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PotOnWheel
Registered Member
Date Joined Jul 2001
Total Posts : 9890
| Posted 9/7/2004 5:15 AM (GMT -6) |   | The Canons of Dort are a remarkable, pastoral document. They do some theology. But in the midst of regretable politics (including murder and brutality of theological opponants) there shines some wonderful pastoral care and insight!!!!!
I am impressed of that fact by a book written by the now President of Calvin Seminary, Dr. Neal Plantinga.
That said, I want to point out an admitted shortcoming in the Canons -- SHORT TULIPS if you will. While the best approach to theology, Reformed or otherwise, begins and proceeds "Creation / Fall / Redemption" the Canons, and even the Heidelberger, begin with the Fall.
What is lacking then is perspective on the fall, and its nature and extent. And for that I'll blame Augustine for his exagerated presumption of how mature Adam and Eve were at their creation, and also his extreem view of the fall. Were the Canon's and the Heidelberger to have a better view of the Creation -- a Topic close to Calvin's heart! (See his Commentaries on Genesis!) -- things would have been better.
There was wonderful pastoral "buffering" placed within the text of the Canons. But some of that might have not even been needed were the theological base better.
For instance, the fall did not change our nature. Reformed educators regularly point this out. Creation / Fall / Redemption. The nature of everything is given by God. Evil is not God's creation. Sin brings a parasite into the creation, but while that alters the way things operate, it does not change the nature, diversity or complexity of the creation. Reformed education 101!
The Canons and Heidelberger, while obviously opperating from a Reformed view, and trying to buffer any problems that pop up, do not do as good a job in educating BECAUSE OF THIS SHORTCOMING.
And the result is "SHORT TULIPS."
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