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Calvin's Influence News and views for ministers Number 9, October 2009 Calvin’s influence Contents Editorial...............................................................Amanda Wells .............................................. 3 Essays Calvin rediscovered ............................................Graham Redding ........................................... 4 Calvin on the authority of Scripture .................... Murray Rae ................................................... 7 John Calvin: Servant of the Word ....................... Jason Goroncy ............................................ 15 AES column ........................................................Martin Baker .............................................. 24 About Candour Candour is a monthly magazine about ministry and leadership. The Church is on facebook ISSN 1171-1027 (Print) Please check out our facebook page and become a ISSN 1179-402X (Online) fan. You’ll get the chance to discuss issues with fel- low Presbyterians and let us know what most inter- The articles in Candour reflect the views of individual ests you. ministers or contributors writing in a personal capacity. They are not representative of the Church’s official You can also use the facebook page to get regular position. Please approach the author for permission if you updates on, and links to, new info and publications wish to copy an article. on our Church website. Contributions We welcome responses to published articles. If you would like to write a piece replying to any of this month’s featured articles, please contact: Amanda Wells (editor) on (04) 381-8285 or candour@ Search for Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New presbyterian.org.nz Zealand, or go to: www.presbyterian.org.nz/about-us/contact-us Advertising One-quarter page: $80 plus gst (87mm x 117mm) and follow the link. One-third page: $95 plus gst (87mm x 160mm) Half page: $130 plus gst (184mm x 138mm) Any artwork must be supplied electronically and in a high-resolution format. Measurements are indicative only and subject to layout requirements. I’m a retired The next deadline (for the November issue) is 30 October 2009. Presbyterian minister with a B.D. academic Glen Innis Vacancies hood surplus to Oct 26 - Nov 2 Cottage November 2 - 9 Homestead / Cottage requirements. If anyone November 9 - 16 Homestead / Cottage November 16 - 23 Homestead / Cottage would like it, it’s theirs. November 23 - 30 Homestead / Cottage Make contact with Bookings for the summer school holidays are open to all ministers, regardless of whether they have school- John Elvidge at either aged children, from November 1. [email protected] or To enquire about vacancies, please email [email protected] or telephone 06 855-4889. 30 Rata St, Christchurch Ministers are welcome to inquire regarding vacan- cies due to cancellations. There is refundable $50 booking fee for Glen Innis. This fee is payable to Margaret Black and refunded on arrival at Glen Innis. 2 Editorial What’s in a name? Amanda Wells ur society is founded on names. We exist as indi- Similarly, if you say “Calvin”, most people will have a Oviduals in a web of networks, not as swappable be- response. Perhaps along the lines of “dour”, “rigid” or ings subsumed by community. In some cultures, children “no fun” (assuming they are thinking “John Calvin” not aren’t named till they reach a certain age, in case they “Calvin Klein”). Would Calvin view these associations die; in our culture, parents often give children names as valid? His concerns for social justice and his pastoral when their gender is known, months prior to birth. We care are little remembered. And “Calvinist” has devel- in the West seem to practice veneration of the individual oped its own set of connotations that may be even more about all things, perhaps amplifying our difficulty in severe. dealing with grief. Many of the publications that have crossed my desk this People with common names often want to give their year have carried articles celebrating Calvin’s 500th children a label that’s a little more distinctive, while birthday. Most have taken a revisionist approach, look- those with unspellable names often prefer the classics. ing for things about Calvin that challenge or subvert But we all have an opinion on the subject. Kraft’s choice readers’ stereotypes, arguing that Calvin is about more of the name “iSnack 2.0” for some bizarre kind of than Predestination or the Protestant work ethic. One of cheese-infused vegemite has drawn universal derision the main details I’ve absorbed was his prolific output in and apparently a second search is now underway (or was the face of undeniable ill health. He struggled to produce it a PR stunt all along…). MP3 player does not have quite work that he obviously felt was more important than his the same cachet as “iPod”, nor will sparkling wine ever personal comfort. So much work, that it’s almost