Human reason is not erased by the Fall, but neither is it trustworthy ground for hope, and Calvin presses us to hold both truths without flinching. In these sections, he shows how the human mind still shines in earthly matters—law, art, science, governance—yet collapses when it tries to rise toward God apart from grace. Whatever clarity remains is a gift, unevenly distributed, intentionally humbling, and constantly dependent on the Spirit who gives and withdraws insight at will. The lesson is sobering but freeing: reason is real, valuable, and useful, but it was never meant to be a refuge. Its highest purpose is not self-confidence but gratitude, pointing us away from ourselves and back to the God whose mercy alone preserves even the fragments that remain.

Readings:

John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion Book 2, Chapter 2 (Sections 13–17)

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