Calvin Today Reformed Theology and the Future of the Church

This inspiring collection of essays spells out the relevance of John Calvin's theology for today in three areas: Faith ? Calvin's theology asks how God deals with the persistent presence of human sin. For Calvin, the chief end of life is to know God and devote our life to his glory. The still topical point is that we are freed from our fixation with ourselves, thereby recognising and living out our true reality in relation to God. Ecumenism ? The unity of the Church in Christ is of central importance to Calvin. We must do our utmost to make it visible. In Calvin's view, if there is agreement in the understanding of God and grace, all other differences have no divisive importance. This still characterises Reformed understanding today. Public responsibility ? Calvin posed the question about the church's public responsibility as no other Reformer did. Part 3 reveals the sources of the worldwide impact of Calvin's and Reformed theology on politics, the law, scholarship and the organising of life in society, including civil society.

Introduction /I. Faith / Faith: Introduction / "For the Glory of God": Learning the Future of the Church from Paul / Calvin as a Model for Theological Interpretation of Scripture, illustrated with his Exegis of Tim. 4:1-5/ Contemplating the Living Image of God in Creation / How Calvinism travelled to America: The story of Susanna Bell / Calvin, Children and the Church / Inconvenient, because Consistent Theology: John Calvin and Karl Barth / II. Ecumenism / Ecumenism - Introduction / Calvin's Concept Of the Church and Present-day Ecumenical Challenges / The World Alliance of Reformed Churches today and the John Calvin Legacy / Not without the World Council of Churches: A contribution to the history of the Catholic-reformed international bilateral dialogue. / Calvin's Theology: an Ecumenical Challenge / Can Scripture interpret itself? Thoughts on the relationship between the interpretation of Scripture and Church ministry in Calvin's theology / III. Public Responsibility Public Responsibility - Introduction / On Self-love. Impulses from Calvin and Calvinism for Life in Society? / Meditatio futurae vitae - A spiritual challenge for Church and society? / Calvin's Interpretation of the Church as the Communion of the Saints - a Challenge and an Opportunity for Present-day Reformed Churches / Calvin's Doctrine of the "Civil Government": Its Orienting Power in Pluralism and Globalization