Literary Criticism (1400-1800)

Calvin, John | David C. Steinmetz (essay 1988)

David C. Steinmetz (essay 1988)

SOURCE: "Calvin and the Absolute Power of God," in The Journal of Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Vol. 18, No. 1, Spring, 1988, pp. 65-79.

[Below, Steinmetz explores Calvin's ideas regarding God's absolute power to act versus His potential to act, noting that Calvin attacked the entire discussion as "speculative doctrine. " Disagreeing with the Scholastics on this matter, Calvin decided to accept the mysteries of Divine Sovereignty on a Biblical basis.]

Calvin on the pastorate:

Today hardly one in a hundred considers how difficult and arduous it is faithfully to discharge the office of pastor. Hence many are led into it as something trivial and not serious; and afterwards experience teaches them, too late, how foolishly they aspired to the unknown. Others think themselves endowed with great skill and diligence and promise themselves great things from their talent,...

[The entire page is 2948 words long]

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