1Calvin, Natural Law and the Two Kingdoms Guenther (“Gene”) Haas A renewed interest in natural law in evangelical Protestant circles has also led to a renewed interest of the views of John Calvin on this doctrine. Two recent works have argued that there is a consistent natural law tradition in Reformed thought which is rooted in the views of John Calvin. Stephen Grabill contends that Calvin “adopts a modified natural doctrine of natural law from medieval antecedents.” and that Calvin “utilizes the doctrine of the twofold knowledge of God (duplex cognitio Dei) to ground natural law (lex naturalis) in the natural knowledge of God the Creator.” 1 David VanDrunen maintains that “Calvin unambiguously affirmed the existence of natural law and accorded it positive roles.” 2 Conscience and reason, though weakened and corrupted by sin, still allow non-Christians to gain some knowledge of God’s law. Both men argue that this doctrine in Calvin is his legacy to subsequent Reformed theology. In addition, Van Drunen finds an intimate connection between Calvin’s doctrine of natural law and Calvin’s doctrine of the two kingdoms. First, VanDrunen notes the distinction in Calvin’s thought between the “spiritual” or “heavenly” kingdom and the civic or “earthly” kingdoms. 3 Then, VanDrunen argues that for Calvin rulers and citizens of the civil kingdom have insight via the natural law into the “earthly” matters pertaining to the law necessary for maintaining order and harmony for human social civil life together. While God’s revealed moral law is the rule and end for all laws, it is natural law that is the proper standard for the justice 1Stephen J. Grabill, Rediscovering the Natural Law in Reformed Theological Ethics (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2006), 70. 2David VanDrunen, Natural Law and the Two Kingdoms: A Study in the Development of Reformed Social Thought (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2010), 68. 3Ibid., 71-82. -1-