Chapter 15 is largely about the fall of humanity, describing how God did make humans more or less perfect to begin with, except they may have been a bit weak-willed. But humanity is degenerate from those first humans who were, in effect, the image of God. Calvin expresses a dualistic notion that humanity has both a corporeal body, and a spiritual soul. It is the soul that, in us, still contains the image of God.
In Chapter 6 of his Reader's Guide to the Institutes Lane poses 3 questions.
1. How does Calvin view our struggle against Satan? Basically, he sees it as an implacable one, in which there can be no compromise, no quarter given and no quarter taken. The devil's corps are "Legion" and the only real defense is the "armor of God". For a very interesting take on the whole devil vs. humanity struggle you might want to check out The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. They were much in my mind as I read this section.
2. Why is it so important to distinguish between human nature as created/fallen? It is important to do so, so that we do not somehow attribute the fallen nature of man to God. God made humanity "good" (and well). God also made humanity with free will - which humanity somehow lost in the fall (at least this is how I am reading Calvin). Humanity chose to become fallen.
3. How does Calvin understand the image of God? It is evident to me that Calvin sees the image of God in us as more spiritual than physical and not quite perfect. God made perfection in the first humans and only did God make his image perfect one other time and that was with Jesus Christ.
My own question: It seems like I have been seeing a fair amount of dualism in Calvin's theology. Do you think dualism is an essential part of Christianity, especially in the Reformed Faith as enunciated by Calvin?
Good evening Bill,
ReplyDeleteThis idea of dualism continues in Calvin when he discusses our relationship to God.
Surely, his infinity ought to make us afraid to try to measure him by our own senses. Indeed, his spiritual nature forbids our imagining anything earthly or carnal of him. For the same reason, he quite often assigns to himself a dwelling place in heaven. And yet as he in incomprehensible he also fills the earth itself. But because he sees that our slow minds sink down upon the earth, and rightly in order to shake off our sluggisnhness and inertia he raises us above the world. (Institutes 1.13.1)
And also when he is critical of icons:
…we must cling to this principle: God’s glory is corrupted by an impious falsehood whenever any form is attached to him. (Institutes 1.11.1)
Thank you for the detailed summary of this weeks' reading. In answer to your question: Is Calvin's duality an essential part of the Reformed Faith as lined out by him. What I observe, read into the duality, is an [and forgive me if you do not agree] effort to explain our relationship to God, the images of God, and so forth. It is almost as if Calvin is battering the culture from every stance, 'in order to simplify for the simpletons' all that is important. And, in this effort there is as much clarity as there is a sense of duality. So, no I do not believe there is dualism in Calvin's thought... but I see how in his passion to clarify there are times this is suggested. Thank you again!
ReplyDeleteCould you say more about what you mean by dualism? That God and sin are both present in the world is pretty foundational to all Christian theology, so I'm guessing you have something more specific in mind--including, perhaps pre-modern and early modern belief in spirits, good and bad, at which our own era largely scoffs (except at the movies).
ReplyDeleteAlso, if that's an original image, I love it!
Actually, with regard to dualism, I was thinking in terms of the platonic idea of forms, for example, God is the ideal form and we, made in the image of God, are an imperfect representation of God in this world. We might also extend the idea to the separation of body and soul. Is the soul just a higher form of who we are? My thinking is along those lines.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment on the image. I did not want to violate any copyright laws so I doodled it with my finger on my Paint program.
oooh - good thought! I think that Platonic imagery is really interesting.
DeleteBill, Thanks for your great post! I loved the joke (& your image) about hell being built for the curious. I also wanted to grab my copy of the Screwtape Letters…but no time now. I appreciated the “right-sizing” of angels and demons in this section of readings. I think I have a slightly better understanding of the power of Satan and the need for being mindful and equipped to battle this dark power. In a way, I have a new “respect” for Satan. I looked up “dualism” for religion on the Encyclopedia Britannica website to try to understand your question better. Here’s what I found: “In religion, dualism means the belief in two supreme opposed powers or gods, or sets of divine or demonic beings, that caused the world to exist.” Under that definition, I don’t think Calvin is referring to dualism. He is clear that there is one God who created the world and that Satan is not only a “degenerate creation” but also is under God’s control. There is often a tension, however between many concepts in the Bible that can feel like “dualism” like good and evil.
ReplyDeleteI think you are right. I was confusing dualism with Platonism. My mistake...and apologies.
DeleteBill, Thanks for your great post! I loved the joke (& your image) about hell being built for the curious. I also wanted to grab my copy of the Screwtape Letters…but no time now. I appreciated the “right-sizing” of angels and demons in this section of readings. I think I have a slightly better understanding of the power of Satan and the need for being mindful and equipped to battle this dark power. In a way, I have a new “respect” for Satan. I looked up “dualism” for religion on the Encyclopedia Britannica website to try to understand your question better. Here’s what I found: “In religion, dualism means the belief in two supreme opposed powers or gods, or sets of divine or demonic beings, that caused the world to exist.” Under that definition, I don’t think Calvin is referring to dualism. He is clear that there is one God who created the world and that Satan is not only a “degenerate creation” but also is under God’s control. There is often a tension, however between many concepts in the Bible that can feel like “dualism” like good and evil.
ReplyDeleteThough we are not currently talking about the Eucharist, I found this post as I was researching Calvin and Dualism.
ReplyDeletehttps://blogs.ancientfaith.com/orthodoxbridge/platonic-dualism-in-the-reformed-understanding-of-the-real-presence/
Bill, thanks for a great post and discussion following! Like Laurie, after reading this part of the Institutes, I have newfound understanding of evil. Something has always bothered me, though, about the metaphors of war, armor, and weapons. War implies that we are turning to face the evil, thus being able to fight it with our "belt of truth...breastplate of righteousness...shield of faith...helmet of salvation...sword of the Spirit" (Eph 6:14-17). I don't like the imagery of turning from God in order to face evil. Rather, I wonder if we shouldn't put on all those things and yet still face God, allowing God's power to work through them and wash over us beating back the flames of hell. Maybe this is chicken-witted of me and I should "urge (myself) to perseverance" (p. 173).
ReplyDeleteHad not read the joke, and loved it. I've made the comment several times during various Sunday school lessons and Bible studies that I don't think that we in the Presbyterian Church speak much of Satan. Most of what I have learned came from studies done with my Baptist friends. Yet, what I have studied is exactly what I'm reading in Calvin's Institutes.
ReplyDeleteI've had The Screwtape Letters on my "to do" list for years, but never managed to read it. However, This Present Darkness Trilogy by Frank Peretti is full of angels and demons battling it out in our human struggles.
Thanks for the summary Bill. I dialed in on 1.15.4, Now we see how Christ is the most perfect image of God (near the end of the 2ND paragraph). I was surprised how much was written about angels, evil, and devils. After spending a couple of decades in the army, it may have easier to read the struggles against such things. I do wonder if my own children realize the difficulties we face in the world today? Struggle, war, and conflict is something that almost seems normal in our world today. Calvin’s words are strangely familiar and timeless.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Bill for this post. I had not read the joke, and your sketch of the devil is a work of art in itself. While I feel that dualism is foundational to Christianity, I do not think that we contemporary Reformers lend much credit to a "devil." In fact, I don't feel that many of those outside the Christian faith even consider the devil as more than a mere metaphor for carnal will. That being said, it is almost impossible to examine modern pop culture, at least in America, without seeing countless references to the struggle between good and evil. So at least on one hand, we are strangely infatuated.
ReplyDelete