Reviews - Calvin Ruined the Protestant Faith

Calvin Ruined the Protestant Faith

From the United States

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5.0 out of 5 stars The corrosive effect of rationalism on the Christian faith

Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2019

Gregory L Jackson PhD is a confessional Lutheran theologian, pastor, and teacher. He received a STM degree in Biblical studies from Yale in 1973 and he earned a Master's degree and a PhD in theology at the University of Notre Dame in 1982.

In this book, Dr. Jackson shows how the false doctrines found in the teachings of John Calvin have led to the apostasy we see today in Reformed Protestant denominations and in Lutheran Church bodies which have inculcated Calvinistic ideas.

The Reformation began in 1517 with Martin Luther. It was based on acceptance of the Scriptures as the plainly revealed Word of God, and in the power of the Holy Spirit acting through the Word of God, both the written Word in the Bible and the physical Word in the Sacraments.

In his book, Dr. Jackson showed how the writings of Heinrich Zwingli and John Calvin, contemporaries of Luther and the fathers of Reformed Protestant theology, disagreed with Luther's faith in the Scriptures. Zwingli and Calvin pretended to agree with Luther, but instead came up with another way to view the Scriptures, which can be summarized as 'rationalism'.

To illustrate how rationalism affects one's understanding of the Bible, Dr. Jackson included a reference from Siegbert Becker's book “The Foolishness of God” regarding the methods man can use to study the Bible:

Ministerial reason – use one's intellect to understand God's Word
Magisterial reason – use one's intellect to judge God's Word

Zwingli and Calvin taught from the perspective of magisterial reason that man is the ultimate judge on all passages in the Bible. The result is that people feel they can select a few verses, or even a part of a verse, to establish dogma outside the context of the Scriptures as a whole. This explains why Reformed Protestantism has split into hundreds of factions. Zwingli and Calvin also taught that the Holy Spirit doesn't come to man through the Sacraments bringing grace through faith. Instead, people are predestined either for salvation or damnation.

Luther taught from the perspective of ministerial reason. He accepted what is written in the Scriptures and he maintained a consistent advocacy for the plain meaning of the Bible as the judge of all books. He taught that the Holy Spirit works through the Word of God, as recorded in the Bible. People are saved through the work of the Holy Spirit by God's grace, through faith.

Dr. Jackson showed how the corrosive effects of Calvin's rationalistic doctrine were manifested in the teachings of Philipp Spener in the 17th century, Halle University in the 18th century, Friedrich Schleiermacher in the 19th century, right through Paul Tillich and Karl Barth in the 20th century. And how their ideas resulted in the great falling away from faith, which we see today in the Protestant denominations.

Dr. Jackson provided a “List of Books for Additional Study” for one to use to learn more about the errors of Zwingli and Calvin.

At the end of his book, Dr. Jackson offered a “Simple Program to Expel Calvinism from the Protestant Faith”.

Dr. Jackson discusses the problems of present day Christian denominations on his internet blog. Google ichabodthegloryhasdeparted for the URL. He conducts a weekly traditional Lutheran worship service via the internet, the blog has a link to the broadcast site which also has archived broadcasts.

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Be.G.H.

5.0 out of 5 stars proper response is anger

Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2019

This book ties together a brief survey of how the unclear thinking of Calvinism has infected Protestant churches, particularly weak Lutherans. Without an anchor in God's Word, modern churches chase every whim, delivering despair from self-assurance instead of delivering Christ's promises through the Means of Grace.

The book is beautifully illustrated by Norma Boeckler.

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Glen

5.0 out of 5 stars A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2019

The effects of Calvinist human teaching against the Holy Scriptures have effected numerous congregations and spread as deadly poison. A must read type of book to understand the effects the corruption of false doctrine has throughout the world.

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