Of the three reformation era theologians: Richard Hooker, Martin Luther, and John Calvin, Hooker is the one that best reflects Biblical Christianity. His primary contribution to theology is the realization that although the Bible is authoritative oh how we are to live and love each other, there are many areas that Bible does not directly address. As such it is not the sole authority on all matters (Strauss & Cropsey, p. 358). Unlike many of his peers, Hooker realized that even saved humans needed to reason and wrestle with the scripture to find and fulfil their political and moral duties matters (Strauss & Cropsey, p. 360). God himself, Hooker proclaims, is a God of reason, whose commands are reasonable and not arbitrary (Strauss & Cropsey, p. 359). In Philippians, Paul instructs believers with knowledge of scripture that they are to work out their salvation with “fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12, New American Standard Version) encouraging believers to search and seek out the Spirit of God in applying the biblical truths instead of assuming that all of everyone’s answers fall readily from the page. In addition Isaiah, speaks of God calling people to reason with Him in accepting his offer of salvation (Isaiah 1:18). Modeling for us that even the only one worthy to demand blind obedience is unwilling to do so in order that people might truly engage in trust in Him.
John Calvin had a less scripturally accurate view of theology than Hooker. Although he rightly insisted on justification by Faith and not works (Strauss & Cropsey, p. 321) and acknowledged the excessive reliance on human reason exhibited by renaissance thinkers (Strauss & Cropsey, p. 322) he believed that there was only one true way to live a Godly life and was willing to authorize the state to punish those who refuse it. In doing so Calvin seems to overlook passages that in 2 Timothy that describe how a godly person must be responsible to “rightly divide the word of truth”(2 Timothy 2:15). This implies that a moral and intellectual independence and individualized search for truth that is broader and more generous that Calvin’s on true way.
Martin Luther was like John Calvin in many respects and as such was a less biblical theologian than Hooker. He shared Calvin’s recognition of justification by faith and skepticism of the non-corruptness of human reason, but he also echoed Luther’s restrictive view of orthodoxy. Although Luther allows more leeway for believers to interpret their own ways of living for God (Strauss & Cropsey, p. 322), he urged the state to actively persecute anabaptist and catholics, calling for the death penalty. In this he echoes Saul the persecutor who perused early Christians and brought them back to Jerusalem for execution (Acts 9:1-2). In contrast, the Bible tells us that it is God’s kindness that leads the lost to salvation (Romans 2:4), not the hangman.
References
Holy Bible. (2000). New American Standard Translation. Eugene, OR: Harvest House.
Strauss, L., & Cropsey, J. (Eds.). (1987). History of political philosophy (3rd ed.). Chicago: