John Calvin – The Nicene Nerd

Do You Renounce the Devil and All of His Works?

Responses from theologians: St. Athanasius The Son of God became a Devil-renouncing man that I might renounce the Devil as a son of God. Augustine of Hippo God grant me to renounce the Devil, but not yet. Thomas Aquinas I answer that I do indeed renounce the Devil and all of his works, just as … Continue reading

Karl Barth on Providence and Heaven

For my last (rather delayed) post on Karl Barth’s doctrine of providence according to Darren Kennedy, I want to briefly address the way that heaven and, interestingly, the angels function in the whole structure. According to Kennedy, heaven and the angels are actually quite important to Barth’s providence. Why this would be the case might not be obvious at all to … Continue reading

Calvin the Existentialist

A quote from Calvin’s Institutes: Innumerable are the evils that beset human life; innumerable, too, the deaths that threaten it. We need not go beyond ourselves: since our body is the receptacle of a thousand diseases—in fact holds within itself and fosters the causes of diseases—a man cannot go about unburdened by many forms of his … Continue reading

Barth on Providence and Double-Agency

In my last post about D. M. Kennedy’s thesis on Karl Barth’s doctrine of providence, I overviewed the way Barth addressed the question of evil in the world and the divine will. God gives sin and evil space for existence in His opposition to it; His “No” to human evil defines it and gives it concrete existence … Continue reading

Gems from Calvin's On the Christian Life

I’m working on a cool reading list this year to help stimulate and diversify my reading. It’s almost like a scavenger hunt, with categories like “a book with the word ‘Gospel’ in the title” and “a book with an ugly cover.” I just checked off the first one, “a book on Christian living,” with John Calvin’s On … Continue reading

Completing Christ? Can It Be?

Is there any legitimate way that we could say we complete Jesus? I would have doubted so, but there is this is Scripture: And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all … Continue reading