Thursday, April 26, 2012

King James, of “King James Bible” Fame

http://calvinistinternational.com/2012/04/26/the-faith-of-king-james/


What we can point out, however, is that whatever private proclivities James might or might not have had (and they are far from proved), he had a very public Protestantism and there is no reason whatever to doubt that it was personally sincere. The stamp he sought to put upon his commonwealth, which was quickly becoming the most important in the world, was a moderate Protestant irenicism, in which the greatest theologians and scholars, the English clergy who earned the title stupor mundi, were endorsed and supported by the crown.  James also sought to unify the Reformed churches of England, Scotland, Ireland, and those on the Continent with various Lutheran churches.  James was confident enough to attempt this because of family connections he possessed with Scandinavian royalty.  And though he was ultimately unsuccessful in this reconciliation, the attempt was highminded and heroic....

… Now, as to Faith, which is the nourisher and quickner of Religion, as I have already said, It is a sure perswasion and apprehension of the promises of God, applying them to your soule: and therefore may it justly be called the golden chaine that linketh the faithfulle soule to Christ: And because it groweth not in our garden, but is the free gift of God, as the same Apostle saith, it must be nourished by prayer, Which is nothing else, but a friendly talking with God. (214)

Such a confession is wholly consistent with the magisterial Reformers.  James is clearly evangelical.  For those familiar with a Richard Hooker-brand of Protestant Anglicanism, James’ ideas are a rather neat fit.

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