Issue 4, 2014 Koers : Bulletin for Christian Scholarship = Koers : Bulletin vir Christelike Wetenskap - Volume 79,
Volume 81 (2016) Volume 80 (2015) Volume 79 (2014) Volume 78 (2013) Volume 77 (2012) Volume 76 (2011) Volume 75 (2010) Volume 74 (2009) Volume 73 (2008) Volume 72 (2007) Volume 71 (2006) Volume 70 (2005) Volume 69 (2004) Volume 68 (2003) Volume 67 (2002) Volume 66 (2001) Volume 79,
Calvin&apos;s view on the book of the Acts of the Apostles : original research
How does John Calvin view the book of the Acts of the Apostles? What does he see as the benefit of this book for the church of his time? Is he, like so many today, of the opinion that the book of Acts is primarily about the work of the Holy Spirit? Calvin preached and commented on the book of Acts from 1549 to 1554. His commentary is preceded by an Argumentum as well as a number of dedicatory letters (accompanying the respective editions). In these introductory documents Calvin gives the reader insight into his view on the benefit and the theme of Acts. He describes the benefit of the book of Acts primarily from a Christological perspective: the book of Acts paints a picture of the effect that Christ&apos;s death and resurrection had after he ascended into heaven. This benefit takes its most visible form in the theme of Acts, which Calvin subsequently identifies: the beginning of the church. The theme of the book of Acts is therefore defined from an ecclesiological perspective. This article demonstrates the value of studying not only Calvin&apos;s commentaries themselves, but also the introductory documents that accompanied them. In this way, a clear picture of Calvin&apos;s view on the book of Acts is painted.
An image of the church in Calvin&apos;s commentary on the Minor Prophets
This work, volume 12 in the growing series Reformed historical theology (H.J. Selderhuis), is the culmination of Harms&apos;s PhD study. It focuses on Calvin&apos;s ecclesiology based on the commentary on the Minor Prophets. As the author rightly points out, relatively few major studies have been dedicated to Calvin&apos;s ecclesiology, and in addition these are already quite dated (for instance, P.J. Richel&apos;s study Het kerkbegrip van Calvijn of 1942 and Charles B. Milner&apos;s Calvin&apos;s doctrine of the church of 1970). This study is therefore a valuable contribution to this topic. There is also a tendency in current research into Calvin for more specialised studies, that is, studying specific topics in a limited genre. Harms&apos;s study on Calvin&apos;s ecclesiology from his commentary on the Minor Prophets falls within this tendency.
This work forms a diptych with the forthcoming Congrégationes et disputationes, in the series Opera exegetica, volume 21. The latter will bring together in a critical edition all the documents from the study meetings of the Company of Pastors of Geneva. When one has finished reading The Genevan school of the prophets, one cannot wait to acquire and study the other half of the diptych. This statement attests to the quality of research and the breadth of its scope presented by De Boer.
Die voorsienigheidsleer van Calvyn : uit sy debatte : original research
Calvyn se leer van God se voorsienigheid is ongetwyfeld een van die mees kontroversiële onderwerpe van sy teologie. Dit word duidelik in al die debatte waarin Calvyn sy leer oor die voorsienigheid moes verdedig, byvoorbeeld teen Pighius, Bolsec, Bullinger en Castellio. Vyfhonderd jaar later word Calvyn weer in die openbaar oor sy voorsienigheidsleer aangeval deur &apos;n Suid-Afrikaanse teoloog, Adrio König. Calvyn se antwoord op Castellio in Die verborge voorsienigheid van God is duidelik nie deur König in ag geneem nie. In Calvyn se verdediging van sy voorsienigheidsleer verwerp hy nooit die soewereiniteit van God nie, maar gee ook nie vir God die skuld vir die kwaad nie - &apos;n beskuldiging wat Castellio en König teen Calvyn inbring. Die troos van God se voorsienigheid lê vir Calvyn juis daarin dat God alle dinge, ook teenspoed en verdrukking, deur sy verborge voorsienigheid beskik met die doel om sy kinders nader na Hom te lei.
Calvin&apos;s teaching on providence: From his debates.
Calvin&apos;s teaching on God&apos;s providence is without doubt one of the most controversial subjects in his theology. This is clear in all the debates in which Calvin had to defend his teaching on providence, against, for example, Pighius, Bolsec, Bullinger and Castellio. Five hundred years later Calvin has again been publicly attacked on his teaching on providence by a South African theologian, Adrio König. König, however, did not consider Calvin&apos;s response to Castellio in The secret providence of God. In Calvin&apos;s defence of his teaching on providence he in no circumstances denies the sovereignty of God, but also does not give God the blame for any ills that might result - an accusation that Castellio and König levied against him. For Calvin, the consolation of God&apos;s providence rests in the fact that God ordains all things, including adversity and affliction, through his secret providence for the purpose of leading his children closer to him.
