The significance of Calvin' s anthropology for preaching on ethical themes

Abstract

In this article the author highlights Calvin's anthropology. A main feature of this anthropology is his dualistic view on man. Calvin was very much influenced by the ancient Greek philosophy, which argued that man had two parts: a superior soul and an inferior body. The author argues that this perception is at odds with a Biblical image of man. According to the Bible no part of man is inferior or superior to any other part of his personhood. The article indicates that a Biblical perspective on anthropology will draw different conclusions in ethics compared to a dualistic perception of the nature of man. A correct appreciation of the anthropology of man is therefore needed to guide decisions in ethics, where the focus is constantly anthropological.