant curse down to the last drop, his pain at Gethsemane and Golgotha – all of it is " useless and of no value for us " if Christ remains outside of us. In this respect, then, the virtue, the efficacy, the power, indeed the " usefulness " of the atoning work of Christ depends on the reality of our union with him. Without that union, his suffering accomplishes nothing for us; with this union, however, we have Christ in all his righteousness, and having him, we have all things. This, in fact, is the heart of Calvin's doctrine of union with Christ: not the union so much as Christ – who he is as Mediator and Savior in all he is for all his people. Yet, for Calvin, precisely because it is all about Christ, it is also all about union with him, rather than one or more particular benefits of that union, for instance justification. In what follows below, the basic contexts for and features of Calvin's theology of saving union with Christ (as well as the most important texts for understanding this theology) will be outlined, and the question will be raised how one ought to understand Calvin's view of the relationship of union with Christ to the justification " hinge " of true religion. But we are now slightly ahead of ourselves. We do want to think through this question – union with Christ and the justification/sanctification relationship – but we have to work our way there by considering first a few methodological and contextual matters.
include but do not coherently integrate "finite" and "transcendent" elements when articulating their identities. "There is little to no mention of the relationship between these [educational] values and the theological claims that support them" (106). Beckstrom calls this phenomenon "identity stew." Chapter eight shows how various understandings of secularity contribute to this phenomenon and how the Trinitarian framework provides an effective response. Unfortunately, this book is neither fish nor fowl. Chapters two and three may benefit newcomers to Lutheran higher education but will not be helpful for the cognoscenti, as they plow no new ground. Chapters six through eight, on the other hand, tackle theoretical and practical issues most relevant to those who lead Lutheran (and other Christian) institutions. The author's "Trinitarian missiological ecclesiology" (86) is a helpful corrective to accounts of Lutheran higher education that hide its theological light under the bushel of a secularized account of vocation. However, strikingly absent from his account is any mention of the cross. He portrays Jesus as the Son sent by the Father, but not as the God crucified for sinners. It is one thing to say that the Triune God invites people into a rich theological dialogue. It is quite another to say that God is reconciling sinners to himself in Christ. Some readers, including this reviewer, will therefore find this account incomplete. Nevertheless, anyone who leads Christian institutions would be well served by reading the book, particularly the last three chapters.
2008
Barth delivered the lectures that form the basis of this commentary in Basel during the winter of 1940-41, five years after he had been banned from his teaching post in Bonn for his criticism of the Nazi regime. The historical context gives added interest to his reflection on Rom 9-11. While Barth does little to mitigate what he takes to be an account of Israel's disobedience in those chapters, he forcefully refutes the idea that the Jews have been finally rejected by God, calling anti-Semitism the "most potent form of disobedience." God wills the "disobedient Synagogue," according to Barth, in order to extend mercy to the world. However, if the Jews' "rejection" is the Gentiles' gain, the latter's ultimate hope depends on the inclusion of Israel-and the last word has not been spoken on those whom God has "hardened." More broadly, this commentary is presented as an explication of Paul's claim in Rom 1 : 17 that the Gospel reveals the righteousness of God. Although it is the "power of God for salvation," the Gospel initially confronts humanity with God's wrath, the object of which is the sinner's mistaken selfconfidence. Salvation, the "good centre in the hard shell," lies in the acceptance of the guilty verdict borne by Jesus Christ. The believer is not made righteous in appearance only, but "seriously," and his task is to live according to the "new order" of which he is a part-or, as Barth puts it, the "imperative" is explained by the "indicative." The current volume is a reprint of the original English translation from 1959.