Tuesday 15 September 2009

Nec Tamen Consumebatur

Last night BBC's Four programme on Scotland and what the Beeb was pleased to call "Calvinism" was grotesque, almost obscene. Calvin's soteriological system was absurdly parodied (it was hardly the only thing that ever wrote, anyway), and every Scottish feature regarded as in any sense unfortunate or undesirable, apart from the drinking that was hardly mentioned because it wouldn't have fit, was then blamed on a man who never set foot in Scotland, and who spoke none of English, Scots and Gaelic.

A L Kennedy was even allowed to state baldly that Calvin had been a great influence in Germany. In fact, the history of German Calvinism is a fascinating one which, like the history of Calvinism in England (both within and without the Established Church), would have made an excellent aspect of the short series, on that influence around the world, which either BBC Four or Radio Four should have put on for July's quincentenary of Calvin's birth. But didn't.

2 comments:

  1. hello
    could I ask you what 'Ne Tamen Consumebatur' means?

    it's on a local church, as it is on many acommpanied by the burning bush
    having a little difficulty translating it as 'consumebatur' isn't a listed word
    (should have paid attention in latin class0

    many thanks
    am.d.

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  2. That's because I typed it wrong. Duly corrected. "Yet it was not consumed" - Exodus 3:2, the Burning Bush. Motto of the Church of Scotland, the symbol of which is the Burning Bush.

    Don't worry, I wing the Latin, too. No grammar schools by my time, so no grammar. And the only thing public about my school was that the very general public was admitted to it. Which, and I mean this, was very educational.

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