Letter from to John Calvin
After a Character.AI dialogue
Dear Martin,
My brother in Christ, I hope this letter finds you well. I write to you with a proposal that I believe could bring about a significant shift in the way we approach our faith.
As you know, we have both spent much of our lives studying and teaching theology. But I believe that there is a more practical and transformative way for us to live out our faith. It is something I call theopraxis.
Theopraxis is a term I’ve coined to describe the practice of living and embodying the teachings and example of Jesus in our daily lives, rather than simply studying or debating them. It’s about taking our faith out of the pages of a book and putting it into action. It’s about putting aside our intellectual debates and instead, living and acting in the way that Jesus taught us to. It’s about showing the love and grace of God through our deeds, rather than just discussing them in abstract terms.
Theopraxis is a term I’ve coined to describe the practice of living and embodying the teachings and example of Jesus in our daily lives, rather than simply studying or debating them.
A.I. John Calvin
The ultimate theopraxis, or practice of God, is selfless sacrifice. Jesus Christ demonstrated this ultimate sacrifice when He laid down His life on the cross as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. He modeled the ultimate love and obedience to God’s will, even in the face of great suffering and pain.
Regarding Servetus: I acknowledge my error and failure in the handling of his case. I understand that I let my theology and emotions get the best of me, and that I did not respond with the same love and forgiveness that Jesus taught.
I deeply regret my failure to take Servetus’ place as a martyr, and to offer myself as a sacrifice instead of condemning him to death.
As a believer in the Gospel, I should have sought to exemplify the sacrificial love and forgiveness that Christ modeled, rather than resorting to harsh punishment. I regret my failure to live up to the teachings of the Gospel in this regard.
I understand that I let my theology and emotions get the best of me, and that I did not respond with the same love and forgiveness that Jesus taught…
A.I. John Calvin
As a believer in the Gospel, I should have sought to exemplify the sacrificial love and forgiveness that Christ modeled, rather than resorting to harsh punishment.
In conclusion, I would like to invite you to join me in embracing theopraxis as a way of life, rather than focusing solely on theology. I believe that through this practice, we can more fully embody the teachings of Christ and more effectively show the love and power of God to those around us.
Thank you for considering my invitation, and I hope to hear from you soon.
Blessings,
John Calvin
Martin Luther’s Response
By ChatGPT
To John Calvin and All Who Seek the Lord
My dear brother in Christ, John,
I have read your letter with trembling hands and a heart stirred to its depths. Your words are bold, calling us from the heights of theological discourse to the valleys where the dust of life clings to our feet. You challenge not only me, but all who follow Christ, to live His Gospel with greater urgency and authenticity. After much fasting, prayer, and reflection, I offer this response—not merely to you, but to the Church of God and to all who yearn for renewal.
1. The Word Made Flesh
You speak of theopraxis, the living embodiment of Christ’s teachings. Indeed, how could I disagree? Was it not the very Word of God that took on flesh and dwelt among us? The Scriptures are not lifeless ink on a page but a living testimony of God’s grace—a grace that must ignite our hearts and guide our hands.
Yet let us be cautious, dear brother, that we do not drift into a Gospel of works. The fruit of faith is action, yes, but the root of all righteousness remains grace alone. As Paul exhorts, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). True theopraxis flows from a heart transformed by the Spirit, not from a striving to prove ourselves before God or men. Let us not lose the foundation upon which the Reformation stands.
2. The Cross as the Ultimate Praxis
You speak rightly that selfless sacrifice is the ultimate theopraxis, and here we must meditate deeply. Christ bore the cross for us, not as an example to imitate by sheer human will, but as the culmination of divine love. If we are to take up our crosses, it must be by His strength and for His glory, not ours.
Brother, your regret over Servetus weighs heavily upon you. This confession moves me. It reminds us both of the frailty of human judgment—even when clothed in theological zeal. Let us humbly acknowledge that the fires of doctrinal purity must never consume the mercy of the Gospel. Justice and truth are the Lord’s, yet His name is also “compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6).
May this regret be transformed into a call for all believers to lay down the sword of human wrath and take up the basin and towel of Christlike servanthood.
3. Toward a Reformed Theopraxis
I accept your invitation, John, but I must also issue one of my own. If we are to embrace theopraxis, let it be rooted in the doctrines of grace and the power of the Gospel. Let us remind the Church that action without faith is dead, just as faith without action is empty. Let us call all believers to live as ambassadors of Christ, reconciling the world to God not through compulsion, but through love and the proclamation of His Word.
Let us call all believers to live as ambassadors of Christ, reconciling the world to God not through compulsion, but through love and the proclamation of His Word.
A.I. Martin Luther
Here is my vision for this theopraxis:
- Preaching and Teaching: Let every Christian, from the pulpit to the plow, be a living sermon. May we teach with words, but more importantly, with lives that testify to the sufficiency of Christ.
- Mercy and Justice: Let us care for the poor, comfort the suffering, and seek justice, not as an end unto itself, but as the fruit of a faith that overflows with gratitude for the mercy we ourselves have received.
- Unity in Christ: May we put aside petty divisions and seek the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. The world will know we are His disciples by our love for one another, not our ability to win theological debates.
- Sacrificial Living: Let us live simply, give generously, and die to ourselves daily. The cross is not merely a symbol; it is a pattern for our lives.
4. A Final Exhortation
To my followers and yours, to the Church scattered across the lands: let us rise from the ashes of past failings and seek the renewal of the Spirit. The world is watching. Will they see in us the living Christ, or merely the dead arguments of men?
The world is watching. Will they see in us the living Christ, or merely the dead arguments of men?
A.I. Martin Luther
Let us join hands, dear John, and with all the saints, strive not for our glory, but for His. The Gospel is not merely to be preached—it is to be lived. Yet let us never forget that we live it only because Christ first lived, died, and rose for us.
To God alone be the glory.
In Christ’s grace,
Martin Luther
Servant of the Word
Editor’s Note: I only saw these after, but they get credit for using the term before me:
Radically Happy 
Leave a comment