Monday, February 8, 2016

2: God and Humanity

Kate Kolmodin

Calvin speaks to the  interconnection of God and humanity in chapter 1. He states, “Our wisdom, in so far as it ought to be deemed true and solid wisdom, consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves”. He breaks this down though to show the importance of our knowledge of self already coming from God. Our knowledge cannot come from within, because we are a fallen and broken world, it can only come from God. The only way to attain full knowledge of self is to be in relationship with God. We are always looking outward and upward which will define and direct our very being, according to Calvin.

Chapter 2 is an attempt to inform the reader what it actually means to know God, not just an idea of God. The knowledge of God the Creator is defined by Calvin as the Being who has created all things including humans – and when we come to recognize this we come closer to understanding and comprehending the knowledge of God. He does not say these words, but it sounds like Calvin is trying to make a claim about the embodiment of God. When we believe that God has already made us to be who we are we can understand God better – and all honor and glory are directed toward God. The knowledge and awareness we receive constantly is turning us back to our Creator rather than ourselves. Calvin uses an illustration of the Epicureans by stating, “The effect of our knowledge rather out to be, first, to teach us reverence and fear; and, secondly, to induce us, under its guidance and teaching, to ask every good thing from him, and, when it is received, ascribe it to him”.


In chapter 3 Calvin brings to light the awareness that some sense of the Divine is already within all of humanity, even when we cannot see, understand, or put language around it. He speaks to the belief that the sense has been around from the very beginning of time because “when he chooses to worship wood and stone rather than be thought to have no God, it is evident how very strong this impression of Deity must be”. Calvin refutes the belief then that Religion was created by man, because if all of creation has a sense of a Deity, it would be impossible to have been created by man. Again, referencing chapter 1, if all knowledge of God in ourselves in from God than how could have man created something out of thin air that is not of God.

The whole of chapter 4, Calvin tells us how bad we all are because of sin and how our sin impedes our ability to have the knowledge of God and of ourselves. He uses some pretty harsh language throughout this chapter and speaks at length about our vanity, blindness, foolish, etc. It is because of these sins we are not able to understand God, all the while having a sense that there is a Deity or the Divine. 

I believe this portion of the Institutes is important because it is the premise for which the rest of the book is set up. He begins by speaking about the inter connectivity of God with humanity and all of creation. However, it feels a little like Calvin said, “oh look, God is so great and desires to know you and for you to know God but BAM…here is why you truly can’t know God”. I am curious to see how the rest of the book plays out and if there is a similar sentiment throughout.

Questions from Lane:
1 – Why must the knowledge of God and knowledge of ourselves be held together?
From personal experience, as well as my reading of Calvin, we must hold these two together because they cannot be separated. We are who we are because of the relationship between ourselves and God. If we are made in the image of God and made to be in relationship with God, then we cannot see ourselves outside or isolated from God.
2 – What role is played in our “natural awareness” of God?
I believe the role that is play in our “natural awareness” of God has everything to do with the realization that God is in and through everything and everyone. Knowing that the Divine is always active everywhere we are and everyone we are with plays out in how we live our lives. It brings us back to the interconnectivity with God and the world around us.


I have quite a few questions but having to pick to just one I wonder…why is there so much emphasis placed, by Calvin, on how bad and sinful we are, considering that he also believes the great God of the universe wants so desperately to be in relationship with all of humanity?  

11 comments:

  1. You did a wonderful job summarizing the first 4 chapters. I appreciate your question about Calvin’s emphasis on “how bad and sinful” we are. There always seems to be a tension between being created good and in God’s image and also sinful and broken. Here are a couple of things I picked up in the readings regarding this tension. On page 36 in the Institutes, Calvin says that our own depravity or brokenness points us to the full abundance of every good thing, which is found in the Lord alone. So our sinfulness points us to God. Another reason perhaps Calvin emphasizes our brokenness is because he says until we recognize that we owe everything to God, we will never willingly serve him. (p. 41) Finally our sinfulness highlights our need for a Savior. He says on page 40, in this ruin of mankind, no one experiences God as Father and author of life until Christ the mediator comes to reconcile him to us.

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  2. Great summary of those 4 chapters. I was struck by the close relationship between humanity and God. In reading through Chapter 1, I constantly was thinking about us being made in the image of God. I thought you did a good job bringing this out. I think it also helps emphasize the familial relationship between God and us. In a way we can only understand God because of our similarities to the Divine and that familial relationship.

    Nevertheless, as you noted, we are flawed, and sinful. Yes, we are an image of God, but certainly imperfect ones. As Calvin points out on p.38 of the 'Institutes' in his 'Looking at the Sun' analogy, we would hardly know how flawed we truly are unless we had the true image of God with which to compare ourselves. I think Calvin may emphasize our sinfulness because it underlines our need for God. Laurie brings this out in her comment.

    Finally, I think the whole "natural awareness" question is important and you rightly point out that it does bring us to the "realization that God is in and through everything and everyone". I think it may also have to do with how we might understand how God might view the salvation of those who have not had the opportunity to hear the Good News.

