Crucis Tolerantia: John Calvin’s Theology and Ethics of Toleration

Abstract

This article leaves discussion of Servetus’ execution aside in order to clarify Calvin’s understanding of toleration in the light of his usage of the term tolerantia. A recurrent use of the phrase “toleration of the cross” (crucis tolerantia) emerges as a distinctly Calvinian version of the traditional imitatio Christi, combining a Stoic endurance of evils with an Augustinian understanding of the imperfections of the present life. Finally, the article discusses the degree to which Calvin’s reflection on toleration is intertwined with a language of virtue and the way in which it is able to bring light to contemporary discussions surrounding toleration.

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