Font of Pardon and New Life: John Calvin and the Efficacy of Baptism (Oxford Studies in Historical Theology)

✍ Scribed by Lyle D. Bierma

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Year: 2021
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 285
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Font of Pardon and New Life is a study of the historical development and impact of John Calvin's doctrine of baptism, both adult (or believer) baptism and infant baptism. Did Calvin intend to teach a kind of baptismal forgiveness and regeneration, that is, did he believe that the external sign of baptism actually conveys the spiritual realities it signifies? If baptism does serve in some way as an instrument of divine grace for Calvin, what then are the roles of the Word, the Holy Spirit, divine election, and individual faith? Are spiritual blessings conferred only in adult (believer) baptism or also in the baptism of infants? Did Calvin's teaching on baptismal efficacy remain constant throughout his lifetime, or did it undergo significant change? What impact did it have on the Reformed confessional tradition that followed him?

Lyle D. Bierma approaches these questions by examining Calvin's writings on baptism in their entirety, proceeding chronologically through Calvin's life and writings including his Institutes, commentaries on the Bible, catechisms, polemical treatises, and consensus documents. Bierma concludes that Calvin understood baptism as a means or instrument of both assurance and grace. His view underwent some change and development over the course of his life but not to the extent that some in the past have suggested. The overall trajectory of his baptismal theology was one of increasing clarity and refinement of basic themes already present in incipient form in the Institutes of 1536.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover
Series
Font of Pardon and New Life
Copyright
Contents
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
1. Introduction
Instrumentalist Interpretations
Parallelist Interpretations
Developmental Interpretations
Prospectus
2. The 1536 Institutes
The Sacraments in General
Baptism
Assessment
3. Works from Calvin’s First Period in Geneva and the Strasbourg Interlude (1536–​41)
Catechism of 1537/​1538
1539 Institutes
Commentary on Romans (1540)
Assessment
4. Works from Calvin’s Second Period in Geneva to the Consensus Tigurinus (1541–​48)
Catechism of the Church of Geneva (1542/​1545)
The Form of Prayers (1542)
1543 Institutes
Commentary on 1 Corinthians (1546)
Acts of the Council of Trent: With the Antidote (1547)
Commentary on Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians (1548)
Assessment
5. The Consensus Tigurinus (1549)
Articles 1–​2, 5–​19
Assessment
6. Works from after the Consensus Tigurinus to Calvin’s Death (1550–​64)
Commentaries on Titus, 1 Peter, Isaiah, and Acts (1550–​54)
Two Polemical Treatises against Westphal (1555, 1556)
1559 Institutes
Assessment
7. Calvin and the Efficacy of Infant Baptism
The 1536 Institutes
First Period in Geneva and the Strasbourg Interlude (1536–​41)
Second Period in Geneva to the Consensus Tigurinus (1541–​48)
The Consensus Tigurinus to Calvin’s Death (1549–​64)
The Consensus Tigurinus (1549)
Commentaries of the Early 1550s
Two Treatises against Westphal (1555, 1556)
1559 Institutes
Assessment
8. Baptismal Efficacy in the Reformed Confessions: Calvin’s Legacy
French (Gallican) Confession of Faith (1559)
Introduction
Text and Analysis
Scots Confession (1560)
Introduction
Text and Analysis
Belgic Confession (1561)
Introduction
Text and Analysis
Heidelberg Catechism (1563)
Introduction
Text and Analysis
Second Helvetic Confession (1566)
Introduction
Text and Analysis
Thirty-​Nine Articles (1571)
Introduction
Text and Analysis
Westminster Standards (1646–​47)
Introduction
Text and Analysis
Assessment
9. Baptismal Efficacy in Calvin’s Theology: Conclusion
Bibliography
Index