Systematic Theology 1

According to Calvin nothing occurs but by the ongoing action of God to create and maintain all of His creation down to the most seemingly minute creature or act of “nature”. This is evidenced by Jesus proclaiming that He “and his Father have always been at work from the beginning;” discrediting the misdirected claim that God is a “[d]eity, sitting idly in heaven, look[ing] on at what is taking place in the world” and professing that He is “one by which, as it were, holds the helms and overrules all events.” Furthermore Calvin claims that Providence is overall equally in stating “[h]ence his providence extends not less to the hand than to the eye.” In addition, this manner of divine dictation is applied to the whole just as uniformly to the individual.
Assuming I have been able to some degree decipher Aquinas’ Summa Theologica, providence, “order of things to an end” is appropriately attributed to God as the creator of the “good which is in all created things concerning both substance as well as their order to an end.” It is exactly this Creator, who creates out of the divine intellect, in whom the order of all things pre-existed in said divine intellect which is providence.
In comparison, both profess the overarching reach of the providence of God to all things as well as this being an active characteristic as opposed to Gnostic. However, it seems that where Calvin is expressing that all “good” or “bad” has been put into motion by God whereas Aquinas attributes all “good.” This seems to be more of a perspective difference of our inability to either recognize “good/ bad” or capacity to walk it out.
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Paraphrasing both Calvin and Aquinas on their views of God is the only proper way of comparing and contrasting their take on Providence.
Starting with Calvin, Chapter 16, the world, created by God, still cherished and protected by Him, each and all of its parts are governed by His providence. God directs all things, even to the unbelievers. God regulates man, the individual, and nature. The true cause of events is hidden to us. This “fate” as discussed in Ecclesiastes intertwined with examples of trust as with Abraham, David, Jonah, ect, prove God’s providence in all aspects of daily life. Creation and providence are inseparably joined. “The reason is not always equally apparent, but we ought undoubtedly to hold that all the changes which take place in the world are produced by the secret agency of the hand of God. At the same time, that which God has determined, though it must come to pass, is not, however, precisely, or in its own nature, necessary.”
Aquinas’ views in his Summa Theologica: providence cannot belong to God because providence is not eternal, God is; however, he attributes providence to God. Prudence is taken from providence to examine the past and present in order to progress towards the future. Everything is not subject to divine providence. There is a difference though, between human providence and divine providence. Man has free will and with that free will uses the direct words of God to govern his life. “Hence the mode both of necessity and of contingency falls under the foresight of God, who provides universally for all being; not under the foresight of causes that provide only for some particular order of things.” Aquinas also states, “The effect of divine providence is not only that things should happen somehow; but that they should happen either by necessity or by contingency. Therefore, whatsoever divine providence ordains to happen infallibly and of necessity happens infallibly and of necessity; and that happens from contingency, which the plan of divine providence conceives to happen from contingency.”
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Aquinas on providence has similar ideals to that which is of Calvin. First off one will see that they both attribute providence as the work of God. Aquinas believes that substance in itself has something that is good. God is a good God, so this would be from God. This is to say that what is good comes from God. He is creator. There can be good found in pretty much all things. God also makes providence by His divine intellect. There is also the belief that all that exists has to once pre-exist. This is through God’s divine intellect. God has also made divine providence that will sustain His creation to the end of time. This is for His purpose. Aquinas also goes on to explain that God has given providence not only to the general but also in their individual self.
As I said earlier, Calvin’s view about providence is similar to Aquinas’ view. God does have divine providence over creation in this world and that which is to come. Calvin lets the reader know that God did not just create things, and then left them to themselves. The Bible teaches us about faith, but one has to know that there is a faith in something that is omnipotent. That is to say that God is the sustainer and governor of Heaven and Earth. There is not such a thing as fortune and fortuitous causes. Things that happen, is not a result of happenstance. God uses all things for His divine purpose. All things happen according to His divine council.
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Calvin and Aquinas both agree that it is necessary to attribute Providence to God. calvin says that Providence consists in action; that the world is governed by God, not only because He maintains the order of nature appointed by Him, but because He takes a special charge of every one of His works.Calvin thinks that the gerneral providence of God is the continuing the order of nature over the creatures by His wonderful counsel that they are adapted to a certain and special purpose. Also he says that everythin carried partly by freewill of man and partly by Providence of God. Calvin also says that all future events being uncertain to us seen in suspense as if ready to take either direction, still however the impression remains that nothing will happen which God has not provided. He is opposed to future and fortuitous causes and thinks that God the creator is also God the governor and preserver. aquinas thinks that it is necassary to attribute providence to God because for all the good that is created things have been created by God. He talks about this idea that all things work together in a way that is ordering things to the end, and that all things are subject to divine provience. Human provience is inluded under the providence of God. I think that both Calvin and Aquinas beleive that God is active in His creation, and that He works things together for His will.Calvin says that everything that you endure is by the ordination and command of God, but Aquinas does not go into God acting in the “bad”. Both have the view that God is active in His creation.

