Calvin's Theology of Creation and Providence: God's Care and Human Fragility

This article describes some of the basic elements of John Calvin's theology of creation and providence by situating them within a trinitarian framework. By using metaphors such as mirror, theatre and garment, Calvin pictured the earth as a generous gift of the Creator within which God shows his...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Kooi, Cornelis van der 1952- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Wiley-Blackwell [2016]
In: International journal of systematic theology
Year: 2016, Volume: 18, Issue: 1, Pages: 47-65
IxTheo Classification:KAG Church history 1500-1648; Reformation; humanism; Renaissance
KDD Protestant Church
NBC Doctrine of God
NBD Doctrine of Creation
Online Access: Volltext (Verlag)
Volltext (doi)
Description
Summary:This article describes some of the basic elements of John Calvin's theology of creation and providence by situating them within a trinitarian framework. By using metaphors such as mirror, theatre and garment, Calvin pictured the earth as a generous gift of the Creator within which God shows his goodness, power and fatherly care. Calvin understands God not to be far away, but rather to be near and to sustain all life on earth by the power of the Holy Spirit. The visibility and tangibility of God's care as shown in the order of the universe and the reality of the world as a habitable place is of particular significance for Calvin. I argue that although contemporary science has changed our ideas regarding the universe in significant ways, there is an important aspect of Calvin's thinking that may be recognizable for the modern mind: the fragility of life on earth.
ISSN:1468-2400
Contains:Enthalten in: International journal of systematic theology
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1111/ijst.12140