Calvin on the Office of Deacon

I'm still reading about John Calvin in Theology of the Reformers. This quote is about the office of deacon in the local church. It agrees with the book by Timothy Keller that was assigned to the deacon board or diaconate, Ministries of Mercy: The Call of the Jericho Road.

Calvin did in fact hold the office of deacon in high esteem. Deacons were public officers in the church in the church entrusted with the care of the poor. He urged that they be skilled in the Christian faith because, in the course of their ministry, "they will often have to give advice and comfort." Indeed, the deacons in Calvin's Geneva should have been experts in what we call today social work as well as pastoral care. Calvin admitted that the diaconate could sometimes serve as a "nursery" [again the maternal motif] from which presbyters are chosen," yet be opposed the Roman custom of making the deacon the first step toward the priesthood. This practice was an invidious undermining of "a highly honorable office." (p. 249, Timothy George)

Calvin has a high view of the office of deacon, but many evangelical churches today do not. GCC does a much better job than most churches I have seen in utilizing deacons. But in the Protestant tradition there is a motto, "Semper Reformanda," which means "Always Reforming." We need to improve every ministry of the church all the time. Maybe, some day we will align the diaconate's ministry with the vision of Calvin and Keller.