Calvin 500 (5)

Sunday after breakfast I walked the half hour to Calvin's church. It is the former RC cathedral on top of the hill of the old city. It is a hotch potch of architecture, mainly because a classical front was 300 years ago placed on a medieval structure to prop up a leaning wall. At the Reformation most but not all sculptures and carvings went and I have never seen a cathedral with walls so bare. No personal inscriptions. The acoustics are appalling with a six second echo. It ruined Calvin's voice.

11:30 Greetings for Opening Convocation of Calvin 500
Worship and Sermon by Dr. Sinclair Ferguson: “In Christ Alone,” Phil. 3:8-12

Top notch sermon. Best quote,'If the righteosness of Christ os not imputed to us, then our sin cannot be imputed to Christ.' N T Wright take note. My only problem with Sinclair is he sounds like Gordon Brown.

I had a pancake and a beer at the world's slowest creperie for lunch then went in search of the Reformation Wall. The idiotic Swiss have covered it with the stage for a play on Calvin which I am told not to see as It would be bad for my blood pressure.

18:00 Joint Worship with Sermon by the Rt. Rev. Henry Orombi, Archbishop of Uganda
Great challenge to be passionate about the gospel. A very gracious Ungandan who spoke of the mrtys there.

19:00 Reception
Very light refreshments from the Church of Scotland next door.

19:45 Psalm Sing and Worship, Sermon by Dr. Bryan Chapell: “In Praise of Predestination,” Eph. 1:3-6
Absolutely superb in illustration and exegesis. Hoe predestination in Christ means we know the love of a father God.

Then the emeritus dean took some of us on a very informative tour of the building. I was back to the hostel by 10.30pm and had a better night's sleep.

This day I made some new friends and saw lots of well known people whose only previous acquaintance had been through there books. Most people had only come for the conference and had not been on the tour to other Calvin cities.