The History of Christian Theology
Parts I–III
Professor Phillip Cary
Calvin and Reformed Theology
Lecture Twenty
Calvin and Reformed Theology
Scope: Reformed theology, whose greatest representative is John Calvin, joined the Lutherans in teaching the three solas of Protestantism. Sola fide (“faith alone”) means we are never justified by works. Sola gratia (“grace alone”) means we never do anything to merit God’s acceptance. And sola scriptura (“scripture alone”) means that no beliefs are necessary to accept unless they are in the Bible. At the center of Calvin’s theology is “adoption,” which means God elects to make some people his children by the grace of Christ. What is new in Calvin’s doctrine of predestination is that believers can and should know they are among the elect, predestined for salvation, so they can be certain even in this life that they are already saved for all eternity.
Outline
I. The Reformed tradition constitutes just one branch of the Reformation, which is different from the Lutheran Reformation.
A. The Reformed were more thorough in breaking with Catholic piety and sacramental practices than the Lutherans.
B. The designation “Reformed” comes from the phrase, “the church reformed according to the word of God.”
C. The Reformed wing of the Reformation originated in Switzerland, beginning with Zwingli in Zurich, and continuing with its most important figure, John Calvin, in Geneva.
D. The Reformed tradition in England
1. Our adoption as sons and daughters of God gives us confidence to approach God as our gracious Father.
2. Behind adoption is election: God eternally chooses who shall be his children.
B. The idea that we should know we are elect is Calvin’s radical innovation in the doctrine of predestination.
1. Faith alone cannot save us unless we persevere in faith to the end of our lives.
2. Calvin agrees with Augustine that perseverance, like the initial gift of faith, is due to God’s grace.
42 ©2008 The Teaching Company.
3. But when Augustine argues that people cannot know in advance that they will receive this gift, Calvin disagrees.
4. Instead, Calvin teaches that we can and should be certain of our election, which means we can be assured of our ultimate salvation—forensic? 48