John Calvin, Founding Father

The Washington Post ^ | July 07, 2009 | Doug Phillips

[Alex Murphy]

On July 10, six days after our own Independence Day, the world will celebrate the birthday of John Calvin, the man most responsible for our American system of liberty based on Republican principles of representative government.

It was Founding Father and the second President of the United States, John Adams, who described Calvin as "a vast genius," a man of "singular eloquence, vast erudition, and polished taste, [who] embraced the cause of Reformation," adding: "Let not Geneva be forgotten or despised. Religious liberty owes it much respect."

Calvin, a humble scholar and convert to Reformation Christianity from Noyon, France, is best known for his influence on the city of Geneva. It was there that his careful articulation of Christian theology as applied to familial, civil, and ecclesiastical authority modeled many of the principles of liberty later embraced by our own Founders, including anti-statism, the belief in transcendent principles of law as the foundation of an ethical legal system, free market economics, decentralized authority, an educated citizenry as a safeguard against tyranny, and republican representative government which was accountable to the people and a higher law.

In time, these ideas were imported to America. Certainly, the cause of American independence did not begin in 1776, but well over a century before as the first settlers arrived. These included the Huguenots of France, the Presbyterians of Scotland and Ireland, and the Puritans of New England. A common denominator of all these groups was their adherence to Reformed and Calvinistic confessions of faiths and a common heritage forged in the midst of civil and ecclesiastical tyranny. This is one reason why historians like Leopold von Ranke have observed that "Calvin was virtually the founder of America."

King George once dismissed the American War for Independence as a mere "Presbyterian rebellion." He did so

[lupie]

Not trying to cause trouble, but am trying to figure out what you deem as personal. Is there a difference to you in post 36 and in post 37 where it is personal in 36 but not in 37? If there is a difference, can you explain it? To me, if you see post 36 as making it personal, then 37 should be too.

[raynearhood]

thanks!

[Religion Moderator]

Post 37 pushes the envelope but it is speaking academically, i.e. "it seems..." Nevertheless, making a thread "about" individual Freepers is "making it personal."

When the thread focuses on the individual Freepers instead of the issues, flame wars can result.