Reading Questions
M 29 Nov
Luther, The Freedom of a Christian;
Calvin, Institutes of Christian
Religion, IV.20
1) Freedom of a Christian
"A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A
Christian
is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all." What does this
mean?
What are the functions of faith? If we are justified by faith, why does
it matter what we do? How is proper action determined by one's audience?
How is this different from Paul? From Augustine? Is Luther's approach
more in line with what you know of Plato, or of Aristotle?
What does Luther have to say in this text about kingship? Can you draw
any lessons about political and social organization from this text?
2) Institutes
Relate this argument to Luther's argument in Freedom of a Christian.
Is
Calvin
saying the same thing? Developing it?
Rejecting
it?
What is Calvin's conception of "law" (compare, for example, to Aquinas,
etc.)?
Calvin, famously, preached a doctrine of strict predestination: God
already
knows if you are saved or damned, and nothing you do can change that.
Is
there any connection between this idea and the political ideas espoused
in
Institutes IV.20?
Is his argument about a right of resistance (pp. 1510-end) nonsense?
Can
he really have it both ways?