Die teoloog as sendeling - op soek na &apos;n sleutel vir Calvyn se sendingbeskouing : original research
Die teoloog as sendeling - Op soek na &apos;n sleutel vir Calvyn se sendingbeskouing.
The death of a leader : Calvin commenting on Joshua in the last year of his life (1563) : original research
Erik A. De Boer,
Erik A. De Boer and
Koers : Bulletin for Christian Scholarship = Koers : Bulletin vir Christelike Wetenskap 79, pp 1 –5 (2014)
In the early modern period the testament, death, burial and funeral orations of public figures were often registered carefully. Such accounts told the story of the esteem in which the leaders were held, as the example of Martin Luther shows. While the account of John Calvin&apos;s demise seems simpler, in his case the story of his dying days is focused on his farewell addresses. The surviving manuscripts of Calvin&apos;s contributions to the Bible study of Joshua in 1563-1564 testify to his awareness of his mortality. How did he, their moderator, address the Company of Pastors in the course of their treatment of the book of Joshua in the weekly congregations during the last year of his life? Both the end of the Pentateuch Harmony and the Joshua commentary cover farewell speeches of Israel&apos;s leaders. Did Calvin compare the Old Testament prophets and leaders with the preachers of Geneva? The academic discussion of Calvin&apos;s perception of himself as a prophet is taken up in the discussion of his self-awareness in the last year of collegial exposition of the Bible.
John Calvin and the &apos;accursed idolatry&apos; of the papal mass : original research
This article comprises a comparison of article 16 of the Genevan Confession (1536), certain extracts of &apos;A small tract on Holy Communion (1541)&apos; and a letter to Madame the Duchess of Ferrara (1541), with question 80 of the Heidelberg Catechism (HC80).
Johannes Calvyn en die &apos;vervloekte afgodery&apos; van die pouslike mis.
Die artikel fokus op die Gereformeerde teoloog Johannes Calvyn se besware teen die Rooms Katolieke mis soos verwoord in artikel 16 van die Geneefse Belydenis (1536), sekere uittreksels van sy &apos;Klein traktaat oor die heilige nagmaal&apos; (1541), en &apos;n brief deur hom aan Renée die Hertogin van Ferrara (1541). Sy besware word verder vergelyk met vraag en antwoord 80 van die Heidelbergse Kategismus. Hierdeur poog die artikel om die huidige ignorering van die verskille tussen die nagmaal van die Here en die Rooms Katolieke mis wat die onlangse debatte daar rondom kenmerk, te deurbreek.
Post-Reformation Reformed exegesis : continuity or discontinuity of John Calvin? : original research
Although the Post-Reformation Reformed theologian, philosopher and Hebraist Petrus van Mastricht (1630-1706) praises John Calvin (1509-1564) as one of the best commentators of Scripture, he rarely refers to Calvin&apos;s work in his Theoretico-practica theologia and, if he does, he either takes issue or concurs with it. This contribution explores the reception of Calvin&apos;s work by Mastricht, focusing on exegetical continuities and discontinuities in their comments on the psalms. It concludes that Mastricht gives more attention to etymological and philological issues of the Hebrew text than Calvin does, and emphasises more than the Genevan Scripture commentator does the doctrine of divine immensity and the Reformed concept of the covenant.
Die skoolorde van Genève 1559 : &apos;n Basis vir &apos;n gereformeerde skoolorde : original research
Calvyn en die onderwys is sinoniem. Behalwe dat sy geskrewe nalatenskap van sy intense besig wees mét en liefde vír die onderwys getuig, het hy hom konkreet vir die daarstel van skole beywer waar die jeug in die vrees van die Here opgevoed word. Nie alleen die inhoud van die onderrig wat die kinders ontvang nie, maar ook die vorm waarin dit aangebied word, asook die leerkragte wat daarby betrokke is, het besondere aandag by Calvyn gekry. Oor alles laat hy die lig van God se Woord skyn. In hierdie artikel word aangetoon hoe hy, gegewe sy eie historiese agtergrond, met die middels tot sy beskikking in die stad Genève gepoog het om &apos;n skoolstelsel te ontwerp waar kinders en jongmense onderrig word ooreenkomstig die doopsbelofte wat die ouers afgelê het. Calvyn se Geneefse skoolorde van 1559, in samehang met die Geneefse Kerkorde van 1561, gee insae in sy denke en optrede betreffend die onderwys. &apos;n Poging word aangewend om enkele lyne te trek wat hopelik vir die huidige onderwysgesprek bruikbaar sal wees. Die vraag is of daar te midde van al die skoolbeleide en skoolreëls &apos;n dringende behoefte aan &apos;n deeglike grondliggende skoolorde is. Die artikel wil aan hierdie vraag aandag skenk.
The school order of Genève 1559: A basis for a reformed school order.
