Perhaps my greatest frustration with the new semester comes from the fact that I’m not done with last semester yet... I received an extension to finish my Calvin paper over the break, with a due date of March 1st. As of this writing, it’s coming together with two pages written so far.
My paper explores John Calvin’s view of material goods and how that does or does not solve the problem of political/economic corruption. The interesting answer to the question is Calvin’s own perspective on human nature and the problem of corruption. We’re wrecked by sin. Man, apart from God is completely, utterly, fantastically unable to effect anything good. Even the appearance of good in the unbeliever is only a relative good enabled by the grace of God.
Solving the problem of sin begins with the initiative of God. If you’re not familiar with Calvinism, God in His infinite mercy chose some individuals from the wreckage of humanity and chose them to salvation. Those who are chosen hear and believe the message of Christ and become Christians who then follow God through their entire lives and ultimately live blissfully in heaven with Him. It’s not my purpose in this post to discuss the process of salvation, but to understand the life of a Christian as it relates to solving political/economic corruption. It’s a nuts-and-bolts kind of a question that I am trying to answer. What process can we effect to solve self-interest that exceeds its proper bounds to become corruption?
Calvin’s answer is interesting: his explicit solution is that individual persons must devote themselves fully to the person of God. A person should view him/herself as the very possession of God. I am not my own, I belong to Another. I like that solution, but what the heck does that actually look like? When I am confronted by temptation to sin I should… what? Remember that I am not my own… Calvin actually does go farther in the way he influenced the church and I think this first, internal attitude is pointless without the second part. I am not my own and I am accountable for my actions. And not only that touchy-feely accountable to the Jesus-who-loves-me kind of garbage (French accent) that passes for Christian accountability but also the kind of accountability where you have to actually confess your wrongs to the people whom you have sinned against. Maybe even work to make things right (shock).
This dual principle of ownership (I am not my own) and accountability form twin principles of the human relation to wrongdoing that pertain to all of society. When you sin against your marriage partner, you aren’t hiding anything from God and you need to handle it. The same is true for sins against your friends, your family, your church and your country. You are not your own and you will be held to account.
Todd, Interesting thoughts from Calvin. Are there any other points that he has that take it into more specifics? How does Calvin define corruption? If we define corruption as "anything that benefits me to the detriment of others", then much of self-interest can in some way be "corruption." I just made that definition up on the fly here, so it may not be worth much. I wonder how Calvin defines it.
ReplyDeleteI also like the point concerning accountability. I believe that the theme of accountability goes back to the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve were given jurisdiction as God's vice-regents. Humanity has never ceased to be held accountable. Although, we often try to not think about it.
I like the thoughts you've brought out here... it's not enough to say that "I belong to Another," but you must understand what that looks like in your daily life. Taking theology from the philosophical to the practical. I'd be interested in reading your final conclusions!
ReplyDeleteHey Michael,
ReplyDeleteThat's a good question. I think one of Calvin's problems is that he seeks the annihilation of self-interest. Where we will grant the power of self-interest and seek to control its excess, Calvin will grant the power of self-interest and seek to replace it with an internal focus on the person of God. This is his stated solution to all forms of corruption, particularly political/economic (Inst.III.7.9). At the same time, he establishes governmental structures that enforce accountability through 'fraternal correction.' So his stated control factor for corruption operates in conjunction with his practical nuts-and-bolts accountability structure. This is what I find so interesting in Calvin's thought, the high internal motivation has to be balanced by an external factor. The contemporary church is right to emphasize accountability.
Hey Ashley, I'd love to have you (submit to torture) by reading my paper. I would appreciate your editorial comments as well.
ReplyDeleteI also like his emphasis on internal and external correctives. Although, I find the internal one to still be vague. It almost sounds pietistic.
ReplyDeleteSo Calvin does not really distinguish self-interest from selfishness? I wonder about certain behaviors that seem to be totally self-interest and not selfish (as much as we can discern them) like: eating, going to the bathroom and sleep. I don't want to take the post off its mark by changing the topic, but does Calvin not recognize any self-interest as theoretically neutral (even though sin can ruin anything neutral)?
The comments about accountability as a guard against corruption remind me loosely of Reagan's comment, "Trust but verify."
The part of Calvin's thought that is fascinating to me is that he explicitly advocates the internal corrective in the Institutes and 'fraternal correction' is more implicit and comes through a church government structure, the Consistory.
ReplyDeleteCalvin advocates the complete devotion of all that we are and have to God:
"if we are not our own, but the Lord's, it is plain both what error is to be shunned, and to what end the actions of our lives ought to be directed."
Cal is okay with material possessions, but their use must be tempered by the needs of others. It would be wrong to enjoy a full meal while a neighbor is hungry. If our neighbor's needs are provided for, we have the freedom to enjoy our wants.