Calvin isn't introducing anything new into theology.

I mean, Augustine would have said the same.

And for that matter, Thomas Aquinas would have said the same in his sumer,

representing orthodoxy, high orthodoxy of Roman Catholicism.

So the idea of election is by no means anything new to Calvin.

Welcome to the Crossway podcast, a show where we sit down with authors each week for thoughtful interviews about the Bible, theology, church history, and the Christian

life. I'm Matt Tully, and today I'm talking with Derek Thomas. Derek is the Chancellor's

Professor of Systematic and Practical Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary and Senior Minister

at First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, South Carolina. He's also a teaching fellow with Ligonier

Ministries and the author or editor of many books, including John Calvin for a new reformation

from Crossway. Today, Derek and I discuss John Calvin's enduring legacy. He reflects on the importance

of predestination and election in Calvin's theology as a whole, describes what it would have been like to have Calvin as your pastor, and explains what really happened when a heretic named Michael Stervetus was put to death in the town where Calvin ministered. Let's get started.

Derek, thank you so much for joining me on the Crossby podcast today.

Thank you, Matt. It's a pleasure.

So John Calvin was born over 500 years ago, and I think one question that many might be wondering

is why are we still talking about him today? Why is he that important that five centuries later we would care about

what he thought, what he said? Well, if you did a cursory survey of church history, you know,

various figures would stand out, Augustine, Ansel, McQuinus.

But John Calvin, especially, because of what he said and how much he said.

You know, this was a man who had a stenographer take down every word that he spoke in public for the last almost 20 years

of his life. And he preached every single day. He wrote a great deal, but he also had a profound impact on the shape of theology, whether you

agree or disagree, but one way or another, you simply can't avoid him.

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