Baxter-Calvinist Economic View

MEHAP-Andrew Fortugno

Handout-Calvinist Economic view-Baxter

Baxter’s major theme in the economic section of his Christian Directory focus on being diligent in your business and avoiding idleness which leads to lust and sin.

1. “Take heed of idleness, and be wholly taken up in diligent business, of your lawful calling, when you are not excised in the more immediate service of god.”

a. “Idleness is the soil, the culture, and the opportunity of Lust and the idle person goeth to the School of the Devil.”

b. “ Leave they body and mind no leisure to think of tempting filthy objects”

c. “Ride early and go to bed late” Baxter expresses none of your time should be eve be wasted

d. The Rich and idle are more lustful and filthy than the poor labouring people

2. “Proportion the time of your sleep aright that you waste not your pretious morning hours sluggishly in your bed.”

a. Sleep only as much as your health demands

b. 6hours for health, 7 for less healthy, 8 for weak aged, pretty strenuous and busy days compared to today

3. “Follow the Labors of your calling and diligently”

a. Don’t be servant to your flesh

b. Keep idle thoughts from your mind

c. Scape the loss of precious time

d. Be in a course obedient to God

e. If you follow your work close when you are it, you will have more time for holy exercises

f. Treat your time as if it were your Gold and Silver, treat people who waste your time as thieves and robbers

4. “Especially be sure that you live not out of a calling, that is, such a stated course of employment, in which you may best be serviceable to god.”

a. Public Service is God’s greatest service

b. Refusing public service to pray and meditate would be to refuse god’s greatest service.

5. “It is lawful and meet to look at the commodity of your Calling in the third place, after the public good and your personal good of soul and bodily health.”

a. Prov. 23. 4. Labor not to be rich

b. Your end must to better provide to do God service.

c. “ You may labor to be Rich For God, though not for the flesh and sin.”

Palmer #9 Question 2

Thesis: Leading up to the Reformation, Luther was the first to successfully defy the older church authorities; therefore, he was seen as a significant leader in this religious movement, one of religious upheaval in the 16^th century.

· Luther’s revolutionary stance on religious authority

o As a vehement and spiritually uneasy man, he believed that the thought of the awfulness of God was terrible

§ For he believed that God was given no satisfaction if allayment is offered through the church’s sacraments, prayers, and Mass

o A new realization and sense of peace

§ Developed the doctrine of justification by faith alone, which emphasizes what justifies a person is not the good works of the church but rather “faith alone”, where one has an “inward bent of spirit given to each soul directly by God.”

§ One did good deeds because they possessed the grace of God

o Thought that one could NOT obtain God’s grace by paying for indulgences in return for freedom from their punishments of purgatory à Tetzel’s presence within his German town caused Luther to come out of seclusion

o Showed revolutionary stance by posting 95 theses on the door of the church at Wittenberg

§ Which declared that after confession, a sinner is freed of sinful burdens by the inner grace and faith alone rather than by the priest’s absolution; therefore, he states that the priesthood has no necessary function within the spiritual realm and relationship between human beings and God

o Proclaimed that the clergy should marry and demanded that monasticism be eliminated

o Denounced doctrine of transubstantiation and purgatory

o Emphasis of finding Christian truth by reading the Bible individually

· Political support for his beliefs

o Pope Leo X refused him

§ Tried bringing together an assembly of a general church council as highest authority à mistaken way would hurt his cause

o Luther believed that “there was no such authority” to define such a true Christian belief

§ For individuals should read the Bible freely and have own interpretations

o He did call upon the temporal order of Germany, the prince, who willingly accepted for they could assumed more control over religion

§ After Luther was excommunicated, these princes felt the duty to move away from him and repressing a heretic

§ Answering about his excommunication: “I neither can nor will recant anything, since it is neither right nor safe to act against conscience. God help me! Amen.”

o Elector of Saxony and some other north German princes took him under their protection after his excommunication so that he could have “safe seclusion” in which he could continue his works (translate Bible into German)

Palmer #9- Luther vs. Calvin

Palmer #9- Luther vs. Calvin

Will Stewart

“How did Calvin differ from Luther in training, background, and personality? How did Calvinism resemble and differ from Lutheranism?”

