Round the Sphere Again

The John Calvin’s Birthday Edition

Do you think he’d be happy about all the fuss? James White says no.

A few book blurbs, deals and giveways, etc:

• Ligonier Ministries: Living for God’s Glory by Joel Beeke and John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine & Doxology edited by Burk Parsons.
• Ligonier Ministries offers John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine & Doxology for a donation of any amount. (In case you’re forgotten, I reviewed this book here.)
• Tim Challies has a giveaway for the two books featured above plus The Expository Genius of John Calvin by Steven Lawson. Enter here.
• Desiring God Ministries is offering the biography of John Calvin by T. H. L. Parker for only $2.00.
• Christianity Today: Michael Horton’s Top 5 Books on Calvin

A little history:

• The Crusty Curmudgeon: Happy birthday, John Calvin (He promises to tell us about Calvin’s greatest controversy tomorrow.)
• Reformation Theology: John Calvin - born 500 years ago today
• Hiraeth: A quote from the birthday man.
• The Thirsty Theologian explains how God kept one Calvinist humble.

Dog-Eat-Dog

But all in fun, of course.

Round the Sphere Again

Has it really been a whole week since I did one of these?

Complementary
Kevin DeYoung tackles a question about the “new Calvinist” associations and their inssistance on complementarianism.

Not-So-Complimentary
In one of the most bizarre tributes I’ve every heard, Tony Campolo celebrates John Calvin’s 500th birthday by telling us that the Calvinist doctrine of total depravity is one of the factors behind the Nazi genocide. (As if Calvinism doesn’t also include the doctrine that all human beings are made in the image of God.) And did you know (so says Campolo) that homosexuals who come out of a Calvinist background feel free to behave licentiously because they know they’re  not one of the elect? But anyone who knows Calvinism enough to comment on it  on the radio should know that Calvinists believe that no one can know that they’re not one of the elect, because God chooses to save all kinds of sinners.

And there’s more: Calvinists think Christians should save their sacrificial giving for causes that help only fellow Christians. No helping world orphans and poor people for Calvinists! Oh, and Calvinism kills missions.

Calvin? He was just a big old meany and anyone who opposed Calvin was in serious trouble. The way it was in Geneva, according to TC, was “Don’t buck Calvin, or they’ll burn you at the stake.” Hey-ho. I wonder how all those Genevan Libertines survived, let alone were elected to town council.

I’m thinking maybe Mr. Campolo doesn’t know there’s a difference between a tribute and a roast. (HT to James White.)

Cutting Edge
Perhaps I was overprotective with my kiddos. HT for this vintage ad: Retro Comedy

Counting Numbers
Catching up with Sherry’s hymn project.

• Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence (66)
• Jesus Loves Me (67)
• Children of the Heavenly Father (68). (This was one of my ten favorite hymns. I didn’t expect it to be on the top 100 hymn list, but I’m glad it is. The only other of my favorites on the top 100 list so far has been God Moves in a Mysterious Way.)
• All My Hope on God Is Founded (69)
• Hark the Herald Angels Sing (70)
• Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken (71)
• O Love that Wilt Not Let Me Go (72)
• Shout to the Lord (73)