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Morality After Calvin
Theodore Beza's Christian Censor and Reformed Ethics. Oxford Studies in Historical Theology
By (author)
Kirk M. Summers
Genres:
Early modern history: c 1450/1500 to c 1700, History of religion, Protestantism & Protestant Churches, Religious ethics, Christian theology
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Synopsis
Morality after Calvin examines the development of ethical thought in the Reformed tradition immediately following the death of Calvin. The book explores a previously unstudied work of Theodore Beza, the Cato Censorius Christianus (1591). When read in conjunction with the works and correspondence of Beza and his colleagues (Simon Goulart, Lambert Daneau, Peter Martyr Vermigli, among others), the poems of the Cato reveal the theoretical
underpinnings of the disciplinary activity during the period. Kirk M. Summers shows how the moral fervor of the latter half of the sixteenth century had its genesis in a well-formulated theology that viewed a Christian's sanctification as a process of restoration to an original order created by God.
Morality propels one on the journey of life to the ultimate goal of peace and contentment in which God receives the glory. The principles that constitute this morality, therefore, look back to the very moment of creation, when God structured human relationships, established a certain order in nature, and issued commands. After the Fall, the Mosaic Law and Christ himself, to whom the faithful are united by the Holy Spirit, embody these principles. They include an ethos of listening, sincerity of
life, engagement with one's calling, love of neighbor, respect for divinely ordained order, and a desire for the purity of the flock. New & Used
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What Reviewers Are Saying
Kirk M. Summers's study of Beza is a welcome contribution to a developing field. * Manfred Svensson, Journal of Markets & Morality * Summers has done a great service in retrieving the Cato and contextualizing Beza's thought within the Reformation tradition. This book is written for scholars who want to have greater insight into the development of the Reformed ethical tradition. It is also a helpful aid for pastors and preachers as they work through cases of sin and encourage Christians in the pursuit of morality coram Deo... The book is written in an engaging style so that a
layperson could also pick it up and be taught better how to live the Christian life. * Maarten Kuivenhoven, Calvin Theological Journal * [T]he work is a tour de force of classical scholarship, historical and social research, philology, and theological reflection. It is also very edifying... Readers of this review will likely come away thinking that there is almost nothing but good to say about Summers's work and that they should promptly acquire a copy for themselves and read it. That is the correct conclusion. * David C. Noe, Ordained Servant * Summers achieves a great accomplishment in the writing of this work. Those interested in the history of ethics, the history of discipline, or the pastoral theology of Theodore Beza will benefit as they read. For the church at large, this work assists our thinking in reminding us of the standards to which God is holding us in his Word, and how these principles were enacted in a specific historical context. * Jeremy M. Kimble, Criswell Theological Review * The work offers an excellent understanding of sixteenth-century ethical thought and the relation of theology to church and civil life in Geneva. It is a welcome contribution to the growing literature on the important figure of Theodore Beza. * Michael Spangler, Reformation & Renaissance Review * A fine, sharp, intelligent, and engaging study of an important Reformation figure. * Jon Balserak, Sixteenth Century Journal *
layperson could also pick it up and be taught better how to live the Christian life. * Maarten Kuivenhoven,