Thesis: Though Luther and Calvin shared certain aspects of their new religions they differed on distinctive points that made their separate movements unique.

1. Background, Training, and Personality

a. Martin Luther

i. German

ii. Monk until he was 40

iii. Spiritually uneasy, never convinced of his own salvation

1. Sacraments and good works did nothing to assuage this

iv. “The just shall live by faith” (Romans i, 17)

v. Faith, not good works, determines salvation

vi. At first kept it to himself, brought out of seclusion when he saw Tetzel selling indulgences

b. John Calvin

i. French, born 1509

ii. Experienced conversion at age 24

iii. Wrote Institutes of the Christian Religion

1. Gain favor internationally, rather than locally like Luther

iv. Applied lawyer-like reasoning to religion

2. Similarities between Calvinism and Lutheranism

a. Both broke from Catholicism

b. Both disagreed with most sacraments

c. Both felt an individual relationship with God was necessary

d. Both agreed with justification by faith alone

3. Differences between Calvinism and Lutheranism

a. Lutheranism was subservient to government, while Calvinism respected no governmental authority.

i. Calvinism urged true Christians to Christianize the state itself

b. Both rejected transubstantiation, but

i. Luther adopted consubstantiation, believing that God is somehow mystically present in bread and wine

ii. Calvin rejected it entirely, believing that idea was entirely symbolic

c. Calvin favored predestination far more than Luther

i. Idea that the “elect” were predetermined by God to be saved

ii. Good works were outward signs of being an elect

Perry- Peasant's Revolt "12 Articles"

Twelve Articles
-main portion of the peasants demands of the Swabian League during the peasant's war in Germany in 1525
-the articles:
1. Every church can remove a preacher if he behaves improperly.
The Preacher must teach the gospel simply and just as it is written in the bible, without human ammendment
2. Preachers will be paid from the tithe. Any surplus will go towards the poor
3. mankind is not evil and has been saved only by the grace of God. No earthly thing we do can gain us a spot in heaven
4. God gave man the right to hunt and fish for his food if need be
5. Forests are the property of the church, and people can get timber or firewood from it if they need to
6. People have a right to hear the actual contract that binds them to hard labor of the land
7. Nobles cannot raise the tax on peasants above what was in the original contract
8. Those whose work cannot pay the tax will be given what is necessary
9. punishment cannot by issued at the will of the king, but only by the old, written law
10. all meadows and acres which used to be common land belong to the people
11. there will be no more inheritance tax
12. if any of the previous articles are found to not be in accordance with the will of God then they will be nullified

Perry: The Twelve Articles

Through The Twelve Articles, rebellious Swabian peasants use Lutheran philosophy to back their demands for relief from the oppression of the upper classes.

1. Article 2: Reforming taxes
1. Require that a provost be appointed who gathers and manages the tithe (tax)
2. Appoint pastor for community – “the word of God plainly provides that in giving to God and distributing to his people the services of a pastor are required”
3. Refuse to pay tithes in form of animals, because they assert that God has given Man dominion over all animals
2. Article 3: Refuting serfdom
1. Assert that God has given man the freedom to do has he wills within bounds, though everyone must obey elected and legitimate authority figures
2. Thus they conclude that serfdom violates man’s right to freedom and demand that it be abolished
3. Article 10: Returning Public Land
1. Following Lutheran assertions, peasants assert that some land must be publicly owned
2. Demand that land originally belonging to the community be returned to the community
4. Article 11: Abolishing the Death Tax
1. Do not approve of taxing deaths because it unjustly taxes widows and children
2. Reflects the trend of fighting upper class greed and corruption initiated in part by Luther

