The J-word...

Again, I take the central issue of the division between RC and Protestantism to be over the proper understanding of justification.  Calvin, like Luther, claimed that the Roman church's negligence (if not altogether elimination) of the doctrine of justification by faith to have vitiated the Church:

"[you, Cardinal Sadolet] touch upon justification by faith, the first and keenest subject of controversy between us...Wherever the knowledge of it is taken away, the glory of Christ is extinguished, religion abolished, the Church destroyed, and the hope of salvation utterly overthrown.  That doctrine...we maintain that you have nefariously effaced from the memory of men...and the gross ignorance of this doctrine, which even still continues in all your churches, declares that our complaint is by no means ill founded" (Reply to Cardinal Sadolet).

Again, I'll have more to say about this issue (viz., justification by faith).  I should say that Calvin, along with Luther, seems to be mostly familiar with and seems to mainly target the Ockhamistic line of Roman theology (this is not to say they were unaware of the theology of St. Thomas, but much of their criticisms on this matter would not affect his views).

Calvin goes on to write:

"If you would attend to the true meaning of the term 'justifying' in Scripture, you would have no difficulty.  For it does not refer to a man's own righteousness, but to the mercy of God, which, contrary to the sinner's deserts, accepts of a righteousness for him, and that by not imputing his unrighteousness...Hence [Paul's] familiar inference--if by faith, then not by works.  On the other hand--if by works, then not by faith...We constantly maintain, that man is not only justified freely once for all, without any merit of works, but that on this gratuitous justification the salvation of man perpetually depends.  Nor is it possible that any work of man can be accepted by God unless it be gratuitously approved" (ibid.).

But a few years later when the Council of Trent takes place, I get the sense that these two parties are talking past each other (not in all matters, but at least partially).  Calvin has much to say in response to the Council of Trent, and I'll take up that matter soon.

Calvin also thinks that justification by faith does not exclude the room for works in the Christian life, though he does not think that they "are worth one single straw" when it comes to justification.

"We deny that good works have any share in justification, but we claim full authority for them in the lives of the righteous.  For, if he who has obtained justification possesses Christ, and... Christ never is where his Spirit is not, it is obvious that gratuitous righteousness is necessarily connected with regeneration...for faith cannot apprehend Christ for righteousness without the Spirit of sanctification" (ibid.).

More needs to be said later, but it is union with Christ that results in both justification and regeneration.

One thing I want to mention regarding the anti-works of some contemporary Calvinists.  I once heard a sermon by a Reformed pastor who said that the only thing we need to do is "Just believe!", and that resting (which he gave sleeping as an example) is one of the best things we can do in this life. Again, some more disconnect between modern Calvinists and Calvin (recall that even Luther does not want to repudiate the importance of works).

Thus, Calvin considers faith and works inseparable because of the activity of Christ and the Spirit in the life of the Christian.

"Christ regenerates to a blessed life those whom he justifies, and after rescuing them from the dominion of sin, hands them over to the dominion of righteousness, transforms them into the image of God, and so trains them by his Spirit into obedience to his will" (ibid.).

Amen, brother, amen.  However, St. Thomas would say 'Amen' as well.  Hmm...   I think Calvin is exactly right on this point, but I see no significant difference here with what RC teaches.  This is not to say that there are no important differences, but at least with respect to this important aspect of Christ's activity in our lives, there is much overlap.

(sorry that this post is a bit scattered... super busy with traveling and such...  but heck, this is a blog, so deal with it!)