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Although "God loves you" is a common summary of the central message of Christian teaching and preaching, a close reading of the Bible and attention to the Christian tradition will reveal passages of Scripture and Christian doctrines¿¿particularly John Calvin's doctrine of predestination¿¿that seem to undermine confidence in God's love for all people. For numerous theologians, including many within the Reformed tradition, the secret decree of Calvin's God to save some and condemn others seems to undercut completely one's assurance of salvation along with one's ability to trust in and worship God. However, pastor and scholar John Calvin confidently spoke of God as a loving Father throughout his teaching and preaching.
In Uncovering Calvin's God, Forrest H. Buckner unearths Calvin's teaching about the God of love who reigns sovereign over predestination. Drawing upon sources from across Calvin's corpus, Buckner examines Calvin's teaching on the knowledge of God and the doctrine of predestination to provide a more robust and cohesive understanding of Calvin's theology, which Buckner then confirms through an extensive examination of Calvin's preaching in Geneva. He then offers a critical comparison of Calvin's approach with the teaching of Luther, Zwingli, Bullinger, Arminius, and Barth. Using Calvin's system as a starting point, this book helps readers perceive the essentials and trade-offs of any doctrine of predestination that takes seriously both the Bible and the loving God revealed in Jesus Christ.
List of contents
Chapter 1: One Disposition or Two? Framing the Question
Chapter 2: The Knowledge of God: God's Revealed Nature
Chapter 3: God's Disposition Toward Humanity in Predestination
Chapter 4: Integration: One Disposition and a Two-Fold Will
Chapter 5: Calvin's Preaching: Testing our Findings
Chapter 6: Predestination and God's Love in Recent Calvin Scholarship
Chapter 7: Calvin in Dialogue: Placing the Mystery
Chapter 8: Predestination in the Key of Jesus Christ
About the author
Forrest H. Buckner is the Storm Family Dean of Spiritual Life, campus pastor, and assistant professor of theology pastor at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington.
Summary
In Uncovering Calvin’s God, Forrest H. Buckner provides a robust exposition of John Calvin’s teaching and preaching to reveal that the controversial theologian believed in a God of love who is sovereign over predestination.
