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Swiss Protestants mark 500th anniversary of Calvin's birth
Ekklesia ^ | 11 Oct 2007

Posted on 10/11/2007 5:56:32 AM PDT by Alex Murphy

The Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches has launched an interactive website as part of its celebrations to mark the 500th anniversary in 2009 of the birth of Protestant reformer Jean Calvin.

"We want Calvin to come alive for the people of our time through this Web site," the Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick, president of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and chairperson of the Web site's committee of patrons, said when the site was launched on 28 September 2007.

The website http://www.calvin09.org presents in four languages a calendar of jubilee events worldwide, and information on Calvin's life and teaching.

The Reformer was born on 10 July 1509 in Noyon in northern France but is known worldwide for his role in the Protestant Reformation in Geneva, a once independent city-state which became part of Switzerland in 1815.

As the official website for the Calvin celebrations, www.calvin09.org is now running two competitions. The first invites musicians to compose a hymn for the anniversary year. The second challenges people to submit "the most interesting, substantial and catching sermon" that offers "new, surprising perspectives" on Calvin's significance today.

Protestant churches around the world are planning a wide range of events to mark the 500th anniversary of Calvin's birth.

"We are eager to receive information that can be shared through this Web site concerning the various events being planned all around the world to mark Calvin's 500th birthday," said Kirkpatrick. "We hope and dream that calvin09.org will be as stimulating and relevant for the 21st century as the theology of John Calvin itself!"

The committee of patrons for the website is made up of 18 representatives from academic and church institutions. It includes, as co-chairpersons, Charlotte Kuffer, vice-president of the Protestant Church of Geneva, and the Rev Thomas Wipf, president of the Swiss Protestant federation.


TOPICS: History; Mainline Protestant
KEYWORDS: anniversary; churchhistory; europeanchristians
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To: Dr. Eckleburg; Claud; kawaii; Alex Murphy; blue-duncan
In going through Calvin's writings, the only reference I can see as to why Calvin was against Christmas is because of its association to pagan holidays:

Calvin raises a fair and scholarly objection to Christmas being tied to pagan holidays. I might add that every Christmas we see a number of legitimate articles on FR in regards to this matter; that Christmas, Easter, etc are really pagan holidays repackaged. But, as we can see by virtually Calvin's only statement on the matter, this hardly sounds like a virtual condemnation in the celebration of Christmas.
21 posted on 10/11/2007 4:43:57 PM PDT by HarleyD
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To: HarleyD; Dr. Eckleburg; Claud; kawaii; Alex Murphy; blue-duncan
BTW-That reference was from Calvin's notes in a Trestise on Relics.
22 posted on 10/11/2007 4:45:45 PM PDT by HarleyD
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To: marshmallow
No, where God is, sin isn't. Conversely, where God isn't, sin is.

Is God with you?

Do you ever sin?

23 posted on 10/11/2007 4:54:38 PM PDT by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
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To: marshmallow; Dr. Eckleburg
No, where God is, sin isn't. Conversely, where God isn't, sin is.

How could Jesus spend 30+ years on earth with us? We are all sinners. All his disciples were sinners. All his Apostles were sinners. Jesus ate with them. Jesus walked with them. Jesus fished with them. All the time he was surrounded by sin.

24 posted on 10/11/2007 5:57:53 PM PDT by wmfights (LUKE 9:49-50 , MARK 9:38-41)
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To: Dr. Eckleburg
her body is STILL in the ground awaiting the return of Jesus Christ.

And where would that be, exactly?

25 posted on 10/11/2007 7:17:41 PM PDT by Campion
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To: Campion
And where would that be, exactly?

"Whereabouts unknown" like most people from that era.

26 posted on 10/11/2007 8:09:00 PM PDT by Lee N. Field ("Dispensationalism -- threat or menace?")
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To: marshmallow
You still haven't given any support for your statement that...

where God is, sin isn't. Conversely, where God isn't, sin is.

Is God with you? Do you ever sin?

If you sin, is God not with you? Does He leave you in your sin? Does He permit Satan to take charge of you?

(Here comes the "cutting and pasting." It contains your answer.)

"Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them" -- Psalm 139:7-16

And since I know RCs don't care for the Old Testament, we have Paul assuring us that even while we were yet sinners, Christ loved us enough to die for us."

" But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" -- Ephesians 2:4-6

As my mother used to say, when your children are behaving their worst, they need your love the most.

27 posted on 10/11/2007 10:50:21 PM PDT by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
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To: Campion
And where would that be, exactly?

Well, we know exactly that her body is not in heaven.

28 posted on 10/11/2007 10:55:55 PM PDT by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
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To: marshmallow
God was not obligated in any way to come to us through a woman, nor to involve humans in his work. God, being God had no need of a humble Jewish girl.

That's ridiculous. The Scriptures had to be fulfilled. The entire point of our Christian faith is that God became man and suffered for our sakes. A human mother was a God-ordained necessity.

Mary was a devout young virgin who received a blessing by being chosen by God to carry Jesus Christ to term.

Sometimes I think Calvinists have missed the whole beauty and wonder of the redemption, especially its humble, human means.

And quite often I think Catholics miss the spiritual grace of Christ's redemption because they are focused on the mundane, the physical, the material, the "human means," and thus they forget there is "only one mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus."

29 posted on 10/11/2007 11:02:35 PM PDT by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
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To: xzins
Knox preached in many cities and countries, even during his two years in Geneva. He's well-known for pastoring St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh from 1560-1572.

