11/26/09 John Calvin and Advent

This is the 500th Birthday year of John Calvin. It is a great time to listen and study this great thinker that influenced our society in so many ways. He helped establish the Reformation and Protestantism, he helped establish capitalism, enouraged literacy and public education so everyone could read the scriptures. Some credit him because of his extensive writings with developing the French language. Certainly he is the founder of Presbyterianism and Reformed Theology.

But didn't Calvin not celebrate advent? Calvin said in a letter (1555) that the celebration of special feast days and holy days might vary from church to church and should not be condemned.

In a letter (1551) Calvin said that Geneva had abolished all feast and holy days except the Sabbath before he ever got there. He said they did this "without his knowledge or desire."

Calvin has some very rich things to say about the passages used in advent. Most of the things I use in this blog come from his commentary.

I also add the scriptures for the day, end in a prayer for the day, and a daily thought based primarily on the passage and how it applies to our day.