tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3336172740435891338.post365333384581830227..comments2023-07-03T04:21:15.876-07:00Comments on Zero Degrees Calvin: Chapter 32: One Nation under God? Eleshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03764991021577652939noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3336172740435891338.post-47375715498352871172016-05-11T14:03:19.739-07:002016-05-11T14:03:19.739-07:00If Calvin had written the Institutes just for Gene...If Calvin had written the Institutes just for Geneva, he would have been able to assume that most people were Christians (insofar as humans can ever know who is among the elect). But writing in Latin and starting with an address to the king of France indicates that Calvin expected a larger audience--and, given his dire view of the Catholic Church, he would have expected a lot of non-Christians as well. Put differently, Calvin's ideal body politic would have consisted of godly folk, but he wrote into a more mixed context. The impiety of many contemporary Americans seems unlikely to have shocked him or caused him to change his message significantly.Eleshahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03764991021577652939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3336172740435891338.post-24575056062528878762016-05-08T04:25:44.102-07:002016-05-08T04:25:44.102-07:00If a majority of people in the states don't be...If a majority of people in the states don't believe in God any more that will not change God's providence upon the country. We as believers need to do our do diligence to strive to put God first in our lives. God will always provide on the just and unjust. We have to give praise in all seasons. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06211027215684722839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3336172740435891338.post-2123150147645756612016-05-07T05:40:19.730-07:002016-05-07T05:40:19.730-07:00Great post Christy! I am a bit torn here. I do adh...Great post Christy! I am a bit torn here. I do adhere to the concept of God's providence for humankind. I have no doubt of his omniscience and omnipotence;however, like Rick, I don't think God expects us to sit on our hands in the face of injustice. And yes, God's providence is enacted with or without our consent or acknowlegment.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10102035312463554536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3336172740435891338.post-68427810135181668992016-05-06T11:19:16.819-07:002016-05-06T11:19:16.819-07:00When I think of "In God we trust" I don&...When I think of "In God we trust" I don't really consider it a tool for evangelism. There are many in our land who do not subscribe to the Christian faith. This phrase was placed on currency in a time when a higher number of our citizens considered themselves to be Christians. Just a question... I wonder how much of an impact that phrase really has on people's lives unless is brought to the forefront by the media? I agree with Calvin's dual approach of a Christian / faith component and the civil component, recognizing the fallenness of humanity. However I struggle with the idea that we must wait on God to deal with the corrupt officials. richard watsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05930228931293631608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3336172740435891338.post-49684122582523850462016-05-05T20:13:16.276-07:002016-05-05T20:13:16.276-07:00Christy, I love how you used the image of money in...Christy, I love how you used the image of money in your post with "In God We Trust," when, as you note, many people use money that don't believe in God. I think it has been easier for people to ignore what is written on money because they don't speak it aloud with groups of people facing a flag. I do think that God's providence is at work, with or without the people's approval or understanding or even belief. The question, however, is whether mixing church and state on money is the best way to spread the Word?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09803460723648987218noreply@blogger.com