In his commentary on Daniel 9:6, Calvin specifically touches on systemic sin - the idea that sin can be embedded within the systems, institutions, and patterns that have been set by predecessors. The idea of systemic sin is entirely consonant with Calvin's understanding of
individual guilt.

"...others shelter themselves in the crowd of offenders. 'What could I do? I am but a man; I have only followed the example of the many.' ...Here, then, [Daniel] implicates kings, princes, and fathers in the same guilt; as if he had said, all are to be
condemned without exception before God. This again must be diligently noticed. For we see how the common people think everything permitted to them which is approved by their kings and counselors... Respecting the "fathers," we see how frivolous is the excuse of those who use
their fathers as a shield in opposing God. For here Daniel unites both fathers and children in the same guilt..."
Also, this isn't like a one-off for Calvin. He talks about issues related to corporate sin, corporate guilt, corporate repentance, and generational sin throughout his commentaries. Here's a piece I wrote on how his understanding relates to racial justice:

timothyisaiahcho.medium.com/john-calvins-v…

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More from @tisaiahcho

9 Dec
"Aimee, trust the process. Let the church courts handle this.”

I heard variations of that same argument over and over again during the spiritual abuse in the OPC I experienced.

The system is broken and is insufficient to handle spiritual abuse from their root.
Here are 5 signs that you may be experiencing spiritual abuse:

timothyisaiahcho.medium.com/5-signs-of-spi…
Thoughts about breaking the cycle of spiritual abuse.

timothyisaiahcho.medium.com/breaking-the-c…
Read 4 tweets
21 Nov
The gospel solution to oppression is not vengeance upon the oppressors. It is the liberation of both the oppressed and oppressors from the cycle of oppression.
Gustavo Gutierrez recognized this important point in the story of Jonah. It was not only that Jonah had racial/ethnic hatred of Ninevites, but it was also the fact that he preferred vengeance upon the oppressors of his people rather than liberation (read his "God of Life").
This is seen in the story of Zaccheus, who brings reparation as an outflow of saving grace to make right those he oppressed and defrauded. Jesus goes to his house, of all places, to free him from being an oppressor.
Read 6 tweets
21 Nov
Many White Evangelical Christians have a defensive reaction to the idea of "white privilege" without understanding what it means in the first place.

racialequitytools.org/resourcefiles/…

Peggy McIntosh's important work "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack" defines white
privilege as an "invisible package of unearned assets that I can count on cashing in each day, but about which I was 'meant' to remain oblivious. White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools ,
and blank checks." She's clear that white privilege is not white guilt - the idea that White people should collectively feel responsible and guilty for the racism White people have committed in the past.

McIntosh specifically lists 50 instances of white privilege that people of
Read 7 tweets
30 Oct
Christians are debating over whether policy or character is the determinative factor for choosing who to vote for as President. The problem is that many are talking as if Trump's policies somehow make up for or are worth voting for despite his character flaws. But they don't.
They are perfectly in line with his character flaws, not some sort of saving grace.

The claims that his administration has purportedly "saved" the American trifecta of religious liberty, the pro-life movement, and capitalism - are dubious and misleading and also make one
question exactly how "Christian" certain policies even are in the first place.

His purported pro-religious liberty policies have coincided with a multifold growth of both Christian nationalism and jaded ex-vangelicals. His purported pro-life policies have resulted in the
Read 8 tweets
21 Oct
If a Christian's understanding of politics is greatly shaped by the assumption that "taxation is theft," he or she ought to realize that such a view is quite novel, not just for the Protestant/Reformed tradition, but the history of global Christianity as a whole.
In reality, such an idea finds more commonality with Enlightenment and post-Enlightenment prioritization of the individual than any semblance of a biblical understanding of communal life and thriving.

Can taxation become a form of theft? Absolutely. But that is entirely
different from seeing taxation *inherently* as theft. A biblical understanding of communal life and thriving recognizes that there is a mutual responsibility of one to another that involves cost, time, and effort. Infrastructure and communal needs expand in proportion to the
Read 6 tweets
19 Oct
"Which kids deserve to go to bad schools?" is a better and more piercing question to ask when it comes to the discussion of public school funding and school choice.

A holistic Christian pro-life ethic creates equitable opportunities for education and development for all children
within your sphere of influence. This ethic will seek to disrupt the current systems that were developed to propagate generations of inequity and prevent families from thriving.

Likewise, "Who deserves to have bad healthcare?" is the question that needs to be asked about
healthcare access and affordability in our country.

A holistic Christian pro-life ethic at the very least will seek to provide basic healthcare at free or affordable levels to all as a necessary expense for communal thriving. This ethic will creatively find ways for Christians
Read 4 tweets

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