ST. GILES CATHEDRAL

"The Church of Scotland is presbyterian in government, and St Giles' Cathedral is often called the mother church of world presbyterianism. It has uniquely reflected the life and religion of Scotland and incorporated the dynamic vision of the 16th century Reformation in the continuity of a developing and catholic church.

There are five services every Sunday and on average fourteen acts of worship in St Giles' every week. Worship at St Giles' upholds Christian tradition alongside openness to contemporary thought and action.

Holy Communion is the central act of worship in St Giles' and is celebrated several times each week. The Daily Service is a simple quarter-hour service of readings and prayers each weekday at noon. Visitors are welcome to join with the congregation in worship. Members of all churches are invited to participate fully in Holy Communion at St Giles'."

And...

ST. GILES' CATHEDRAL, KNOX AND THE REFORMATION

Who knows how "open to contemporary thought and action" St. Giles' has become?

30 posted on 10/11/2007 11:23:25 PM PDT by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
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To: kawaii

I think it’s important to remember that Calvin, like Luther and other Reformers, were challenged with the task to think through everything Biblically. They didn’t get everything right. But they were real pioneers in the sense that they were trying to remove the theological blinders that prevented the masses from seeing Christ.


31 posted on 10/12/2007 6:40:17 AM PDT by bethelgrad (Sharing Christ with Marines in Camp Fallujah)
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To: Dr. Eckleburg
You still haven't given any support for your statement that...

where God is, sin isn't. Conversely, where God isn't, sin is.

You need "support" for that statement? Good Lord!

Perhaps I should have said "where God dwells, sin isn't". For God is sinless and all holy. Can sin co-exist in the same place where God dwells? Is there sin in heaven? Satan can not abide the presence of God for this reason. Sin flees from the presence of God. There can be no sin in God's dwelling place.

What's difficult about that?

God's dwelling place is in heaven but it was also in the womb of the Virgin Mary. For 9 months. Could the all Holy One be nurtured and fed by sin?

Is God with you? Do you ever sin?

"With me"?? I'm not sure what you mean. The Holy Spirit may dwell within me.....if I allow Him.

I sin to the extent that I turn away from God. A man who draws close to God will become more Christ-like and turn away from sin. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit allows God's grace to work in us. However, we can freely choose to reject it. Conversely a man who rejects God will embrace sin.

There's a perfect inverse relationship between sin and God's presence.

The "God is everywhere" argument does not mean that he doesn't dwell in certain places in a special way. He was physically present in the womb of the Virgin Mary. He is physically and spiritually present in all the tabernacles of the world under the appearance of bread. When Jesus walked this earth, those who hated the truth fled from his presence. Those who loved it were drawn to him.

God is not equally present in the heart of a sinner and the heart of a saint.

32 posted on 10/12/2007 6:40:31 AM PDT by marshmallow
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To: Dr. Eckleburg
Holy Communion is the central act of worship in St Giles' and is celebrated several times each week.

!!! Is this typical for Presbyterians? (I'm debating frequency of Communion on another thread...someone's telling me once a year and that's it)

33 posted on 10/12/2007 6:49:43 AM PDT by Claud
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To: Dr. Eckleburg
That's ridiculous. The Scriptures had to be fulfilled.

A tautology.

The Scriptures are the word of God. Why did the Scriptures have to be that way? Hmmmmmm??

The entire point of our Christian faith is that God became man and suffered for our sakes. A human mother was a God-ordained necessity.

"A necessity"? For God? Who is sufficient in and of himself?? You jest. Why could God not have come down to earth the same way he left it after the Resurrection, for instance.......i.e. on a cloud??

Yes the Scriptures spoke of "a woman" but that just begs the question. Why did God ordain it??

Why did God's plan of salvation include this woman?

And don't say "coz it's in Scripture"

It's a circular argument.

34 posted on 10/12/2007 6:51:23 AM PDT by marshmallow
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To: kawaii; Dr. Eckleburg; Campion
As for Mary’s Body where precisly do you folks beleive it is?

Probably along side her new son, Apostle John. Find John and you'll find Mary. (Ask a rediculous question and get a rediculous answer.)

FYI the absence of a body proves nothing.

35 posted on 10/12/2007 11:22:56 AM PDT by OLD REGGIE (I am most likely a Biblical Unitarian? Let me be perfectly clear. I know nothing.)
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To: OLD REGGIE
Probably along side her new son, Apostle John. Find John and you'll find Mary.

As good an answer as any, and better than most.

One thing is certain; her body is not in heaven. Not yet.

36 posted on 10/12/2007 11:29:10 AM PDT by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
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To: OLD REGGIE
Probably along side her new son, Apostle John. Find John and you'll find Mary. (Ask a rediculous question and get a rediculous answer.) FYI the absence of a body proves nothing.

St John is the one who discovered her tomb empty.
37 posted on 10/12/2007 11:31:02 AM PDT by kawaii (Orthodox Christianity -- Proclaiming the Truth Since 33 A.D.)
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To: kawaii

actually that’d be st thomas my bad


38 posted on 10/12/2007 11:31:49 AM PDT by kawaii (Orthodox Christianity -- Proclaiming the Truth Since 33 A.D.)
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To: kawaii
St John is the one who discovered her tomb empty.

(Your correction to St. Thomas is noted).

Pure fiction. Get real.

39 posted on 10/12/2007 11:49:39 AM PDT by OLD REGGIE (I am most likely a Biblical Unitarian? Let me be perfectly clear. I know nothing.)
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To: OLD REGGIE

who says it’s fiction and how do they know?


40 posted on 10/12/2007 12:07:41 PM PDT by kawaii (Orthodox Christianity -- Proclaiming the Truth Since 33 A.D.)
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