Negative Experience in Calvin’s Institutes and Its Systematic Consequences

Year 2019, Volume: 6 Issue: 11, 255 - 276, 30.06.2019

William A. Wrıght Translator: Mahmut Toptaş

https://doi.org/10.30523/mutefekkir.584418

Abstract

In this study, the place and importance of the term “negative experience” in Calvin’s well-known book “the Institutes of the Christian Religion” is examined as well as the shifts in Calvin’s theology as a result of his explanations to this issue. The effects of negative experience on people’s belief and the types of belief are also pointed out and every aspect of the issue is discussed within Calvin’s Institutes, as a result important question about Calvin’s theology occurred. In the end it seemed that Calvin has given different answers that are contrary to each other to the same questions throughout his life span or his book. It is also detected that the issue of negative experience caused some contradictory explanations of the missions of the Persons in Holy Trinity.

Keywords

Calvin, Experience, Negative Experience, The Institutes, Belief

Kalvin’in Enstitüleri’nde Negatif Tecrübe ve Bunun Sistematik Sonuçları

Abstract

Bu makalede John Calvin’in en önemli eseri olan Hristiyan Dininin Enstitüleri temel alınarak Calvin’in teolojisinde negatif tecrübenin yeri ve buna verdiği cevaplar çerçevesinde teolojisinin sisteminde meydana gelen değişimler ele alınmaya çalışılmıştır. İnsanların hayatları süresince yaşadıkları negatif tecrübelerin imanları üzerindeki etkisi ve imanın çeşitleri üzerine de değinilmiş olup, işaret edilen her nokta Calvin’in Enstitüler kitabından alıntılarla desteklenmiş ve ciddi soru işaretleri oluşturmuştur. Sonuç olarak Calvin’in aynı sorunlara hayatının farklı dönemlerinde ya da kitabının farklı bölümlerinde birbiriyle çelişir gibi görünen açıklamalar yaptığı görülmüştür. Negatif tecrübenin teslis inancı ve üçlemedeki kişilerin görevleriyle ilgili bazı çelişkili açıklamalara sebebiyet verdiği de tespit edilmiştir.

Keywords

Calvin, Tecrübe, Negatif Tecrübe, Enstitüler, İman

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