David Cornick, Letting God be God: The Reformed Tradition.

Falconer, Alan

David Cornick, Letting God be God: The Reformed Tradition, London, DLT, 2008 155+ 16pp, 9.95 [pounds sterling]

This volume is one of a series edited by Philip Sheldrake on Traditions of Christian Spirituality. David Cornick, who was, until his recent appointment as the general secretary of Churches Together in England, the general secretary of the United Reformed Church, is well placed to offer reflections on this topic. As principal of Westminster College, Cambridge, he developed courses on aspects of the Reformed tradition which have influenced this helpful contribution to our understanding.

The book begins with the attempt to outline the history and main accents of the Reformed tradition and ethos. Simply but deftly, the author presents the main issues of the Reformation, tracing the development of the tradition historically, portraying its principal figures and identifying the main accents of its theological approach. Of course, he is sensitive to the fact that in the end one is forced to speak of Reformed traditions, while maintaining a perception that all of these trace their heritage through the Swiss Reformation. In distinction to other Reformation movements, humanism is rightly seen to have been the midwife of the Swiss Reformation. David Cornick devotes considerable attention to the life and work of John Calvin as the seminal figure of the tradition. His account is a helpful digest, offering a clear and sensitive understanding of the reformer's thought and pastoral practice. In contrast to Luther with his emphasis on forgiveness, Calvin's theology is seen primarily to address the issue of: is there a Word of God and how does it shape human living and society?

The author then explores the pattern of worship in Calvin's Geneva and the traditions which developed from this with the emphasis on the centrality of the Bible for Reformed spirituality. In beautifully phrased language, David Cornick writes: "Scripture is one of God's trysting places where the Word spoken, the Word incarnate, and the words written about the Word, become through the activity of the Spirit, the living Word'(p.55). He goes on to emphasize that common words, like bread and wine, become the bearers of Christ. This section on worship, private prayer and liturgy draws on the writings of key figures in the development of the understanding and practice of Reformed churches. Indeed, since the author has himself been absorbed by this tradition, this chapter itself becomes an impressive prayer book--replete with poetic imagery taking the reader inside the experience and expression of Reformed thought and practice from the time of the Reformation until now and drawing us into the contemplation of the mystery of God.

In deft brush strokes the main accents in Calvin's theology are then clearly stated. Discussion on predestination and on supralapsarianism are not avoided, but placed within the framework of Calvin's thought rather than being read through the lens of seventeenth century controversies. Another accurate and beautifully phrased image of the author encapsulates Calvin's thought: "Calvin's theology can best be understood as a series of fugues on the transcendence of God. God is God. God is completely other. God is not to be confused with creation." Yet a positive appreciation of creation and creativity by Calvin is evident. While this may not be a common perception of the tradition, with its iconoclastic practice historically, the author I believe is correct in his view of the positive appreciation of art, architecture and the arts within the tradition.

Such a view of creation and responsibility for using the gifts of God impels action and reflection in society--a notable feature of a Reformed approach to the state and civil society. The author notes various aspects of the attempt of the tradition to provide a wholesome approach to society and the welfare of the most vulnerable in it.

In a final chapter attention is paid to the rise of communities which exhibit monastic practices of prayer, engagement with society--Iona, Taize (and a mention of Corrymeela)--all of which have greatly influenced Reformed worship and practice with their interplay between work and worship. It would have been good to have a more extended reflection on the nature of "dispersed community" in this context.

This is a welcome volume. It provides a helpful introduction to and conveys well the main accents in the development of the thought and practice of a Reformed spirituality. At times, the book becomes not a volume about Reformed spirituality, but a book of Reformed spirituality. Although the book will be useful as a basic text for a course on Reformed ecumenism, and for a parish discussion group in preparation for the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the birth of John Calvin in 2009, there are a number of limitations in it which need to be noted.

While the author notes the provisional character of Reformed Confessions of Faith, this needs greater emphasis. Not only because such an approach differentiates the Reformed tradition from other Reformation traditions, but also because it is so central to the Reformed way of doing theology. As Bernard Cottret in his excellent biography of Calvin notes: "If the Epistle of the Romans is central to the understanding of Luther, it is the Letter to the Hebrews, with its emphasis on the church as a community on pilgrimage, which shapes Calvin and the Reformed community" (cf Johannes Wollebius on the church as the community of wayfarers).

While David Cornick develops well the theme that humanism provides the matrix for the Swiss Reformation, humanism tends to be portrayed in terms of the return to the roots--ad fontes. However in an important paper to the Historical Association, Basil Hall demonstrated how humanism--as man the measure of all things, evident in art, philosophy, scientific discovery at the time of the Reformation--was the emphasis which Calvin sought to refute in his writings, especially in The Institutes. Humanism thus has a double reference point in the matrix.

The author, with his British audience in mind, draws impressively on the experience of the British and American Reformed churches and writers in the development of the book. However the volume might have been enhanced by the inclusion of a discussion of what is increasingly called the First Reformation within the circles of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches. It would also have been enhanced throughout by reference to writers and thinkers from Continental Reformed churches. While figures such as Schleiermacher and Barth are celebrated, it might have been helpful to note other important figures. For the chapter on worship, for example, a series of Swiss Reformed scholars have been central to the development of contemporary Reformed and ecumenical understanding of worship and liturgy (see Lukas Vischer (ed) Christian Worship in Reformed Churches Past and Present, 2003).

An exploration of this in a volume on Reformed spirituality would have been helpful as it could have led to a discussion of the impact of this tradition on the spirituality and life of other Christian traditions, since Reformed spirituality is directed towards being Christian spirituality through the experience and practice of Reformed churches.

However none of these reservations detract from welcoming this volume as an accurate, well crafted and timely contribution to our understanding. The book is well written, with memorable images which invite contemplation and prayer--surely a test of a book on spirituality.

Alan Falconer

Rev. Dr Alan Falconer, minister of the Cathedral Church of St Machar, Aberdeen (Church of Scotland) was formerly director of the Faith and Order Commission of the WCC.