Thomas Aquinas structures his discussion on Providence by first discussing why Providence ought to be attributed to God; how that Providence plays out in creating, sustaining, and governing creation; the immediacy yet grace of God’s Providence and its execution; and how that Providence does not necessarily entail necessity for the Creation. According to Aquinas, Providence is “the type of things ordered towards an end”; Providence is essentially God creating, sustaining, and governing creation toward the Eschaton. This Providence is divided by Aquinas into the universal and the particular. The former cannot and will not be compromised, as it entails the fundamental “cause” of creation whose end God is guiding it toward; however, the latter is often variable. Aquinas establishes a hierarchy for how God’s Providence is executed: God is over the universal causes, “the divinities” over all that can be generated and corrupted, and the demons are between humans and the gods and are in charge of human affairs. God still permits free will, which accounts for much of the variety in the particular causes under Providence, though even free will can be precluded by God if it is necessary for ordering of the universal cause, which is not to be compromised. Here Aquinas makes a distinction between necessity and contingency—the former forced, the latter seen and permitted under God’s governance.

Calvin’s reputation precedes him. Calvin argues that a god under whom there is chance or fortune enacts no actual Providence—the god of the Epicureans and the Sophists. Rather, the God of Jesus Christ, maker of heaven and earth, must also sustain and govern that earth. But passive governance is not permissible for Calvin. If God is to govern, all that occurs, or “is allowed to occur”—which is hinted at only on rare occasions—is under direct orchestration and permission by God. This holds for the minutest or most seemingly fortuitous of occurrences—such as the gales over the Galilean disrupting a needed catch—to the universals. Calvin holds that God must be in direct control of all things, including the wills of men. Accordingly, this is the great comfort or peace for men, that, whether in extreme tribulation or joy, God’s sovereignty holds. His will is being done.

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John Calvin holds to the belief that God has an active providence. Calvin states that God is not just “sitting idly in heaven” watching at what is happening in the world but that he “holds the helms and overrules all events.” Calvin believes that nothing happens without God pre-ordaining it to happen. Likewise, Calvin believes that all things that have and will happen are because God has ordained it to be so. Thus, Calvin does not believe in things such as “chance” or “coincidence” but that God is actively a part of the world and what is going on within it in such a way that chance and coincidences cannot exist.
Thomas Aquinas believes that God has a controlling (maybe it’s the right word, maybe is it isn’t) providence over the world. Aquinas somehow draws a line between the “divine providence” and the “worldly providence” (again, maybe this isn’t the right wording to use). Aquinas says that “the effect of divine providence is not only that things should happen somehow; but that they should happen either by necessity or by contingency.” Aquinas also believes that God controls (maybe governs, or sustains is a better word to insert here) the world through his providence until the end when all things are made righteous and given back to the Father by the Son.
Both John Calvin and Thomas Aquinas attribute providence to God and believe that God plays a key role in the world today. Both individuals seem to understand God as being active, and somehow deeply a part of the lives of his creatures.
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John Calvin and Thomas Aquinas have some what overlapping views of providence. however there are a few things in which they differ. They both believe God to be actively involved in our world. John calvin believes God to be the one who determines and overrules all events. Nothing happens with out God letting it happen. I feel this has potential to mis-portray God. This places the blame on God for all things that are bad. But I can also see it in a light where it makes perfect sense. As a child I’m know of times my parents allowed me to get hurt but in the long run I know that it was for the better. As a child, who thinks i know everything, I think that my parents are doing me a great injustice. I am of the thinking that there is a great deal that we don’t understand, but I believe that god does. This connects to Thomas Aquinas’ view of providence. his view says that all things that God orchestrates have the end in mind. Aquinas doesn’t seem to think that God is in control to the degree that Calvin does. Aquinas allows room for what he calls worldly providence. I believe the world to be imperfect and I think that this alines more closely with Aquinas’ view. I feel that if God was in complete control over everything, including the minds of men, then that would have to mean that this world is perfect. Which means if I believe in Calvin’s view of providence, I believe in an imperfect God.