Excellent, powerful balance of history and the Bible. One glaring error in the beginning, tho. Americans were happy to be British SUBJECTS. There is a big difference between a subject and a citizen.
You raise interesting points about the role of Christians in the American Revolutionary War era. However, it's worth noting that John Calvin himself exhibited somewhat tyrannical tendencies in his governance of Geneva. Calvin established a theocratic system where the church had significant control over the city's moral and social order, enforcing strict regulations on behavior and imposing severe punishments for deviations from his interpretation of Christian doctrine. One of the most notable and controversial actions was Calvin's involvement in the execution of Michael Servetus, a Spanish physician and theologian condemned for heresy. Servetus denied the doctrine of the Trinity, a core tenet of Christianity. Despite Calvin's efforts to persuade Servetus to recant, he ultimately supported the decision to execute him, although he advocated for a less painful method than burning at the stake. This presents an ironic contrast to the Calvinist tradition's later emphasis on resisting tyranny. It highlights the complexities and contradictions that can arise when religious and political power are intertwined.
Just last week, I had someone bludgeon me over the head with Romans 13. I appreciate Mr. Hall's analyses of this topic. Thanks!
Glad to hear it was helpful!
Excellent, powerful balance of history and the Bible. One glaring error in the beginning, tho. Americans were happy to be British SUBJECTS. There is a big difference between a subject and a citizen.
You raise interesting points about the role of Christians in the American Revolutionary War era. However, it's worth noting that John Calvin himself exhibited somewhat tyrannical tendencies in his governance of Geneva. Calvin established a theocratic system where the church had significant control over the city's moral and social order, enforcing strict regulations on behavior and imposing severe punishments for deviations from his interpretation of Christian doctrine.
One of the most notable and controversial actions was Calvin's involvement in the execution of Michael Servetus, a Spanish physician and theologian condemned for heresy. Servetus denied the doctrine of the Trinity, a core tenet of Christianity. Despite Calvin's efforts to persuade Servetus to recant, he ultimately supported the decision to execute him, although he advocated for a less painful method than burning at the stake.
This presents an ironic contrast to the Calvinist tradition's later emphasis on resisting tyranny. It highlights the complexities and contradictions that can arise when religious and political power are intertwined.