We saw it in the Third-to-Fifth centuries (look back at ch3) and we see it again – people get their fondest wish and then find out it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. The separation of the Reformation brought some scriptural purity back into the church, but it also brought violent disunity and conflict. The author characterizes Europe during this time as an “untidy blend of Lutherans, Calvinists, Anglicans, Catholics, and Anabaptists.” (ex. Huguenots, Lutherans, p93).
This suggests to me that you have to be careful when you start putting qualifiers or descriptions in front of the word, “Christian.” (1Cor 1:13-15; Mark 9:38-40)
This suggests to me that you have to be careful when you start putting qualifiers or descriptions in front of the word, “Christian.” (1Cor 1:13-15; Mark 9:38-40)
- Presbyterian Christians…
- Conservative Southern White Christians…
Keep in mind what we are first?
With that warning in mind, we talked about Arminius vs. Calvin on Salvation
With that warning in mind, we talked about Arminius vs. Calvin on Salvation
The Calvinist position in response to the Arminian Remonstrance - TULIP:
- Total depravity (Rom 3:10-12; Eph 2:1-3)
- Unconditional election (John 6:44; Rom 9:10-16)
- Limited atonement (John 3:16)
- Irresistible grace (John 6:37, 44)
- Perseverance of the saints (John 10:27-28; Rom 8:29-39)
During this time period, the world began to revolve around the Poles – two Poles in particular – Copernicus and Galileo, who began scientifically investigating the nature of the world and calling into doubt some Catholic doctrine (Josh 10:12, Isa 41:9).
The Puritans (not at all boring and unhappy people – see p96) met with King James in 1604 to try to purify and reform the Church of England. One result of this was the commissioning of the 1611 King James Bible in response to the Calvinist flavor of the study notes in the Geneva Bible.
In 1618 The Defenestration of Prague (What an interesting name for a terrible thing!) started the 30 Years War over Protestant vs. Catholic Doctrine. Mercenary armies scoured the landside, murdering 10 million people. Famine and pestilence followed.
The Separatists decided to leave the Church of England. They fled to Holland for safety. One group of Separatists continued on to America (Pilgrims) and the Puritan ideals thrived in the colonies among Congregationalists and Presbyterians up to and beyond the American Revolution.
The other group of Separatists stayed in Holland and became the Baptists. Led by John Smyth, the Baptists rejected infant baptism and embraced Arminian theology. (Smyth had actually wanted to join the Anabaptists but they wouldn’t have him.)
The Puritans (not at all boring and unhappy people – see p96) met with King James in 1604 to try to purify and reform the Church of England. One result of this was the commissioning of the 1611 King James Bible in response to the Calvinist flavor of the study notes in the Geneva Bible.
In 1618 The Defenestration of Prague (What an interesting name for a terrible thing!) started the 30 Years War over Protestant vs. Catholic Doctrine. Mercenary armies scoured the landside, murdering 10 million people. Famine and pestilence followed.
The Separatists decided to leave the Church of England. They fled to Holland for safety. One group of Separatists continued on to America (Pilgrims) and the Puritan ideals thrived in the colonies among Congregationalists and Presbyterians up to and beyond the American Revolution.
The other group of Separatists stayed in Holland and became the Baptists. Led by John Smyth, the Baptists rejected infant baptism and embraced Arminian theology. (Smyth had actually wanted to join the Anabaptists but they wouldn’t have him.)
In 1400 and 92, Columbus sailed the ocean blue (financed by Portuguese gold that he got by citing Isa 11:11-12. The Spanish and Portuguese jumped on this bandwagon and used the Bible (Luke 14:23) as an excuse to kill and exploit the natives of the New World. Some people used Gen 9:25 to excuse African slavery.
Can you think of more recent examples of people attempting to transform and reform institutions and ending up misusing Scripture as an excuse to exercise power over some other group of people?
How can we avoid this?
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