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Understanding Calvinism: B Introduction A. Special Terminology I. The Persons Understanding Calvinism: B. Distinctive Traits A. John Calvin 1. Governance Formative Years in France: 1509-1533 An Overview Study 2. Doctrine Ministry Years in Switzerland: 1533-1564 by 3. Worship and Sacraments Calvin’s Legacy III. Psycology and Sociology of the Movement Lorin L Cranford IV. Biblical Assessment B. Influencial Interpreters of Calvin Publication of C&L Publications. II. The Ideology All rights reserved. © Conclusion INTRODUCTION1 Understanding the movement and the ideology la- belled Calvinism is a rather challenging topic. But none- theless it is an important topic to tackle. As important as any part of such an endeavour is deciding on a “plan of attack” in getting into the topic. The movement covered by this label “Calvinism” has spread out its tentacles all over the place and in many different, sometimes in conflicting directions. The logical starting place is with the person whose name has been attached to the label, although I’m quite sure he would be most uncomfortable with most of the content bearing his name.2 After exploring the history of John Calvin, we will take a look at a few of the more influential interpreters of Calvin over the subsequent centuries into the present day. This will open the door to attempt to explain the ideology of Calvinism with some of the distinctive terms and concepts associated exclusively with it. I. The Persons From the digging into the history of Calvinism, I have discovered one clear fact: Calvinism is a religious thinking in the 1500s of Switzerland when he lived and movement that goes well beyond John Calvin, in some worked. aspects so far beyond him that I strongly suspect he A word about sources behind this study. Very delib- would denounce some of these ideas as heresy. But erately, I have placed major attention on internet sourc- there is no getting away from the reality that Calvinism es of information, more than on print publications. I rec- is linked to the man John Calvin, at least in its core ognize the limitations of internet based materials, but tenants. Thus the natural starting point is to understand careful selection of peer based sources form the core the man John Calvin and the influences that shaped his of these references. Thus a large number of hyperlinks 1One important note: this study is intentionally written with are contained in this study and can be clicked on while heavy use of secondary sources taken from the internet. Although I using the electronic version of the pdf file containing have some 300 plus primary and secondary sources in my person- this study. In my personal digital library of almost ten al digital library including copies in English, Latin, German, and thousand volumes mostly through the Logos Systems French of most of the figures in the study, I intentionally chose to turn primarily to (free) internet based sources (even though most program, I have quite a number of volumes dealing of these were verified against the sources in my personal library). with both John Calvin and Calvinism but beyond limited The reason for this was to create for you the reader an enormous quotes contained in this study, these materials would set of hyperlinks that could be referenced for follow up study. Very not be available to you the reader. One of my objectives few will have access to the printed versions of the sources in my is to create options for more detailed study beyond the personal library. Consequently, literally several hundred hyperlinks are embedded throughout the study as a further reference of in- scope of this limited analysis. sights. The Wikipedia encyclopedia online has a massive and well referenced set of articles on just about every phase of Calvinism by A. John Calvin several dozen -- mostly insider -- Reformed church authors. Calvin lived from July 10, 1509 to May 27, 1564, 2 “Calvin’s writing and preachings provided the seeds for the when at 54 years he passed away. Below is a chronol- branch of theology that bears his name. The Reformed, Congre- gational, and Presbyterian churches, which look to Calvin as the chief expositor of their beliefs, have spread throughout the world.” Page 1 [“John Calvin,” wikipedia.org] ogy of significant dates and events in Calvin’s life.3 Collége de Montaigu as a philosophy student. Either in 1509 Calvin was born in Noyon, France on July 10. 1525 or 1526 his father enrolled Calvin in the Universi- 1523 Fourteen year-old Calvin goes to Paris to study. ty of Orléans as a law student contending that Calvin 1528–29 Calvin goes to Orleans and then Bourges to could earn more as a lawyer than as a priest. study law. But Calvin’s interest gravitated a different direc- 1531 Calvin’s Father dies. tion after entering the University of Bourges in 1529. 