John Calvin in missiological perspective : on church unity and social justice
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Authors
Botha, Nico Adam
Issue Date
2009
Type
Article
Language
en
Keywords
John Calvin , Church unity , Social justice
Alternative Title
Abstract
This article offers a limited missiological perspective on the
thinking of John Calvin pertaining to the issues of the unity of
the church and social justice. On the question of the unity of
the church, his use of the mother metaphor is looked at and as
far as social justice is concerned, the relation between rich and
poor is cursorily explored. The study proceeds by asking pertinent
questions on the relevance and implications for the
Reformed churches in South Africa of Calvin’s thinking on the
above-mentioned matters. The question is posed whether the
celebration of the 500th birthday of the reformer is not an
opportune moment for the launching of a new confessing
movement among Reformed Christians in the land. A proposal
is made for organising such a movement around the pastoral
cycle with its four steps of insertion, context analysis, theological
reflection and planning.
The object would be
“… not to restore its worn-out form, but once more to catch
hold of the Calvinistic principles, in order to embody them in
such a form as, suiting the requirements of our own century,
may restore the needed unity of Protestant thought and the
lacking energy of Protestant practical life”
Let us remember that
“… despotism has found no more invincible antagonists and
liberty of conscience, no braver, no more resolute champions
than the followers of Calvin” (Abraham Kuyper in his Stone
lecture on Calvinism and Religion, Princeton University,
1898).
Description
Peer reviewed
Citation
Botha, N. 2009,'John Calvin in missiological perspective : on church unity and social justice',
Studia Historiae Ecclesiasticae, vol. XXXV, no. 2, pp. 1-16.
Publisher
Church History Society of Southern Africa
License
Journal
Volume
Issue
PubMed ID
DOI
ISSN
1017-0499