"Which society would I prefer? Compare and contrast with other societies•.

Three factors would best conduce to my happiness of life: Biblical preaching,political independence, and a moderate standard of living. I am of theopinion that Calvin's Geneva best meets this standard.

The Oriental cultures (Sumerian, Babylonian, Assyrian, Egyptian, etc.) werepolytheistic (except for one short interval under Akhenaten) and despotic andtherefore utterly repugnant to my sensibilities, economic well©being,military prowess, and monarchial splendor notwithstanding.

Greece was an enormous improvement over the old powers, but it too fallsshort of my hopes for several reasons. Its theology is most abhorrent,fashioning God into the likeness of debauched and treacherous men and women. Its philosophy too, as magnificent as it is, misses the one thing needful. St. Paul says "By wisdom the world knew not God". Its political stabilty wasalso tenuous, as the Greek states were ever and anon squabbling with oneanother.

Rome was a great improvement over Greece, achieving political stabilty,imposing the Pax Romana, promoting international trade, and showingremarkable religious tolerance for its age. But it too was Pagan. Its mostobjectionable feature to me was, from the days of Augustus, requiring itsinhabitants to say "Caesar is Lord". This made some into martyrs and mostinto hypocrites, neither of which is to my liking. It also posited theultimacy of man, which runs contrary to my most cherished belief in theLordship of Christ (Counsel of Chalcedon, 425) and logically opens the doorto tyranny of the worst sort.

I find Christian Rome very tempting, for it unites the genius of Augustineand the benefits of the Pax Romana. But it fails in comparison to Geneva forthree main reasons: (1) By adopting an allegorical hermeneutic, the Fathersoften obscured the plain meaning of Scripture, thus making their sermonsbeautiful and ingenious, but not Scriptural; (2) The Church was excessivelybeholden to the state. The Arian party, for example, was defeated not somuch by Athanasius' force of truth, but by the Emperor's force of arms. Later, of course, Arius would have been reinstated had he not suddenly died;(3) The idealizaton of the monkish life which disparaged the Christian's"ordinary" calling. This would obviously reduce the standard of living (ormake a man feel guilty about financial success). It would also denigratemarriage and the family©©and if worked out to its logical conclusion, makethe human race extinct.

The Medieval world too, seems attractive to me. It greatly emphasized theimportance of preparing for the world to come. It also featured politicaldecentralization. Its four central flaws, however, reprobate it in my eyes:

(1) It perpetuated the unhealthy asceticism advocated by Augustine andothers; (2) Its excessive decentralization made it vulnerable to invasion;(3) Its rigid class structure made advancement impossible, especially for theserfs; and (4) The "Black Death" killed one©third of the popluation.

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There is no man in European history I more admire than Martin Luther. HisSaxony, therefore, would not be my last choice. I much appreciate histheology, his eductional reforms, and his praise for honest labor done in thefear of God. My only (and fatal) objection to his world is this: he and hisfollowers were too obsequious to "the powers that be". In so doing, theypromoted an implicit mysticism which expelled God from all of His Creation,except the Christian's soul and©©to some degree©©the church. This I findintolerable because it contradicts the ascending words of Jesus Christ, "Allauthority is given unto me in heaven and earth".

I would love to visit Renaissance Italy and view its magnificence, but notlive there because of its secular view of life and its belief in theperfectibility of man. It was also militarily vulnerable and politicallyunstable.

I find Geneva attractive for the reasons stated in my opening paragraph. Thepreaching of Calvin is unsurpassed in its depth of thought and simplicity ofexpression. I find his Institutes, commentaries, catechisms, and evenletters most edifying. He preached often, daily on alternate weeks andthrice each Sunday. I would have immensely enjoyed his ministrations. TheSwiss tradition of defiant political independence is also most appealing. Calvin's doctrine of absolute Divine Sovereignty must have strengthened thistradition greatly. If, after all, God is sovereign, then one can toady to noman. Indeed, this doctrine produced hardy independence in Scotland, Holland,and America and South Africa. The various "callings" of life lent dignity toordinary labor and permitted upward mobility by the industrious. These threefactors, Reformed preaching, political independence, and an opportunity tomake an honest living make up what I call "freedom".

"What was the Renaissance and its effects•?

Renaissance is a French word meaning "rebirth". It denotes a flowering ofculture which thrived, first in Italy and later in N. Europe between theyears 1050©1600.

The Italian Renaissance may be divided into 2 phases: An economic recoveryfueled by Genoese, Venetian, and Florentine trade, manufacturing, andbanking, c. 1050©1300. A flowering of culture in Florence and the Papalstates, c. 1300ff.

Its intellecutal hallmarks were three: (1) Individualism, which despisedhumility and encouraged confident self©improvement. (2) Revival ofantiquity. (3) Secular outlook.

Noted for its art. The artistic profession was celebrated. Artists oftenbecame wealthy. Art was a means of showing "good taste" and wealth.

Education was greatly promoted. It ceased being "vocational" in nature andnow aimed to make a man free, i.e., well©rounded and equipped to run a state.

Politics became pragmatic and Machiavellian.

Printing press.

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Its effects:

1. Provided a secular grid through which to view oneself and the world.�

2. œLaid the theoretical groundwork for absolutism.

3. Encouraged the development of human potential.

"What was the 30©years War and its effects?•

1618©1648

Many nations involved, but especially France and the Habsburg.

Issues:

a. Would Bohemia become Protestant or remain Catholic?

b. Would France or the Habsburgs dominate central Europe?

Effects:

1. Germany devastated.

2. Habsburg power broken.

3. France and the Scandanavians profit.

4. Bohemia must remain Catholic; the other German princes may choose religionfor themselves.

5. Civilization reduced.

"What was the Reformation, its immediate and distant causes?

•

"What was the Motivation of Europe's Expansion?•

1. Islam's blockade on the East pointed Europe West.

2. The unrest of the Spanish nobility.

3. Prince Henry III's interest in/subsidy of exploration.

4. Desire for gold, spices.

5. Evangelism.

6. Desire to meet mythical Christian king in Africa.

7. Renaissance spirit.

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8. Technological advances made it possible, esp.

a. Improved ships

b. Cannons.

c. Magnetic compass d. Improved maps

"Identifications•

1. Thomas More (1478©1535) British. Humanist lawyer. In Henry VIII'sambassador to Flanders. Wrote "Utopia", a book which advocated a genial andenlightened socialism. Outline: 1. Love of money is the root of all evil. 2. But private property produces this covetousness. 3. Abolish privateproperty therefore, and you will rid the world of many vices.

2. Desiderius Erasmus (1466©1536). Dutch. Illegitimate son of a priest. Sent to monastery in childhood. Humanist colossus. Decried Rome's abuses. Stressed an internal, ethical Christianity over against a formal, dogmaticfaith. Copious writer. Edited the "Textus Receptus". Attacked by Rome as aProtestant. Luther as a Papist.

3. Johann Von Reuchlin. (1454©1521). German©born man of the Renaissance. Excellent linguist. Produced Hebrew grammar and lexicon. Greatly promotedthe study of Scripture in light of the Talmud and other Jewish books.

4. John Hus. (1369©1415) Bohemian Reformer. Insisted on authority ofScripture alone (over against tradition, popes, councils, etc.) Sought toreform church according to Scipture. Burned.

5. Calvin (1509©1564)

6. Knox (1514©1572)