The development of Calvin's understanding of the imago dei in the Institutes of the Christian Religion from 1536 to 1559 [Elektronische Ressource] / presented by Shu-Ying Shih

Wolfram Eberhard

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• Théologie

Informations

• Publié par: ruprecht-karls-universitat_heidelberg
• Publié le: 01 janvier 2004
• Nombre de lectures: 23
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

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The Development of Calvin’s Understanding of the Imago Dei
in the Institutes of the Christian Religion from 1536 to 1559



Dissertation presented in fulfillment of the requirements
of the degree, Doctor of Theology, from the Theological Faculty
of the Ruprecht Karls University of Heidelberg, Germany


Presented by

Shu-Ying Shih

From Ping-Tung, Taiwan



Heidelberg, 2004



Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Dr. Michael Welker

Second Examiner: ………………………………












I hereby declare that this dissertation was completed independently. All sources have
been thoroughly and individually referenced. This dissertation has neither been
presented to another faculty nor been used in part or in whole for the attainment of
any other academic qualification.

Heidelberg, 15 March, 2004.
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C O N T E N T S
PREFACE 9

INTRODUCTION 13
0.1. The 1536 Institutes 15
0.1.1. Background 15
0.1.2. The structure of the 1536 Institutes 16
0.1.3. Survey of Calvin’s use of the imago dei 17
0.1.3.1. Human beings created as the image of God 17
0.1.3.2. The law reflects the image of God 18
0.1.3.3. Jesus Christ reflects the image of God 19
0.1.3.4. The sacraments reflect the image of God 20
0.1.3.5. Governors resemble the image of God 21
0.1.3.6. Conclusion 22
0.1.3.7. Constitutive elements of the imago dei in human beings 23
0.2. The 1539 Institutes 24
0.2.1. The structure of the 1539 Institutes 24
0.2.2. Decisive development within and beyond those texts dealing with the imago dei 25
0.3. The 1543 Institutes 27
0.3.1. The structure of the 1543 Institutes 27
0.3.2. The importance of 2 Cor 3: 18 for understanding the imago dei 28
0.4. The 1550 Institutes 28
0.4.1. The structure of the 1550 Institutes 28
0.4.2. The remnant of the imago dei as conscience 29
0.5. The 1559 Institutes 29
0.5.1. The structure of the 1559 Institutes 29
0.5.2. Integrating the doctrine of the imago dei 30

PART I: CHRONOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF CALVIN’S WORK ON THE
IMAGO DEI IN THE VARIOUS EDITIONS OF THE INSTITUTES OF
CHRISTIAN RELIGION
1. THE IMAGO DEI IN THE INSTITUTES OF 1536 34
1.1. Knowledge of God and knowledge of the self 34
1.1.1. Knowledge of God 36
1.1.2. Knowledge of the self 39
1.1.2.1. The creation of human beings 39
1.1.2.2. Adam and the loss of the imago dei 40
1.1.3. The total corruption of human nature 41
1.1.4. Human beings are responsible for the loss of the imago dei 42

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1.2. The human relation to God 46
1.2.1. Terminology 46
1.2.2. The relationship between the Father and his children 47
1.2.3. The relationship between Christ and God’s children 49
1.3. Human nature 50
1.3.1. The integrity of human nature 50
1.3.2. The antithesis between the first Adam and second Adam 51
1.4. The glory of God 52
1.4.1. Subjective and objective aspects of the glory of God 52
1.4.2. Human corruption 53
1.5. Life and death 53
1.5.1. Life 54
1.5.2. Death 55
1.6. The grace of God 56
1.7. Eternity and temporality 57
1.8. The remnant of the imago dei 58

2. THE IMAGE OF GOD IN THE INSTITUTES OF 1539 61
2.1. Knowledge of God and knowledge of the self 61
2.1.1. The objectivity of the knowledge of God and the self 62
2.1.2. Knowledge in its subjective aspects 64
2.1.3. The character of the cognitio dei ac nostri 66
2.1.3.1. The shift of the duplex cognitio nostri 66
2.1.3.2. The character of the knowledge of God and the self 67
2.2. The imago dei as a relation between God and human beings 73
2.2.1. Fatherly love and human participation in God in creation 74
2.2.2. Covenantal love and human participation in Christ in redemption 74
2.3. The imago dei as the integrity of human nature 76
2.3.1. The creation 76
2.3.2. The 1539 imago-text 77
2.3.3. What is natural? 78
2.3.4. The renewal of human nature 79
2.3.5. Against the Anabaptists 81
2.4. Human corruption and the imago dei 83
2.4.1. Remnant of the knowledge of God 83
2.4.2. Human conscience 84
2.4.3. The excellence of creaturehood 87
2.4.4. Human responsibility for the loss of the imago dei 88
2.4.4.1. Instruction in Faith in 1537 88
2.4.4.2. The 1539 Institutes 89
2.5. Eternity and temporality 91
2.5.1. Human corruption 91
2.5.2. The description of the imago dei 93