Calvin and education are synonymous. Apart from his written legacy, which speaks of his intense love for education, he endeavoured to put schools in place where young people could be educated in the ways of the Lord. This was not only in the curriculum, but also in the way it was presented and the teachers who presented those lessons received special attention from Calvin. The light of God&apos;s Word is shed over everything. This article shows how, given his own historical background and the tools available to him, he tried to develop a school system in the city of Geneva where children could be educated in accordance with the promise of their parents at their baptism. The school order of Geneva (1559) in conjunction with the Genevan Church order (1561) gives us insight in the doings and thoughts of Calvin on education. I hope to indicate some lines that could be of use in the present dialogue on educational matters. Sadly, the way Calvin set up a system for education is no longer evident in schools. Isn&apos;t there an urgent need for a well-defined and fundamental school order amongst all the school policies and rules? This question will receive attention in the article.
Calvin&apos;s instruction on the fifth commandment : original research
In this article Calvin&apos;s explication of the fifth commandment in his works intended to be used in education and catechetical instruction is surveyed. The investigation is restricted to (in this sequence) the 1536 Institutio, the Instruction et Confession de Foy, printed in Geneva in 1537 and 1538, l&apos;Institution puerile de la doctrine Chrestienne and the expanded Institutio (1539) and incorporated Calvin&apos;s exposition of the core biblical texts (Ephesians, Colossians, Exodus and Deuteronomy) used for his explanation of the fifth commandment. The renowned Catechismus (1541/1545) is then scrutinised, followed by a consideration of La maniere d&apos;interroguer les enfans qu&apos;on veut recevoir a la cene Seigneur Iesus Christ (1553). The aim of the research is not limited to a discussion of the content of Calvin&apos;s exposition, but also to establish whether a development can be traced in the theological thinking of Calvin. The conclusion is that Calvin supplemented and clothed the basic trajectories of his interpretation, but that the 1539 Institutio provided the most complete and finalised explication of the fifth commandment. In addition, the conditional obedience of children is omitted in the 1545 Catechismus. It was probably done for pedagogical reasons.
Calvyn se onderrig oor die vyfde gebod.
Hierdie artikel gaan Calvyn se uitleg van die vyfde gebod in sy werke na wat op onderrig, insluitende die kategese, gemik was. Agtereenvolgens is die 1536 Institutio, die Instruction et Confession de Foy, gedruk in Genève in 1537 en 1538, l&apos;Institution puerile de la doctrine Chrestienne en die uitgebreide Institutio (1539) ontleed. Hierna word die beroemde Catechismus (1541/1545) onder die loep geneem. Die oorweging van La maniere d&apos;interroguer les enfans qu&apos;on veut recevoir a la cene Seigneur Iesus Christ (1553) voltooi die navorsing. Die vraag aan hierdie werke van Calvyn is nie beperk tot die inhoud van Calvyn se uitleg nie, maar ook of daar &apos;n teologiese ontwikkeling af te lees is. Die gevolgtrekking is dat Calvyn die basiese trajekte van sy uitleg aangevul en ingeklee het, maar dat die 1539 Institutio die mees volledige en gefinaliseerde uitleg bevat. Hierbenewens het Calvyn in die uitgewerkte Catechismus nie alles wat byvoorbeeld in die 1539 Institutio (en ook sy kommentare op Eksodus, Deuteronomium, Efesiërs en Kolossense) na vore gebring is, ingesluit nie. Dit was waarskynlik om pedagogiese redes gedoen.
Calvinus : Auctoritas Dei / Calvin : The authority of God : preface
(Erik) H.H. Van Alten
Koers : Bulletin for Christian Scholarship = Koers : Bulletin vir Christelike Wetenskap 79, pp 1 –4 (2014)
Die negende amptelike Suid-Afrikaanse Kongres vir Calvynnavorsing, wat vanaf 15-17 Augustus 2012 in Pretoria aangebied is, het in &apos;n sekere opsig &apos;n unieke weg ingeslaan. Vir die eerste keer sedert die ontstaan van die Suid-Afrikaanse Calvynnavorsingskongres in 1980 is hierdie kongres nie by een van die tradisionele universiteite aangebied nie, maar by private lokale, naamlik die fasiliteite van Solidariteit in Groenkloof, Pretoria, wat goedgunstiglik deur hierdie organisasie beskikbaar gestel is. Verder is dit aangebied in samewerking met Aros (Aksie Reformatoriese Opleiding en Studies), &apos;n tersiêre instelling wat hom sedert 2004 beywer vir die opleiding van Christelike onderwysers. Die organiseerders se opregte dank gaan uit na hierdie instellings vir hulle insette en bydraes. Maar ten spyte van nuwe weë was daar ook die vertroude weg van deeglike navorsing oor Calvyn vanuit die primêre bronne.
Claude Le Jeune and Theodore de Bèze : a first encounter in the Dix Pseaumes ... en forme de Motets of 1564 : other contributions