In a somewhat paradoxical manner, then, the idea of personal appro-
priation is both a prerequisite of all theological knowledge and a root
of all sinfulness. When people practise appropriation in terms of
autonomy, self-ownership becomes sinful pride. When, however,
people practise self-denial and learn to honour God, these acts of
heteronomous personal appropriation guide them in the life of
piety. Proper identity needs to be constituted from a religious source;
to affirm this, an adequate acknowledgement of heteronomy is
necessary.
Such considerations are uppermost when Calvin employs the
vocabulary of recognition in the third book of theInstitutio. Before
considering some central passages more closely, we need to be aware
that Calvin can also userecognoscoin the manner of Thomas Aqui-
nas, signifying a normative acknowledgement of some person or fact.
For instance, Calvin explains thefirst commandment in terms of the
trust (fiducia) that affirming the commandment brings:‘Trust is the
assurance of reposing in him that arises from the recognition (recog-
nitione) of his [God’s] attributes.’^206 Given that the faithful direct
their minds to God, they may aspire‘to recognize (ad recognoscen-
dam), and by praises to celebrate, the greatness of his works—as the
only goal of all the activities of this life’.^207 In such quotes, recognition
signifies the normative affirmation of lordship, a meaning that can be
found in Aquinas but not in Augustine.
In the third book ofInstitutio, the normative sense of recognition
also acquires features that begin to resemble the constitution of
identity as found in Ficino. Calvin discusses the emotions of believers
‘in recognizing the grace of God toward themselves’(in recognos-
cenda erga se Dei gratia).^208 In this introspective state, believers‘are
in perpetual conflict with their own unbelief’. However,‘faith sus-
tains the hearts of the godly’.^209 After a lengthy discussion Calvin
concludes that the word of God and Christ establish the certainty
of faith.^210
In this manner, the recognitive introspectionfirst leads to the inner
struggle and then to the new constitution of the person, a process
directed from outside this person. Calvin summarizes this feature
(^206) Inst.2, 8, 16;Inst-E382. cognoistre/reknowledging/erkennen.
(^207) Inst.2, 8, 16;Inst-E382. recognoistre/reknowledge/zubekennen.
(^208) Inst.3, 2, 17;Inst-E562. recognoissant/recording/betrachtung.
(^209) Inst.3, 2, 17;Inst-E 562 – 3. (^210) Inst.3, 2, 21 and 24.
102 Recognition and Religion