John Calvin: Celebrating a life at full throttle

Lecture celebrating the influence of John Calvin on both church and culture. This public lecture was delivered at Duke Street Church, Richmond, UK on October 22nd 2009 by Dr Liam Goligher.

If you would prefer you can download the audio (mp3) file here

Over 100 people attended the lecture which marked the 500th anniversary of Calvin’s birth .

Although Jean Calvin lived so long ago, his teachings had a considerable impact on not only the development of the church but also the shaping of the state and they continue to resonate today.

Liam’s lecture explored Calvin’s extensive influence on many areas of life including education, poverty, the law, economics and civil government, as well as the church and its relationship with the state.

Despite his great achievements, Calvin remained humble in his faith. A month before he died, he gathered together the magistrates of the city of Geneva and testified to his complete dependence upon God and confessed himself “miserable sinner”. At his insistence he was buried in an unmarked grave.

“Calvin is certainly not just an academic from history.” explained Liam. “Time magazine, for instance, recently said that the renaissance of Calvinism in America was the third biggest force changing the world, after the internet and the global financial crisis. A whole new generation of younger Christian leaders are looking back to their ecclesiastical roots and finding huge value in the depth and robustness of Calvin’s orthodox theology.”

It was a stimulating evening and the audience’s attention was rewarded in mind and body, with greater knowledge and a fine array of canapés.

If you are interested in learning more about Calvin’s theology, come to the Calvin Reading Group which meets monthly at The Cricketers pub on Richmond Green. Details are available from the church office.

Posted: November 11, 2009 at 12:01 | Tags: ,

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