Calvin’s Doctrine of Man
Overview
T. F. Torrance’s Calvin’s Doctrine of Man contains chapters entitled “Man’s Knowledge of Himself,” “Man’s Place In Creation,” “The Image of God,” “Total Perversity,” “Natural Theology,” and others. This theology—rich book reflects on the doctrinal position of celebrated reformer, John Calvin, regarding mankind. Glean from this modern scholarship built upon traditional writing within the Reformed tradition.
Top Highlights
“Fundamentally, it is only from this point of view that the dogmatic theologian must produce his doctrine of total depravity—‘total’ because grace ‘totally’ undercuts all human righteousness and wisdom as based upon independence and self-will.” (Page 20)
“In actual fact, he refused to advance any doctrine of man, apart from God’s original intention of grace in creating him in the image of God, and apart from God’s supreme act of grace in Jesus Christ for our salvation.” (Page 20)
“We must think of man therefore as created and maintained in being by direct and continuous relation to the will of God who kills and makes alive. And so Calvin thinks of human existence as being continually consumed and renewed by the Spirit of God. If God were for one instant to withdraw the presence of His Spirit we would drop into the nothingness from which we are called into being. That is just as true of the soul of man as of his body, for both depend from moment to moment in being and endowment on an immediate relation to the gracious and creative will of God.” (Page 29)
“No doubt the Word of God in this way tells us what man actually is: a fallen creature, bereft of the image of God, and with his natural gifts thoroughly corrupted.” (Page 16)
“in relation to man who himself has been made for God. Man cannot be understood by his relation to the world.” (Page 23)
- Title: Calvin’s Doctrine of Man
- Author: Thomas F. Torrance
- Publisher: Wipf and Stock
- Print Publication Date: 2001
- Logos Release Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Theological anthropology › History of doctrines--16th century; Calvin, Jean, 1509-1564 › Contributions in anthropology
- ISBNs: 9781579100919, 1579100910
- Resource ID: LLS:CLVNSDCTRNMN
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-29T22:46:49Z
Thomas F. Torrance (August 30,1913–December 2, 2007) was a Protestant Christian theologian and professor of Christian dogmatics for 27 years at the University of Edinburgh. Torrance was influential in the dialogue between science and theology.
He began studying in Edinburgh in 1931, focusing on classics and philosophy. At that time his own realist views of philosophy, theology, and morality started to develop, and they continued to do so as he moved to the study of theology at the Faculty of Divinity in 1934. From 1939 to 1940 Torrance studied at Oriel College, Oxford. He was ordained as minister on March 20, 1940.
He has authored several works, including Divine and Contingent Order, Ground and Grammar of Theology, and The Christian Doctrine of God, One Being Three Persons. Besides writing many books and articles, Torrance also translated several hundred theological writings into English from other languages, including the thirteen-volume, six-million-word Church Dogmatics of the Swiss theologian Karl Barth (co-edited with G.W. Bromiley).