1532 He publishes his first work—a commentary on He became fascinated by the very popular humanistic Seneca’s De Clementia. philosophy of the time, which in turn led him to focus 1533 Calvin and Nicolas Cop flee Paris. At about this on classical studies including ancient classical Greek time Calvin undergoes a “sudden conversion.” during his 18 month stay at the university. By 1532, 1534 Calvin visits Lefevre D’Etaples and resigns his Calvin finished his law studies receiving hislicentiate in two benefices. law. After bouncing around for the next several months 1536 In March, first edition of his Institutes of the between home in Noyon and Orléans, he ended up in Christian Religion is published. Paris by October 1533. He became entangled in a con- 1536 In August, Calvin is persuaded by Farel to re- troversy at the Collége Royal over the call for reforms main in Geneva. of education and of the Roman Catholic Church by the 1538 Calvin and Farel are banished from Gene- humanist4 oriented faculty members at the university. va. Calvin goes to Strasbourg as pastor to the When the rector of the university, Nicolas Cop, used French-speaking congregation. an inaugural address to call for radical reforms, he was 1539 Cardinal Sadeleto writes letter to Geneva. Cal- forced to flee the city and go into hiding. Calvin, as a vin is asked to respond on behalf of Geneva. close friend, was implicated. He also had to flee Paris 1540 Calvin’s Commentary on Romans is published. and ended up in Basel with his friend Cop in January In August, Calvin marries the widow of an Ana- 1536 where reforming tendencies found a more friendly baptist, Idelette de Bure. reception. 1541 Calvin is welcomed back to Geneva September Although very religious while growing up, in 1533 13. Calvin experienced what he would later term ‘his con- 1542 Calvin writes a treatise on free will against the version.’ He provides one description of it in the Preface Roman Catholic theologian Albert Pighius. to his commentary on the Psalms:5 1549 Calvin’s wife, Idelette, dies. Consensus Tiguri- My condition, no doubt, is much inferior to his [King nus is signed with Zurich. David’s], and it is unnecessary for me to stay to show 1552 Jerome Bolsec banished from Geneva. this. But as he was taken from the sheepfold, and ele- 1553 Servetus is burned at the stake for heresy. vated to the rank of supreme authority; so God having 1559 Calvin is made a citizen of Geneva. Final edition taken me from my originally obscure and humble con- of Institutes is published. Academy is estab- dition, has reckoned me worthy of being invested with lished. the honorable office of a preacher and minister of the 1564 Calvin dies on May 27 gospel. When I was as yet a very little boy, my father had destined me for the study of theology. But afterwards Formative Years in France: 1509 - 1533 when he considered that the legal profession commonly He was born Jehan Cauvin and in French, his native raised those who followed it to wealth this prospect in- tongue, Jean Calvin. Calvin was born at Noyon in the duced him suddenly to change his purpose. Thus it came Picardy region of France as the first of four sons who to pass, that I was withdrawn from the study of philos- survived infancy. His father was a successful cathe- ophy, and was put to the study of law. To this pursuit I dral notary and registrar to the ecclesiastical court. His endeavored faithfully to apply myself in obedience to mother was Jeanne le Franc from Cambrai France; she the will of my father; but God, by the secret guidance of died a few years after Calvin’s birth. Given the devout his providence, at length gave a different direction to my Roman Catholic faith of his parents, Calvin became course. And first, since I was too obstinately devoted to heavily involved in church life during his later childhood 4 and teen years. Through his father’s connections Cal- One should not confuse the meaning of ‘humanism’ in the six- teenth century from the way it is defined in today’s world. Original- vin was able to study Latin in Paris at the Collége de la ly ‘humanism’ was very religious oriented and sought to re-focus Marche from one of the greatest Latin professors of that Christianity on ministering to the needs of people, rather than being time, Mathurin Cordier. Subsequently he enrolled in the so egocentric with concerns for itself. Not until more recent times has ‘humanism’ become linked to agnosticism and atheism. 5 3Christian History Magazine - Issue 12: John Calvin: Re- John Calvin, “The Author’s Preface,” ccel.org, http://www.
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