I've been reading the PCA ad interim study group's findings on the Federal Vision (FV), New Perspective on Paul (NPP), and Auburn Avenue Theologies (AAT). I will have more to say about this document in future posts. In the meantime, I found this comment interesting by a Dominican professor who teaches at the University of Virginia.Contrary to the false interpretations of Calvin on grace and the sacraments that are retailed by some of the Reformed, Calvin was, I would say, the one catholic writer among the Protestant reformers.
To me, this seems similar to what is being said among some of the Federal Vision folks. This comment was made by Fr. Augustine Thompson, O.P., at Francis Beckwith's blog:the Francis Beckwith who just recently resigned his post as President of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) because of his recently being received back in to the Roman Catholic Church.
3 comments:
In what sense catholic?
That's a good question, JT, and one I aim to find out more about. Though I think this Fr. Thompson means catholic with a big "C." In the meantime, take a look at this piece on Calvin's view of baptism (to which Fr. Thompson refers--or at least Calvin's view of the sacraments):
[T]he FV [Federal Vision] claims faithfulness to the Reformed tradition. Calvin, for instance, is able to say in his 1538 Instruction for Children in Christian Doctrine, "Teacher: How do you come into the communion of the church? Child: Through baptism; Teacher: What is this baptism? Child: It is the washing of regeneration and cleansing from sin...Teacher: What fruit do you receive from this? Child: Very great fruit, because it is no small thing if I obtain remission of my sins." [62] Further, says Calvin, "there is a two-fold grace in baptism, for therein both remission of sins and regeneration are offered to us. We teach that full remission is made, but that regeneration is only begun, and goes on making progress during the whole of life." [63] And furthermore, "when we have baptism and the Lord's holy supper ministered incorruptly - we may say it is an election of God." [64] Even further, says Calvin, "We are not disputing whether it is necessary to baptize infants, nor calling in question whether by Baptism they are engrafted into the body of Christ, nor whether it is to them a laver of regeneration, nor whether it seals the pardon of their sins." [65] As for the issue of assurance, Calvin states, "as often as we fall away, we ought to recall the memory of our baptism and fortify our mind with it, that we may always be sure and confident of the forgiveness of sins." [66]
Here's the source for this extended quotation. It gives you a better idea of where the Federal Vision people are coming from: http://www.federal-vision.com/minich.html
I forgot to say...you can check the sources of the documents used in the long quotation above by going to the address I included. The guy who wrote the piece above is quoting writers who are quoting Calvin.
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