impos- top champagne. We’re very sensitive to names, brands, sible to succinctly survey it. and their connotations. If you are interested in Calvin and in digging deeper than I went to a conference last month at which people kept the stereotypes, then you’ll enjoy this issue of Candour. talking about the GFC. Not to be confused with a Roald Calvin is such a towering figure that few feel equipped to Dahl character or type of chicken, this acronym refers to comment on his legacy. At one point, I thought I had lost the Global Financial Crisis. On this side of the ditch, we the piece of paper that listed the names of contributors to seem to employ a different term of phrase. An interest- this issue. After several searches of my desk, I realised ing snap poll involves asking those around you how they that the piece of paper had never existed. Because no one refer to our current economic state. “The recession”, “the had agreed to contribute, despite a good handful of email financial crisis”, and “the downturn” all rate a mention. requests sent out. As you can imagine, this was not a But there is a lack of singular name, as far as I can tell. happy moment, three weeks before the deadline. Giving something a name gives it more power. It’s de- My thanks to Graham, Murray and Jason who respond- fined as something clearly different and distinct, with ed majestically to a plea for help and have made this an identity and significance above similar events. Our a dense 24-page Calvin fest. Their essays in this issue recession seems to have fuzzier edges than Australia’s are edited versions of the successful two-day Calvin clearly defined GFC (which they have officially declared conference held in Dunedin last month and attended by over, on the strength of a quarter of GDP growth). Peo- 75 people. The line-up of speakers was headed by two ple attach connotations much more readily to a definable world-renowned figures, Elsie McKee (Princeton Theo- object because it is more available for characterisation. logical Seminary) and Randall Zachman (University of Notre Dame). Christianity has had centuries in which to build up a load of connotations, and we have to admit that few of them The November issue of Candour, which is the final issue are good. People are more likely to draw associations for 2009, will have the theme “Statements of belief” and with rules and boredom than they are with grace, justice a deadline of 30 October. If you would like to contribute, and freedom. Explaining your faith is just as much about please email [email protected]. During No- stripping away your interlocutor’s negative baggage vember, we will be planning the issue themes for 2010. than it is about defining your belief system. Suggestions are very welcome, please email me. 3 Essays Calvin rediscovered Graham Redding, Knox Centre for Ministry and Leadership, Dunedin ew people in the history of the church would inspire If doctrine is important for preaching, so too is knowl- Fthe level of celebration that has been taking place edge of the Bible. To this end, as well as writing the In- around the world this year to mark to 500th anniversary stitutes, Calvin produced commentaries on most of the of John Calvin’s birth. A quick Google search shows books in the Bible. He was a Biblical scholar as well as hundreds of conferences and celebratory events have a theologian. been taking place. Nowadays, when we think of Biblical scholarship and Here in New Zealand, the Knox Centre for Ministry and theology, we tend to think of an academic world that ex- Leadership partnered with Otago University’s Depart- ists independently from church life. Not so with Calvin. ment of Theology and Religion to host a two-day con- He wrote for pastors and preachers, and he was a pastor ference featuring two internationally renowned Calvin and preacher in his own right. It is estimated that dur- scholars and a strong local line-up of speakers that was ing his Genevan ministry that he preached over 2300 attended by 75 people. sermons, many of which he reluctantly allowed to be published. His reluctance stemmed from his belief that a In the lead-up to the conference, about 800 people at- sermon is spoken into a particular context and occasion. tended a three-night son et lumière season at the landmark Its form and purpose is entirely different from that of a First Church of Otago. Written and directed by Richard theological text or Biblical commentary. Huber, this stunning “sound and light” performance re- lated the history of the building of First Church to the As a pastor, Calvin was deeply concerned about the vision that the Rev Thomas Burns and his fellow Pres- shape and content of public worship. His Genevan serv- byterian settlers had for a city of God not unlike Calvin’s ice book had a profound influence on the development Geneva, which was once described by John Knox as “the of worship in the Reformed tradition.
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