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2.6. The imago dei as the foundation of ethics 94
2.6.1. The sixth commandment—“You shall not kill” 94
2.6.2. The imago dei in government officers 99
2.7. Life and Death 100
2.7.1. Life 100
2.7.1.1. The similarities and differences between the two Testaments 100
2.7.1.2. The Christian life 102
2.7.2. Death 104
2.8. The grace of God 105
2.8.1. The third part of the creed 105
2.8.2. Human corruption 106
2.8.3. The restoration of human will 108
2.8.4. Election 109
2.9. The glory of God 111
2.9.1. Calvin’s use of the expression “the glory of God” in relation to the imago dei 112
2.9.2. Creation 112
2.9.2.1. Glory of God as that objective knowledge of God as expressed in creation 113
2.9.2.2. Glory of God as subjective knowledge of God seen by human beings in creation 115
2.9.3. Justification 117
2.9.4. Faith 119

3. THE IMAGE OF GOD IN THE INSTITUTES OF 1543 AND OF 1550 122
3.1. Against the worship of images 122
3.2. The renewal of the imago dei based on 2 Cor 3: 18 in the 1543 imago text 124
3.2.1. The term “mirror” 124
3.2.2. The renewal of human nature and the reflection of God’s glory 125
3.2.3. The necessity of identifying “God” 126
3.2.4. The illumination of the Holy Spirit and the recognition of God 127
3.3. Conscience and the remnant of the imago dei in the Institutes of 1550 129
3.3.1. Definitions and terminology 129
3.3.2. The relation between conscience and human ordinances 130
3.3.3. The 1540 commentaries on Rom 2: 14-15 131
3.3.4. Christian conscience and secular authority 133

4. THE IMAGE OF GOD IN THE INSTITUTES OF 1559 136
4.1. Knowledge of God and of the self 137
4.1.1. An interrelated model 137
4.1.2. Human corruption 138
4.1.3. The character of knowledge 138
4.1.4. The “God” of the knowledge of God 139
4.1.5. Calvin’s understanding of the Holy Spirit in Book III 141
4.2. The human relation to God 144
4.2.1. The relationship between God and humanity in creation 145
4.2.2. Human corruption 149
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4.2.3. Redemption 150
4.3. What is the imago dei in relation to human nature? 154
4.3.1. The imago dei and the immortality of the soul 154
4.3.2. The imago dei as non-corporeal 156
4.3.2.1. The creation of the world 156
4.3.2.2. The creation of human beings 156
4.3.2.3. The imago-text 158
4.3.3. The integrity of human nature 160
4.3.4. Against the Manichees and particular philosophical understandings 162
4.3.4.1. Against the Manichees 162
4.3.4.2. Deviation from popular philosophical understandings 165
4.3.5 The excellence of creaturehood 166
4.3.5.1. The commentaries on Genesis in 1554 166
4.3.5.2. The argumentum 166
4.3.5.3. The commentaries on Gen 2: 7 168
4.3.5.4. The Institutes of 1559 169
4.3.5.5. The imago-text 170
4.3.5.6. Human corruption 172
4.3.6. Life and death 173
4.3.6.1. The 1559 description of the imago dei 173
4.3.6.2. Human corruption 173
4.3.7. Eternity and temporality 175
4.3.8. The reflection of the glory of God 183
4.3.8.1. In the context of creation in the 1559 Institutes 183
4.3.8.2. Regeneration 186
4.3.8.3. The imago text 187
4.3.9. Supernatural gift or natural gift? 191
4.3.10. The imago dei as the basis of ethics 193
4.3.11. Human responsibility for the loss of the imago dei 194
4.4.The grace of God 198
4.4.1. Terminology 198
4.4.2. The imago text 200
4.4.3. The 1548 commentaries on 1 Cor 15: 45 201

PART II: THEMATIC ANALYSIS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF CALVIN’S
WORK ON THE IMAGO DEI
5. THEMATIC ANALYSIS OF CALVIN’S UNDERSTANDING OF THE
IMAGO DEI 205
5.1. The cognitio dei et hominis 205
5.1.1. Shift in the arrangement of the Institutes from 1536 through to 1559 205
5.1.2. The “God” of the knowledge of God 206
5.1.3. The “God” of the imago dei 208
5.1.4. The functioning of the cognitio dei ac nostri 210
5.1.5. Knowledge is the ground of the diverse orientations of human existence 212
5.2. The human relation to God 213
5.2.1. The development of this idea in the Institutes 213
5.2.2. Conclusion 216
5.3. What is the imago dei in human beings? 217
5.3.1. The imago dei as the integrity of human nature 217
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5.3.1.1. The development of this idea in the Institutes 217
5.3.1.2. Conclusion 220
5.3.2. The imago dei as the excellence of the human creature 221
5.3.2.1. The development of this idea in the Institutes 221
5.3.2.2. Conclusion 223
5.3.3. The imago dei signifies life against death 223
5.3.3.1. The development of this idea in the Institutes 223
5.3.3.2. Conclusion 227
5.3.4 The imago dei as the reflection of the glory of God 229