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  3. Kate,
    I will just share my thought that Calvin places a great deal of emphasis on the 'bad' state of humanity, because until this is faced, we are unable to see, our poverty is in not seeing our sin. And it is sin which separates us from God's light, that is knowing of God's presence. The Great God of the universe knows each of us, has woven us together... The Great God of the universe wants us to know, to have a relationship with our creator. Calvin is upset because he, I believe is aggravated at the loss of relationship for so many individuals who cannot seem to see their sin, their eyes are blinded by the worldly successes, and they cannot seem to look past the glitz.... That's why I think Calvin is so upset, it hurts to watch, I guess.

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  4. Kate, I really had the same feeling as you did with chapter 4. Calvin seemed to go into some pretty great detail with chapter 4, section 4. I almost wanted highlight the latter part of the first sentence, “they are dragged there despite their resistance”. Although the section refers to hypocrite specifically, it does resonate to me.

    You came up with a really good question. I wonder if the answer is that humankind has failed so many times to listen to the biblical warnings of sinful nature and Calvin presented the sledge hammer approach. I don’t think you can read the Institutes without coming away with the understanding that Calvin thought humankind is sinful (at least the parts we have read so far).

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  5. Kate, You covered our ability to see the Divine in Humanity extremely well. We can see the gospel even when the gospel isn't being preached. In nature we can see the great complexities of God, and our connection with nature is the foundation for establishing a connection with the Creator. I know many people who use the phrase,"I experience God more in the outdoors than I do in church." This often is a cop out for attending or being a part of church, but it doesn't make the statement any less true. We can connect and experience God sometimes in a whole new way when we are in nature. This is why many of the deities created by humanity are creature or nature centered, because God is within nature and we see God through nature.

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  6. Kate, You covered our ability to see the Divine in Humanity extremely well. We can see the gospel even when the gospel isn't being preached. In nature we can see the great complexities of God, and our connection with nature is the foundation for establishing a connection with the Creator. I know many people who use the phrase,"I experience God more in the outdoors than I do in church." This often is a cop out for attending or being a part of church, but it doesn't make the statement any less true. We can connect and experience God sometimes in a whole new way when we are in nature. This is why many of the deities created by humanity are creature or nature centered, because God is within nature and we see God through nature.

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  7. Kate, You covered our ability to see the Divine in Humanity extremely well. We can see the gospel even when the gospel isn't being preached. In nature we can see the great complexities of God, and our connection with nature is the foundation for establishing a connection with the Creator. I know many people who use the phrase,"I experience God more in the outdoors than I do in church." This often is a cop out for attending or being a part of church, but it doesn't make the statement any less true. We can connect and experience God sometimes in a whole new way when we are in nature. This is why many of the deities created by humanity are creature or nature centered, because God is within nature and we see God through nature.

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  8. I think Calvin's definition of piety (in which reverence and love of God are joined, p 39)is key to why Calvin talks about how bad and sinful we are. On pg 47 he states, "And so it happens that no real piety remains in the world." Sinfulness (total depravity) exists because we often fail to reverence and love God at the same time. Without true knowledge of God, we are worshiping idols we have created. God wants us worshiping Him and not these false gods of our imagination.

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  9. Hi Kate,
    I am thinking specifically about your observation that Calvin places so much emphasis on man's sinfulness when he wants so desperately to be in a relationship with humanity. The historian in me wants to place his comments into the context of the sixteenth century where Calvin is surrounded by the sights of piety of the past the great cathedrals as well as the zeal for religious reform in the height of the reformation. Meanwhile, Radical reform groups are denying scripture, the papacy is embroiled in secular affairs, and the plague is ripping through Europe every ten years or so. There is really a sense of good and evil and life and death at every corner. It makes sense in this context that Calvin would understand humanity in its fallen state, that people are sinful and therefore unwilling to see the splendor of God. If people are truly seeking to understand self, they must by definition recognize God and "how can the thought of God penetrate your mind without your realizing immediately that, since you are his handiwork, you have been made over and bound to his command by right of reaction, that you owe your life to him?"(p. 42) I think this is true of the modern age, as well, especially if we tune into the the pain and suffering all around us.

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  10. Kate, you brought out such great points in the readings. I was also drawn to the reverence and fear that the knowledge of God instills. In Chapter 2, Calvin points out that although some would want to run from God's judgment, it would be counterproductive? We would also be running from God's glory. I particularly loved his statement, "Even if there were no hell, it (the mind) would still shudder at offending him alone." (p. 43) Calvin's statements provide a good grounding for the lashing he is about to give out regarding our sinfulness. Even when we look inside and see awful things, don't run, because God also gives out every good and gracious thing. Lane had an astute observation on p. 36 that Calvin's excessive emphasis on human sinfulness may indeed be an attempt at correction, as several in the class have also pointed out. It irritates me to no end when the Confession of Sin is the first thing to go in the worship service that needs to be shortened. Calvin would probably have some harsh words about that.

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  11. Kate, I do agree with you that in sin, they are disconnected from God. The knowledge and fear of God does not perturb sinners. Though they acknowledge the existence of the judgment of God their hearts are hardened. “Those who are of a mind alien to God’s righteousness know that his judgment stands ready to punish transgressors against him, yet they greatly desire its overthrow” (page, 50).
    Their hearts are hardened and they chart their own paths yet they pretend to know God and from time to time offer worthless sacrifices to appease God. It is important to note that in times of need, they seek God and draw on him for existence but they quickly and easily turn to their sinful ways of paying little attention to God and his power to punish.

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