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actively engage in prayer. Additionally, Calvin suggests
that God’s “unfathomable plan,” which goes beyond human com- prehension, allows for us to freely pray in urgent situations. Further- more, God adjusts the outcomes of all events according to God’s divine plan, using his all-knowing and all-powerful nature. Unlike certain interpretations of Calvin- ism that emphasize God’s un- changing will, Calvin dismisses a rigid connection between God’s providence and prayer. Instead, by incorporating foreknowledge, Calvin subtly proposes that the kind-hearted God desires to blend human prayers into God’s plan for us. Calvin’s doctrine of prayer centres on the dynamic interplay between God’s will and human will. From eternity, God already foresees and decides to grant our prayers in our specific time and space, allowing our petitions to be effective through God’s saving power in Christ. It’s reasonable to suggest that God, who has eter- nal insight, makes adjustments according to our temporal re- quests to provide for our present needs. The heart of the paradox in Calvin’s theological view is that the unwaveringly faithful God not only anticipates our prayers but also makes eternal decisions while considering our contingent requests in a personal and rela- tional manner.
This dynamic concept aligns seamlessly with God’s timeless nature, where both unchanging qualities and faithfulness coexist. Calvin’s overarching doctrine em- phasizes the unchangeable nature of God while specifically high- lighting God’s faithfulness in the realm of prayer. These aspects are inseparable and integral to each other. Calvin further argues that God’s consistent response to our prayers is a testament to God’s eternal faithfulness, form-
ing an indispensable part of the Divine essence. Calvin argues, “God hears the prayers of his peo- ple... The psalmist does not say that God has heard prayer in this or that instance, but gives him the name of the hearer of prayer, as what constitutes an abiding part of his glory.”
Calvin emphasizes God’s direct involvement in the actual chal- lenges faced by praying believ- ers. The sovereignty of God is a powerful act of salvation that un- veils the eternal desire of the gra- cious father. Throughout eternity, there’s never a moment when the Almighty and faithful God fails to protect and save his chosen ones from the difficulties of sin, evil and suffering. It’s crucial to rec- ognize Calvin’s unique interpreta- tion of Augustine’s original texts. Augustine states that God made everything according to his will, which is eternal, and everything has been prepared from all eter- nity within his unchanging will.
Calvin acknowledges the Au- gustinian perspective on God’s omnipotence, foreknowledge, providence and predestination, as well as the Holy Spirit’s inspi- ration within believers. However, in contrast to Augustine’s view of God’s unchangeable will, Cal- vin adds his original voice about how our prayers align with God’s gracious will. Calvin believes that God responds to our pleas through special providence for the chosen ones. God, as a loving father, be- nevolently answers our prayers, knowing the best course for us. Ultimately, God’s optimal respons- es and decisions stem from God’s sovereign nature, after intently lis- teningtothepetitionsofhisadopt- ed children in Christ.
In the realm of God’s fore- knowledge and anticipation, not a predetermined and hidden eternal plan, we can willingly pray to God with our faith and free will. We are redeemed and constantly sancti-
fied by the name of Jesus. The eternal-transcendent God breaks into our world and actively inter- venes in our temporal matters, treating our troubles as God’s own in the beloved Son. Through- out eternity, the entire being of the Triune God and God’s act of predestination and providence are intently focused on the contingent act of our real-time and space- bound prayers.
Calvin confesses, “In Christ, He [God] offers all happiness in place of our misery, all wealth in place of our neediness; in Him He opens to us the heavenly treasures that our whole faith may contemplate His beloved Son, our whole ex- pectation depend upon Him, ... This, indeed, is that secret and hidden philosophy which cannot be wrested from syllogisms. But they whose eyes God has opened surely learn it by heart that in His light they may see light [Ps. 36:9].” This mysterious concept is fervently exclaimed by Calvin through his intuition of faith. Un- doubtedly, human reasoning falls short in logically explaining it, yet it is elevated to describe this mi- raculous occurrence through the illuminating influence of the Holy Spirit.
Calvin’s theological stance also includes a distinction between the concealed and unalterable will of predestination inherent in God, and the unveiled will related to our prayers in Christ. One could
hypothetically assume that God’s revealed will is subject to change based on our prayers, consider- ing the loving father’s eager- ness to provide the very best response to us in Christ. Hence, Calvin’s theological interpretation of prayer should not be perceived as a static view confined solely to the doctrine of God’s unchang- ing nature. Instead, it’s akin to a dynamic video showcasing God’s “revealed” will, which encourag- es the elect to actively engage in prayer as a heartfelt conversation with their Heavenly Father.
The former perspective, where God’s “hidden” and unchangeable will seems to logically clash with the contingent desires of those praying, challenges Calvin’s theo- logical cohesion between God’s predestined sovereignty and providence, and the accountable engagement of redeemed human- ity in Christ. Conversely, Calvin depicts Christian prayer biblically as an act of faith, recognizing the paradoxical coexistence of God’s saving grace and human involve- ment. This indirectly underscores that he does not align with hyper- Calvinism. For Calvin, the practi- cal exercise of faith, embodied in Christian prayers, is the means through which the faithful God continually unveils his eternal will of predestination and providence for the elect.
While Calvin steadfastly up- holds God’s sovereignty beyond
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human will and actions, he posi- tions the doctrine of prayer within the optimistic context of restored humanity post-salvation in Christ. It is through their own human wills that individuals actively dis- cern and willingly adhere to God’s intentions. The doctrines of pre- destination and providence never negate the need, responsibility and effort involved in Christian prayer. Instead, they establish a foundational basis for human en- gagement as a way of expressing gratitude to the benevolent God in Christ. In the end, God’s eternal will is realized through the hu- man wills of prayers, which are inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit and justified and sancti- fied by the name of Jesus Christ. Consequently, the doctrine of prayer stands as a central tenet of Calvin’s theological frame- work, where his understanding of salvation harmonizes holisti- cally with his view of humanity, shaped by God’s sovereignty for all of us in Christ. This elucidates Calvin’s theological perspective on the imperative nature of active prayer in the present moment. We are not solely predestined, justi- fied and sanctified in Christ, but we are also continuously involved in the best response of the Lord. This represents the true essence of Christian prayer, wherein God’s ultimate plan for us unfolds per- fectly in Christ, aligned with God’s will rather than our own wishes.
Presbyterians Read:
Reflections at Advent on Bonhoeffer’s Meditations
This Advent, you’re invited to join Presbyterians across the country in reading Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Advent meditations, God is in the Manger. These brief meditations are largely pulled from Bonhoeffer’s writings during his two-year imprisonment under the Nazi regime, from 1943 to the end of his life in 1945, when the Nazi government hanged him for his participation in the active resistance movement against Hitler from within the Nazi government.
Set up in four chapters, one for each week of Advent, the study guide includes suggested spiritual practices and discussion questions to encourage you to engage in Bonhoeffer’s reflections more deeply. You can follow this study guide as an individual, with a study group from your congregation or online. Learn more at presbyterian.ca/read.