Reformed Churchmen

We are Confessional Calvinists and a Prayer Book Church-people. In 2012, we remembered the 350th anniversary of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer; also, we remembered the 450th anniversary of John Jewel's sober, scholarly, and Reformed "An Apology of the Church of England." In 2013, we remembered the publication of the "Heidelberg Catechism" and the influence of Reformed theologians in England, including Heinrich Bullinger's Decades. For 2014: Tyndale's NT translation. For 2015, John Roger, Rowland Taylor and Bishop John Hooper's martyrdom, burned at the stakes. Books of the month. December 2014: Alan Jacob's "Book of Common Prayer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Common-Prayer-Biography-Religious/dp/0691154813/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417814005&sr=8-1&keywords=jacobs+book+of+common+prayer. January 2015: A.F. Pollard's "Thomas Cranmer and the English Reformation: 1489-1556" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-English-Reformation-1489-1556/dp/1592448658/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420055574&sr=8-1&keywords=A.F.+Pollard+Cranmer. February 2015: Jaspar Ridley's "Thomas Cranmer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-Jasper-Ridley/dp/0198212879/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422892154&sr=8-1&keywords=jasper+ridley+cranmer&pebp=1422892151110&peasin=198212879

Monday, November 9, 2009

Calvin's Institutes. 4.7.12. Roman Imperialism



At the outset, we commend to our readers to read "everything" written by Benedict XVI, as this scribe has done. B16 is a scholars' scholar; his allegiance to the false Gospel continues, yet he must be read (among other important Romanist works). This forum deplores anti-intellectualism; further, it deplores yielding one square inch to Rome, e.g. ECT. With all Reformers, we continue to claim that Rome's Gospel is anti-Christ and that the leaders are Baalamites. That's not impolitic or impolite, but true; they promote another Gospel, an accursed Gospel.

Calvin’s Institutes, 4.7-12

Observations.

1. This section, 4.7.11-16, deals with the attitude of the fifth and sixth century bishops of Rome: Rome versus Constantinople. Where’s Petrine supremacy?

2. Vandals, Goths and other invasions caused great tumult in Italy, Spain, Gaul and North Africa. Continual disasters.

3. Many bishops pulled together with Rome that “the faith might remain whole;” the same phenomenon occurs in the second and third centuries when Christians were being persecuted, to wit, rallying around bishops (senior presbyters) to preserve the faith.

4. This itself—the political chaos—resulted in a marked increase of Rome in the west. The power of the papacy was increased.

5. Yet, having said (4), it was far from the “unbridled domination in which one man could command others according to his pleasures.”

6. Gregory the Great argues for his rights in preserving the faith, but argues for others’ rights also.

7. “Nor do I deprive any man, when he is pricked by ambition, of what is his right: but I desire to honor my brothers in all things.” Letters III.29; II.52; IX.27.

8. He takes upon himself the right to correct others; other could protest against him with impunity.
Interpretation.

Calvin continues to show that the papacy did not claim universal supremacy, let alone exercise it; in fact, when attempted, it was rebuffed.

Applications.
1. Consider the silence on this in Confessional and wider evangelical circles.

2. Consider worldwide implications of this silence, e.g. Third World and Southern Cone countries.

3. Consider the impact on a solitary Romanist believer and the evangelistic necessity and tactics of informing such that he’s been lied to and that these continuing defenses by Rome as mere “imperialism” without support.
4. Consider the failure of leadership to confront Roman hubris; the Orthodox surely do and have for centuries to their credit...on this point.

No comments: