On becoming children: In conversation with Calvin on receiving and responding to the gift of faith amidst the reality of an insecure and traumatised world.

Abstract

The article describes Calvin’s interpretation of faith from a Christological perspective that is historical, relational and embedded in the biblical and contextual narrative to point out the rhetorical power of faith. The grounding of faith is described as the process of becoming God’s beloved and grateful children and prayer is described as one of the benefits of faith. The article reflects on the meaning of this gift of faith (grounding and benefits) in the context of a fragile world by engaging the voice of contemporary Calvin scholar, Serene Jones. The article describes her appeal to prayer when dealing with the issues of trauma, as a way in which faith functions with rhetorical power through the biblical and contextual narrative. Faith is a firm and sure knowledge of the divine favour toward us, founded on the truth of a free promise in Christ, and revealed to our minds, and sealed on our hearts, by the Holy Spirit.