John Calvin was born 500 years ago today. Some are celebrating his memory, while others may be gnashing their teeth.Whatever your attitude toward him, he is a giant that still must be reckoned with, and it's worth noting that some who are known for advocating different understandings of theology had these kinds of things to say about him:
John Wesley called him “a great instrument of God,” and Jacob Arminius considered Calvin “incomparable in the interpretation of Scripture” and recommended Calvin’s commentaries second only to the Bible itself. So learning and benefiting from Calvin isn’t just for the five pointers.I'd say, be careful in your criticism before you've read him. You might be reacting to extreme Calvinists and not Calvin.
Michael Wittmer has a great birthday post on John Calvin. It's not that long, and I'm tempted to paste the whole thing in here, but I'll list his main points, and you can check it out for yourself here.
John Calvin is one of the most misunderstood men in church history. Contrary to popular opinion, John Calvin was not:
1. The dictator of Geneva
2. The one who burned Michael Servetus at the stake
Who was John Calvin?
1. He was a scholar
2. He was a pastor
3. He was a champion for sovereign grace
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