Straw,

I find it rather amusing, in a crass sort of way, that you openly reject the teachings of those who are esteemed by the historic Protestant Church to one degree or another but here you are finding more than interesting this particular man's musings which are contrary to the teachings of the historic Protestant Church. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/scratchchin.gif" alt="" />

First of all, one must at least "consider the source" to gain some insight as to where the writer is coming from:

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The Presbyterian Church (USA) supports many colleges/universities, some even though no specific Christian identities are evident in mission statements or faculty personal commitments. This openness and eagerness for education reflects the phrase which, in my mind, has come to characterize a major theme of attempts to integrate disciplinary knowledge and faith commitments"All truth is God's truth". I thus came to expect that Presbyterians were open to all issues in academics.
The PCUSA is infamous for its heretical (Liberal) theology. Many in that denomination deny the inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible, the historicity of Adam and Eve, the vicarious substitutionary atonement of Christ, the need of regeneration, repentance and faith, etc., ad nauseam. They consider the Westminster Standards as valuable "historical documents" but they hardly adhere to them as being a summary of biblical truth nor a standard by which one should conform themselves.

Secondly, I would suggest that Mr. Froese has failed to understand Calvin; specifically Calvin's teaching concerning the matter of knowledge and faith. John Calvin held that faith, albeit a supernatural work and gift of God the Spirit, came via the knowledge of the truth. For surely one cannot believe something if that something is unknown. (cf. Rom 10:17; Lk 16:29-31; 1Cor 1:18-24; Col 1:4-6; 1Thess 2:13; Jam 1:18-21; 1Pet 1:23-25)

What Calvin was saying about faith being "supernatural" vs. "natural" had to do with those things which were not revealed in Scripture, and not mere speculation about everything or anything supernatural, i.e., not discernible empirically. For surely, just the incredible amount of material which Calvin wrote and defended dogmatically should be enough to dispel such a notion.

Thirdly, to put John Calvin in the same basket as Carlos Castaneda is laughable. The latter had no foundation of propositional truth upon which to "know" much about life and thus was left with nothing more than sinful philosophical speculation. Calvin, on the other hand, had God's inspired written Word of God which was embedded into his mind and heart by the ministration of the Holy Spirit and through which he was able to discern reality and truth. And it was this reality and truth as revealed by God in His written Word that Calvin's faith was formed and rested upon.

In His grace,

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simul iustus et peccator

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