The original development of American freedom is an underlying concept relevant to all further discussion relating to freedom and individual liberty in our country. Without the contributions of many thinkers spanning centuries, our current version of American freedom would not exist. Among the many distinguished thinkers associated with these foundational ideas are John Calvin and Martin Luther King Jr. While these two individuals existed in very different time periods and had different focuses, we can gain a better understanding of freedom and its effect on the American republic by comparing their philosophies. Calvin believed freedom involved an individual relationship with God and was achieved through acceptance and understanding of God’s plan. King, alternately, believed freedom required …show more content…
In terms of freedom, this limits the individual freedom that each person has, since, according to Calvin, they can only act out of the destiny that is chosen for them by God. Calvin also explains that free will was originally given to humans, but tainted by original sin. He believed that while people do have a certain amount of freedom in their actions, it is limited by God. II Corinthians 3:17 states: “Now where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” He uses this verse to build on his idea that freedom is provided to us by the Lord. He essentially affirms that through the Holy Spirit, we can achieve the ability to learn and grow in Christ, which is the true and ultimate form of freedom. Calvin and King have differing ideas on the meaning of freedom. While Calvin interprets it as a gift from God that is fostered through an individual relationship, King describes it as stemming from a collective sense of justice among