Palmer #9 question 3

Martin Luther
-posted 95 theses against corruption in the church like indulgences
-refused to retract writings after being told to do so by Pope Leo X and Holy Roman Emperor Charles V
-excommunicated and declared an outlaw in 1521
-preached salvation not through good deeds but through the free gift of God's infinite grace
-preached the community of believers and personal interpretation rather than priesthood
-translated the bible into local languages rather than Latin to make it more accessible to the lower and middle class
-although church hated him, the people listened to what he said and realized that the church was indeed corrupt
-gained a large following after translating the bible into German
although the HRE put out a law ordering him to be killed or arrested on sight, many people, nobles and commoners alike, helped him escape and hide

9/2/10 Luther, "On the Jews and Their Lies"

Luther believes in all the prejudices that are placed on the Jews. Because of this, he advised that the Jews be dealt with harshly.

He told all the princes that jewish synagogues should be burned, and the ashes covered to reomove all evidence that there was even a building there.

Luther says that jewish prayerbooks need to be burned and that the rabbis forbidden to teach under penalty of death.

He also urges that Jewish passports be revoked and forbid the Jews from traveling.

He says that the Jews' usury must be stopped, and all the cash and valuables be distributed to the Christians.

The young Jews are to be put to work to repay all the damage their parents did through usury.

Finally, Luther advises that if the Jews are not trusted with work, then they should be cast out of the country.


Timothy Bulso

On the Jews and their Lies, Martin Luther

On the Jews and their Lies

Martin Luther

Perry v.1

Thesis: In Martin Luther’s On the Jews and their Lies, Luther states that the Jews are a parasite on society, and that they should be dealt with swiftly and mercilessly.

- Luther states that the synagogues and houses of the Jews should be burnt to the ground, and spread over with dirt.

- He states that the Jews should be treated like gypsies, and should be forced to live communally under one roof, or in a stable.

- The prayerbooks of the Jews should be taken from them, because they espouse idolatry, lies, cursing, and blasphemy.

- Jews shouldn’t be able to travel

- Usury should be outlawed

- Young strong Jews should be enslaved

- Lastly, Luther encourages all princes and nobles to expel or enslave the Jews from their lands.

Martin Luther's "Against the Peasants"

Will Stewart

Thesis: Luther argues that the rebelling peasants have forfeited their basic human rights and that it is the duty of anyone who has an opportunity to kill them.

I. Luther's arguments against rebels

A. They are "violently robbing and plundering monasteries and castles"

B. Worse than highwaymen and murderers

C. Rebellion devastates land like a fire

D. Going against scripture which says to follow government

1. "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities." Romans 12 (13:1)

2. "Be subject to every ordinance of man" (I Pet. 2:13)

E. They want to keep their own property and make everyone else's common property

2. Luther's propsed method to deal with them

A. Everyone who has the opportunity must destroy rebels

1. Like someone's obligation to put out a fire

2. "Therefore let everyone who can, smite, slay, and stab, secretely or openly, remembering that nothing can be more poisonous, hurtful, or devilish than a rebel."

B. Rulers should not even allow rebels to be subject to fair judgement

1. Immediate execution is good

2. "Indeed, it is his duty to punish such scoundrels, for this is why he bears the sword. . ."

John Calvin

Thesis: In Calvin’s writings, he sets precedent the fundamental ideas of predestination which are crucial to the Protestant Reformation but also applies these ideas to secular things like the role of elders and the treatment of kings.

