God talk

  We continue looking at virtues through Bavincks lens.   These are some verses he quotes.   The words moral excellence translated by ἀρετή aretē in the followings verses is important for the discussion so be aware of this before looking at what is said after the Bible quotations 8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. Philippians 4:8 5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 2 Peter 1:5   9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvellous light; 1 Peter 2:9   (NASB) Herman Bavinck the master theologian then gives a de...

  Bavinck then moves on to what the Reformers thought about natural good and moral good.   I am especially interested in John Calvin and his Institutes. I started to think about the lack of Aristotle in the Institutes of the Christian Religion.   Obviously if one reads Aquinas’ Summa Theologai he is found everywhere. The Unmoved Mover and so on.    In the philosophy of Kalam in Islam Aristotle is very important as the philosophy was used as an argument for the relationship of God and Creation although at places with corrections.   John Calvin dumps Aristotle like a brick! Why? Perhaps we will find out a little more about these things in these pages. Let’s begin with a quote from Bavinck this puts the theatre in place for what Calvin and other Reformers will act out; “Protestants, more in line with Augustine, thought differently. Luther wrote that Aristotle can give rules for only the natural, temporary, perishable life." Natural moral theory emphasi...

                                                                                                                                  Photo by Katie Hollamby from Pexels Bavinck with his incredible theological mind can make something trivial such as eating, drinking, sleeping and walking which he calls natural goods, as he says are neither good nor evil.   Then he goes on by saying that these things can become good and evil by the way they are used.   It all depends on the inclination… he gives the example of lust or laziness. On three concentric circles one has the centre ‘spiritual’ then the mi...