Calvin's view of government: liberal or conservative?

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Calvin's view of government: liberal or conservative?

 

After removing Calvin's views that the government "also prevents idolatry" (and all the references to upholding religion...ie no separation of church and state etc.), what does Calvin leave as the responsibility of government? Here are some phrases I have found but would like to have someone exegete: (references are from Battles edition of THE INSTITUTES Vol. II)

1) "it prevents the public peace from being disturbed." (1488)

2) "each man may keep his private property safe and sound" (1488)

3) "honesty and modesty may be preserved." (1488)

4) "justice among men" (1495)

5) "As far as the Second Table is concerned. Jeremiah admonishes kings to 'do justice and righteousness,' to 'deliver him who has been oppresssed by force from the hand of the oppressor,' not 'grieve or wrong the alien, the widow, and the fatherless' or 'shed innocent blood' (Jer 22:3 cf. Vg.) The exhortation which we read in Ps. 82 has the same purpose: that they should 'give justice to the poor and needy from the hand of the oppressor' (Ps 82:3-4)." (1495-1496)

6) "provide for the common safety of all" (1496)

7) "to defend the boundaries of a country." (1501)


It appears to me that #5 is something that liberals would say is the responsibility of the government but conservatives would say that # 5 is beyond the responsibility of the government and such things should be left to a free market policy where there is no special treatment of the poor and needy. It seems to me that both liberals and conservatives would agree on all the other numbers.

What say ye all?

Is Calvin a liberal Democrat?


Chris Anderson
USA

Posted on: 12/23/2009 9:30:00 PM

[Bct...@aol.com]

Dear Chris,

 

I am answering before I am fully revved up with my morning coffee, so take this for what it's worth. 

 

Here are a few thoughts in response to your question of whether Calvin was a "liberal democrat."  I will use your numbering scheme from your points. 

 

First, no well brought up liberal democrat would ever use the word "men" if he or she meant "people," so right there I would say that Calvin is not a liberal democrat, based on your (4) below.  On the other hand, maybe Calvin was interested only in "justice for men," as you say here, and if so, that puts him in yet another category altogether.   And I am curious about (3), which is about defending "honesty and modesty."  Is that for all people, or is that for women?  I wasn't sure what or who the "modesty" referred to. 

 

Second, some of Calvin's views remind me of the concept of "the public good," which I often associate with Catholics, and especially with Aquinas.  So maybe Calvin is reflecting some of Aquinas' thinking on the role of government in protecting the common good.  This would include your public peace (1) and common safety (6), and maybe also private property (2).  It's interesting that these roles of government in protecting the common good are also reasons for going to war, in just war theory, including the just war theory attributed to Aquinas.  If you add that thought to your (7) below, about protecting the boundaries of a country, I'd say Calvin would have been a "common good" and "just war" advocate in the tradition of Aquinas.  He would also be a defender of "state sovereignty," which is of course commonly believed in today, although today some people are willing to violate state sovereignty in order to protect human rights (such as those who subscribe to the Responsibility to Protect or RTP).  So I don't think this makes Calvin a liberal democrat.  What is the readership of First Things?  Whoever those folks are, they are the types that I was reminded of when I read through your note. 

 

Third, the protection of private property is an interesting one.  There are political groups into that too, are there not?  Someone in addition to liberals and democrats?  Is it Libertarians, or are they into something else? At any rate, you wouldn't find many folks today who did not believe in the protection of private property, which became one of the roles of law and government in our tradition. 

 

Finally, in answer to your primary question about (5) below, I think this is a trick question.  You said in your opening remarks that you had removed all references to religion, and yet your (5) is all about ethics and justice issues from the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament.  So first of all, that's religion, and religion and government are mixed in your (5).  Second, in response to whether that makes Calvin a liberal democrat or a conservative, I would say that there are many conservatives in the US who love to base governmental actions on the Old Testament.  Some even hang the Ten Commandments on the wall.  The trick is that what you've quoted here in your (5) are things related to taking care of the poor and weak and oppressed, rather than about personal morality.  So my response is that this would appeal to those who believe in Faith Based Initiatives.  They would want the government to give money to faith-based agencies, especially churches, that run programs to address those needs.  Sometimes the folks who believe in Faith Based Initiatives are Republicans, such as our former President Bush. 

 

So, in answer to your question if Calvin was a liberal democrat or not, I say no.  He was a "common good" kind of person.  And he seems, on the surface and based on the quotes you provided here, to also to have been someone who would have inclined to the just war position, and even perhaps to the Responsibility to Protect position.  So in this case, I like what you have said here, and it gives me another (good) side of Calvin to think about.

 

Happy Christmas Eve Day!  Just to give you a hard time, although I like you so very, very much, I wanted to say that it was one year ago today --- or tonight, to be precise --- that I sat in the beautiful church where I did my internship and thought about Calvin's role in the death of Servetus.  I know we've been through that discussion before, and I am only bringing it up because it's the one year anniversary.  Tonight, when I attend church at my own home church, I will think about other, and better, things about the birth of Christ, as well as the death and resurrection of Christ, and what it means for the world and for all people (and not just for "men," even if "men" ends up showing up in some of our hymns and readings!). 

Blessings and Happy Christmas Eve Day!

 

Jane Ellingwood

 

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Dear Jane, (Oh how I love a 'Dear Jane' letter!!)

 

Two John Calvin Jokes from Dr. Who.

(The information for the next two jokes comes from Steve Allen’s work on Meeting of the Minds. In this work he would have four important people of history meet and discuss philosophy around a table. If he had lived his next project would have been Meeting of the Minds while on Bowling Dates. I was particularly interested in seeing Jane Austin go on a bowling date with Genghis Khan. I hope she doesn’t hurt him. BTW this year is the 500 anniversary of Calvin’s birth.)

1.

Q. What ruined John Calvin’s first date with Gloria Steinem?

A. Just before they began got their shoes to start bowling John said to her: “Why even children know that women are included under the term ‘men.’” (INSTITUTES, Volume I, Battles, 479)

2.

Q. What got John Calvin a second date with Gloria Steinem?

A. He wrote her a note the next day; “Ecclesia semper reformanda.” (“The Church is always in need of being reformed.”)

                     ___________________________

 

 

I have enclosed a part of God Is Still laughing V: The UCC Statement of Faith Joke Book to answer part of you reply...though not much....thanks

 

Chris

[Bct...@aol.com]

Dear Chris,

The jokes are great, and I laughed!  But did you mean to include an attachment too?  You said you were enclosing part of a joke book. Or is that were the two jokes are from? They are good ones!  At any rate, I hope you don't mind our dialogue.  I love being in dialogue with you, and I love how much I am learning about Calvin and other things from you. 

 

Have a blessed Christmas,

 

Jane

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Jane,

 

I love being in dialogue with you. Now you know why WIllis gets mad at me. He writes wonderful critiques of my comments and then I claim to not have the time to respond. I am like Flash in DC comics. As Chuck Berry said "You can't Catch me, 'cause when you get too close, I am gone like a cool breeze."