Burning Fire

I have never warmed to John Calvin - whose commemoration it is today - but at the same time I admire he and the other reformers zeal and ardor in pushing back the bounds and demanding truth and propriety.

There is a starkness in many Calvinist churches which I find almost cold - it is not the same as simplicity - that is usually beautiful and warming - it is the starkness of another set of rules and regulations about dos and don'ts which grew up after the Roman Catholic rules had been long since abandoned.

The Reformers took great risks and often paid a high price for their transforming beliefs. They certainly caused the established Roman Catholic Church to take a good look at its practices and beliefs, even as these new protestant churches pulled rebellious believers from the pews.

Religion had changed from something given to something owned - no longer was the fire and knowledge of Christ something which resided in holy houses or the provinces of the elect - it was open to everyone. Perhaps sometimes we would like to put the cat in the bag, to revert to a world where the priests are the knowledge-keepers and arbiters of the faith and the people simply respond and are assured of salvation.

Perhaps that is tempting on difficult days but we are no longer spoon fed our religion - we are responsible for moving ourselves along and growing in our faith. I think Calvin would be very satisfied to see a group in an adult education class this Sunday discussing the Bible - this is a freedom which we take for granted.

I wonder where Calvin's fire would turn today? To the very division to which he contributed? To social justice issues? To preaching the Gospel in our own streets and even our own houses? Which is our most pressing challenge?