Don't Get Calvin Started on Church Finances
Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 4:00AM I'm warning you. You probably don't want to read these quotes from Calvin's Institutes. Highly convicting.
This should scare the pants off anyone who is responsible in any way for a church's finances:
You may everywhere find, both from the decrees of synods, and from ancient writers, that whatever the Church possessed, either in lands or in money, was the patrimony of the poor. Accordingly, the saying is ever and anon sounded in the ears of bishops and deacons, Remember that you are not handling your own property, but that destined for the necessities of the poor; if you dishonestly conceal or dilapidate it, you will be guilty of blood.
Surely it's okay to pay pastors well, right?
Meanwhile, it was provided that the ministers themselves, who ought to be an example of frugality to others, should not have so much as might be abused for luxury or delicacy; but only what might be needful to support their wants: "For those clergy, who can be supported by their own patrimony," says Jerome, "commit sacrilege if they accept what belongs to the poor, and by such abuse eat and drink judgment to themselves."
There goes the cottage.
But everyone knows that church buildings cost money, right?
Moreover, the sum expended on the adorning of churches was at first very trifling, and even afterwards, when the Church had become somewhat more wealthy, they in that matter observed mediocrity. Still, whatever money was then collected was reserved for the poor, when any greater necessity occurred. Thus Cyril, when a famine prevailed in the province of Jerusalem, and the want could not otherwise be supplied, took the vessels and robes and sold them for the support of the poor. In like manner, Acatius, Bishop of Amida, when a great multitude of the Persians were almost destroyed by famine, having assembled the clergy, and delivered this noble address, "Our God has no need either of chalices or salvers, for he neither eats nor drinks" (Tripart. Hist. Lib. 5 and Lib. 11 c. 16) melted down the plate, that he might be able to furnish food and obtain the means of ransoming the miserable....Are we ignorant how much gold and silver the Assyrians carried off from the temple of the Lord? Is it not better for a priest to melt them for the support of the poor, if other means are wanting, than for a sacrilegious enemy to carry them away?
And so on. Like I say, you probably don't want to get Calvin started in the topic of church finances.
Reader Comments (4)
The fact that you feel it necessary to preface these quotes with a warning that readers may not like them is quite a damning statement on the state of the church when it comes to money is it not?
Yes it is. I can't think of a church that has sold assets to support the poor. I suspect Calvin's advice was radical in its day. It's certainly radical now.
This Calvin guy is worth reading; I'll never say Calvin smalvin.
These quotes are just awesome. Thanks for posting them. I'm currently reading Faith and Wealth by Justo Gonzalez and he is going through first century theologians and their thoughts on the matter and they are very similar to even Calvins. Then when I read articles like this (http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200912/rosin-prosperity-gospel) it makes me realize how far we really are.