The Institutes

· Predestination – “no one, desirous of the credit of piety, dares absolutely to deny”

o Foreknowledge and piety both belong to god, but “it is preposterous to represent one as dependent on the other”

· Foreknowledge – God knows everything – “all things have ever been, perpetually remain, before his eyes, so that to his knowledge nothing is future or past, but all things are present”

o Foreknowledge extends to Predestination – God has a plan, different for everyone

§ “eternal life is foreordained for some, and eternal damnation for others”

o Moses teaches, “their exaltation is wholly from God’s gratuitous love”

· “No man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my father” [John 6:65]

· Quotes Augustine – “If, on hearing this, some persons become torpid and slothful, and exchanging labour for lawless desire, pursue the various objects of concupiscence, must what is declared concerning the foreknowledge of God be therefore accounted false?”

o Questions the claim to know whether one is predestined or not

Ecclesiastical Ordinances

· Office of elders – watch over individuals and admonish them for doing what they see as wrong

o Assembles once a week with the ministers – to discuss disorder in the church and necessary courses of action

Obedience to Secular Rulers

· “and even before thee, O king, I have committed nothing wrong”

o Calvin gives the example of a Prophet in the bible

§ Does not confess because he “conducted himself with fidelity in all his duties”

§ E.g. Daniel and king of the Perisans

· Calvin explains that all secular rulers are constituted by God

o Therefore Daniel could not disobey God by obeying the secular king’s edict

· “Fear God, honour the king” [1 Peter 2:17]

o Calvin describes the that both commands are connected and cannot be separate

§ But the fear of God precedes obedience to kings

o Those who reverse it and put obeying secular rulers first will “act preposterously, since this is a complete perversion of the order of nature”

· Secular rulers will only obtain authority if God shines forth

Palmer Topic 2 Unit 2

Martin Luther revolutionized the protestant reformation in northern Europe by his strong stance on religious laity and authority, and because of his radical ideals, a certain amount of political support ensued.

I. Background of Martin Luther

a. An earnest monk until the age of about forty

b. Terrified by the thought of the awful omnipotence of God, his own littleness, apprehension of the devil and chronic damnation

c. Professor at Wittenberg until he was moved by a friar named Tetzel

i. Tetzel travelled across Germany distributing indulgences- claiming that they would free people from punishments in purgatory

ii. The indulgences went toward financing the building of St. Peter’s in Rome

d. Published his 95 theses on the door of the castle church at Wittenburg

e. Appealed to Leo X, but Luther was excommunicated – however his life was spared because the Elector of Saxony and other North German princes took him under their protection

f. Began translating the Bible into German

II. Position on Religious Authority

a. Essentially he believed that Religion should be open to interpretation

b. Cannot be taught by one person or a clergy because each person has the right to interpret and act on the Bible as they will

c. Denounced pilgrimages, fasts, Masses – praised baptism and communion only

III. Political Support

a. Many kings and nobles of Germany followed the teachings of Luther but actually caused much national upheaval all over Germany and in different social groups

The German Peasants Revolt: The Twelve Articles

Inspired by the teachings of Luther that preached individual salvation with God and open interpretation to the bible, German peasants drew up a manifesto in 1524 that demanded relief from their landlords’ domination.

Intro

· Luther was merely preoccupied with the individual’s relationship with God and attaining salvation through good deeds

· He did not intend to spark a social revolution, and he feared that the peasants would deracinate the whole social hierarchy if not stopped

· The peasants were crushed by the lord’s vengeful armies because they were more skilled soldiers

Twelve Articles

· First Article- pretense to the rest: the peasants no longer wanted to be governed by a corrupt and immoral upper-class and clergy

· Second Article- They will no longer pay unseemly tithes which are of man’s invention

· Third Article- Demand to be released from serfdom, unless it should be shown in the gospel that they are serfs (which it did not), and the acknowledgement that the Bible only preaches humbleness towards other, not obedience to authorities

· Tenth Article- Dissatisfaction by the appropriation by individuals of meadows and fields which at one time belonged to a community

· Eleventh Article- Demand for the abolishment of the death tax (which the peasants believe robbed widows and orphans against God’s will)

Martin Luther "On Papal Power, Justification by Faith, The Interpretation Of The Bible, And The Nature of the Clergy"

