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Hard of Hearing?
by Joseph D. Small
Director, Theology Worship and Education
 John Calvin was only a boy when Martin Luther nailed his ninety-five theses to the door of the Wittenberg cathedral. Thus, the main lines of Reformation thought were already established when Calvin began to write and to serve the church in Geneva. Calvin readily adopted Luther’s two marks of the faithful church: right proclamation of the Word and right celebration of the sacraments. But he gave his own twist to the marks. “Wherever we see the Word of God purely preached and heard, and the sacraments administered according to Christ’s institution, there, it is not to be doubted, a church of God exists.” 1
I am grateful for Calvin’s insertion of the two little words, and heard, in his formulation. He understood that proclamation of the Word alone is not sufficient, no matter how faithfully and skillfully preachers preach and teachers teach. Proclamation must be heard to fulfill its purpose. By hearing, Calvin did not mean mere listening, nor even mere understanding. Hearing means receiving, and receiving means living out the good news that is proclaimed in the preaching and teaching of the Word, and in the celebration of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. [Read more] |
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About ideas!
Ideas! For Church Leaders is a publication of Congregational Ministries Publishing, a ministry of the General Assembly Mission Council of the PC(USA). It provides congregations and church leaders with fresh ideas and information that enrich and deepen their ministry. Printed copies are distributed
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