John Calvin developed a new theology, commonly called Calvinism, in which he proposed a new understanding of what Jesus did, the sacraments, the Church and authority, justification, the value of the scriptures and private interpretation as the means by which men come to know the content of divine revelation. Part of John Calvin's new theology is the notion of the assistance of the Holy Spirit who is understood as the third person of the divine Trinity. The Holy Spirit's assistance of the man who interprets the sacred text assumes the man is regenerated, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Prior to regeneration, men are corrupted by original sin and cannot do any good acts. After regeneration, the regenerate man is open to the action of the Holy Spirit.
But Calvin's new theology bears a burden of proof because Christianity up until the time of Calvin's new theology had never known Calvinism. As Christianity is a historical religion with historically based faith communities with an authority structure, that held councils to determine church doctrines, anyone who proposes new doctrines must have the new theology subject to the measure of Christianity as found in the church history. Calvin, therefore, must also participate in that burden of proof and demonstrate that he, as the author of the novel theology, is regenerate by the Holy Spirit and thereby worthy of being moved by the Holy Spirit, and then worthy of a hearing from the rest of Christendom. For Calvin's new doctrines are open to the criticism that his version of Christianity is merely his own invention which contains many errors, which cause the Calvinist to sin, and thereby become an unregenerate.
We may ask if Calvin's novel doctrine of double predestination is a heresy then is Calvin a regenerate when he invented the new doctrine? If he was, then he arrived at a new doctrine apparently under the guidance of the Holy Spirit which much of Christendom rejects. The claim of the regenerate man privately interpreting the sacred text with the assistance of the Holy Spirit is problematic. Alternatively, Calvin was not regenerate and the Holy Spirit did not assist him in his private interpretation and according to both Calvin's theological system and Thomas Aquinas' theological system, Calvin sinned by inventing a new and false doctrine.
Accordingly, any other doctrines invented by Calvin may also be subject to a similar scrutiny, showing the claims of Calvin's theology bear a burden that is both problematic and unverifiable. For Calvin's new theology is his own invention, which he must defend in opposition to church history, and in opposition to problems caused within his own theological system and in opposition to other theological systems such as that of Thomas Aquinas.
Two fundamental questions concerning Calvin's theology are - was Calvin a regenerate man when he acted as an interpreter of the text to attain his many novel doctrines not found in church history? Or was John Calvin in a state of sin and his theology cannot be trusted from within his own system as judged by the doctrines of historical Christianity? For if Calvin was an unregenerate whilst writing his Institutes of the Christian religion, then many, or all of his own novel doctrines are only the falsities of a sinful man that are to be rejected by all men. If John Calvin was, however, a regenerate man when he taught is new and false doctrines, then there is at least some basis to hear his case against the Catholic church, whilst his false doctrines remain false.
But Calvin's new theology bears a burden of proof because Christianity up until the time of Calvin's new theology had never known Calvinism. As Christianity is a historical religion with historically based faith communities with an authority structure, that held councils to determine church doctrines, anyone who proposes new doctrines must have the new theology subject to the measure of Christianity as found in the church history. Calvin, therefore, must also participate in that burden of proof and demonstrate that he, as the author of the novel theology, is regenerate by the Holy Spirit and thereby worthy of being moved by the Holy Spirit, and then worthy of a hearing from the rest of Christendom. For Calvin's new doctrines are open to the criticism that his version of Christianity is merely his own invention which contains many errors, which cause the Calvinist to sin, and thereby become an unregenerate.
We may ask if Calvin's novel doctrine of double predestination is a heresy then is Calvin a regenerate when he invented the new doctrine? If he was, then he arrived at a new doctrine apparently under the guidance of the Holy Spirit which much of Christendom rejects. The claim of the regenerate man privately interpreting the sacred text with the assistance of the Holy Spirit is problematic. Alternatively, Calvin was not regenerate and the Holy Spirit did not assist him in his private interpretation and according to both Calvin's theological system and Thomas Aquinas' theological system, Calvin sinned by inventing a new and false doctrine.
Accordingly, any other doctrines invented by Calvin may also be subject to a similar scrutiny, showing the claims of Calvin's theology bear a burden that is both problematic and unverifiable. For Calvin's new theology is his own invention, which he must defend in opposition to church history, and in opposition to problems caused within his own theological system and in opposition to other theological systems such as that of Thomas Aquinas.
Two fundamental questions concerning Calvin's theology are - was Calvin a regenerate man when he acted as an interpreter of the text to attain his many novel doctrines not found in church history? Or was John Calvin in a state of sin and his theology cannot be trusted from within his own system as judged by the doctrines of historical Christianity? For if Calvin was an unregenerate whilst writing his Institutes of the Christian religion, then many, or all of his own novel doctrines are only the falsities of a sinful man that are to be rejected by all men. If John Calvin was, however, a regenerate man when he taught is new and false doctrines, then there is at least some basis to hear his case against the Catholic church, whilst his false doctrines remain false.
According to Thomas Aquinas, the principle is the cause of all action. If John Calvin was an unregenerate man, then Calvin acted as a corrupted, and sinful principle of his own, novel and false theology. If Calvin was corrupt, then his theology is also corrupt. If his theology is corrupt, then Calvin was also probably corrupted through his own sins of heresy, and schism.
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