ATTACK ON PAPAL POWER

1. denounced the abuses connected with the preaching of papal indulgences

2. argues that papcay was blocking reform by building 3 walls arounds themselves, and as a result; "the whole of Christendom has fallen"

a. 1st wall: by saying that the spiritual power of the papacy is above the temoral power of the councils

b. 2nd wall: by saying only the pope can interpret scripture

c. 3rd wall: by saying only the pope can call a council

3. Luther demands reform of the papacy, calling out the Romanists (tradional Catholics loyal to the papacy) for having no basis in Scripture for their rulings

4. Luther calls the papacy deceiving, wicking, and knaving, always trying to ensure that they never lose their grip on all European Christians (ex. bribing councils, giving pope power over council)

5. Luther calls for someone to establish a "truely free council"

JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH

1. salvation came not because of his good works but as a free girf from God due to Luther's faith in Christ <--- This belief became the ralling point of the Protestant Reformation

2. preaching Christ feeds the soul, makes it righteous, sets it free, and saves it

3. REASONING: "it is clear that the inner man cannot be justified, freed, or saved by any outer work or action at all, and that these works, whatever their character, have nothing to do with this inner man"

4. faith in Christ not only frees us from works but also from false opinions concerning works

THE INTERPRETATION OF BIBLE AND THE NATURE OF CLERGY

1. calls out the Pope for wanting to be the only interpretor of scripure....says that the Catholic church can't produce a letter saying that he is

2. says that the Clergymen are equal to all other Christians

Luther against the peasants

Thesis: Luther argues that the peasants who have rebelled against the manorial lords are heathen rebels for not following the Christian ideal of submitting to the authorities, and that the princes have the right to destroy this rebellion ruthlessly.

1. Luther's case against the rebels
a. They are robbing and plundering monasteries
b. Outlaws before God; not following Scripture (Luke 20:25 Give to Caesar what is Caesar's
c. Rebellion devastates the land like a fire
d. The apostles did not demand that everyone have equal goods or wealth, unlike the rebellious peasants
e. Jesus never approved such violence
2. His conviction against them
a. They are highwaymen and murderers, not revolutionaries
b. Anyone who is seditious in this manner is an outlaw before God and the state
c. They have deserved death in body and soul
3. Approves repressing the rebellion
a. Even heathen rulers would have a right to put down this uprsing (Romans 13:4 the servant of God to execute his wrath on the wrondoer.
b. It is his duty to punish such blasphemers and scoundrels

Lutheranism and Political and Social Upheaval

Thesis: As Lutheranism began to spread throughout Germany, radicals stirred by religious upheaval began to rebel against the established order and cause chaos in the Holy Roman Empire. Luther, appalled at this turn of events, denounced their violent cause and became more conservative in his opinions
Ι. Luther before the Revolutions
A. His new ideas
1. 95 theses
a. Grace and faith are the only way to true salvation
b. works are only the outward symbol of faith
2. Personal connection with God
a. one does not need a priest for a relationship with God
b. Only need two sacraments: baptism and communion
c. Purgatory doesn’t exist
d. Clergy can marry
B. Government can assume control over religion
ΙΙ. Religious Revolutions
A. Peasant revolt in Germany
1. Stirred by religious fervor
a. caused chaos all over Germany
b. caused by religion, but aims were for social and political rights
B. Anabaptists
1. Took over the city of Munster
a. They were religious fanatics who believed in polygamy and that
Christ was coming soon
b. John of Leydon ruled the city with revolutionary terror until
the city was captured by German armies
ΙΙΙ. Luther’s reaction
A. Shocked at turn of events
1. Horrified that religious fervor turned into violent political and social revolution
2. Denounced their tactics and cause
3. Encouraged princes to use force to stop them
B. More conservative
1. Restricted right of private judgment of conscience
2. Created larger place for an established clergy
3. Asserted that the Church be more submissive to the State