Dynamics of Dutch Calvinism: Early Modern Programs for Further Reformation

chapter 2 Dynamics of Dutch Calvinism: Early Modern Programs for Further Reformation

Fred van Lieburg

My topic is the outer dynamics of Calvinism and I shall focus on Dutch reform programs in the early modern era in order to deal with it. In church history the phenomenon of a ‘reform program’ in the specific sense meant here is usually associated with the Pia Desideria (1675) of Philipp Jakob Spener, the founder of Lutheran Pietism. But the genre was already known in the Calvinist tradition, not least in the Netherlands. Aiming at improvements in all parts of society, the programs reflect the continuous concern for change in interaction with developments in politics, economy and culture characteristic of a certain brand of Christianity. I will not discuss the programs as such, but highlight some recurring motifs—like semper reformanda and further reformation— and correlations between texts and times, in order to suggest that we need a long-term and broad view of so-called Calvinism as a maker of the European modern mind.

Semper Reformanda

In the Protestant world, in particular in the Reformed and Presbyterian tradi- tions, the Latin motto ecclesia reformata, quia semper reformanda is widely known as an expression of the idea that the ‘reformed’ church is rightly so named, because it must always be reforming. Catholic church historians or medievalists will associate the phrase with slogans of the Carthusian Order, which never knew an ‘observant’ movement since it claimed never to have deviated from its founder’s ideal: numquam reformata, quia numquam reformanda (never reformed because it never needed reform) or numquam reformata, quia numquam deformata (never reformed because never deformed). Another association would be with the conciliar movement in the late medieval Church of Rome, aiming at the reformatio in capite et in membris (reformation in head and members). This movement promoted reform of Christianity among all believers, the pope and clergy as well as the laity.1

1 Cf. Richard Kieckhefer, “Idea of Reform,” in: Joseph R. Strayer (ed.), Dictionary of the Middle Ages, vol. 10 (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1988), 281–288.

44 van Lieburg

As far as I know, the possible pre-Reformation origins of the ecclesia semper reformanda concept have never been researched. Church historiography is rather uncertain about the history of the catchphrase. Dutch scholars usually hold that the slogan was coined by the seventeenth-century theologian Johannes Hoornbeeck, but no concrete evidence for this claim has been offered.2 On the authority of Wilhelm Goeters, a German Reformed historian of Pietism, the name of Jodocus van Lodenstein is also suggested as a possible source.3 The latter claim was persistently advanced by Michael Busch, who had not encountered the ‘reformanda’ terminology in Hoornbeeck’s oeuvre.4 However, he was not aware of the fundamental research of Theodor Mahlmann, who had thoroughly investigated the origins and reception of the expression and published extended results some years ago.5 The conviction that the church had continually to examine and purify itself in doctrine and practice cannot be denied to great reformers like Martin Luther and John Calvin. Nevertheless, a specific focus on the idea of a need for con- tinual purification perhaps arose within the context of the Zweite Reformation in late sixteenth century and early seventeenth century Germany, when some Lutheran state churches moved to Calvinism in order to maintain a balance between reformatio doctrinae and reformatio vitae.6 Surprisingly, the earliest clear adumbration of the semper reformanda quote was found by Mahlmann

2 Cf. Teunis Brienen et al., De Nadere Reformatie. Beschrijving van Haar Voornaamste Vertegenwoordigers (‘s-Gravenhage: Boekencentrum, 1986), 5 (by Willem van’t Spijker) and 351 (by Cornelis Graafland). Many references to Hoornbeeck don’t mention a source; e.g. Eddy van der Borght, “Reformed Ecclesiology,” in: Gerard Mannion and Lewis S. Mudge (eds.), The Routledge Companion to the Christian Church (New York: Routledge, 2008), 200 and Philip Benedict, Christ’s Churches Purely Reformed. A Social History of Calvinism (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2002), xvi. 3 Cf. Wilhelm G. Goeters, Die Vorbereitung des Pietismus in der reformierten Kirche der Niederlande bis zur labadistischen Krisis 1670 (Leipzig: J.C. Hinrichs, 1911), 28–29 (German translation of a quote from Jodocus van Lodenstein, hereafter mentioned in note 13). 4 Michael Busch, “Calvin and the Reformanda Sayings,” in Herman J. Selderhuis (ed.), Calvinus sacrarum literarum interpres: Papers of the International Congress on Calvin Research (Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2008), 285–299. 5 Theodor Mahlmann, “Ecclesia semper reformanda. Eine historische Aufklärung,” in: Hermann Deuser et al. (eds), Theologie und Kirchenleitung. Festschrift für Peter Steinacker zum 60. Geburtstag (Marburg: Elwert, 2003), 57–77; Theodor Mahlmann, “‘Ecclesia semper reformanda’. Eine historische Aufklärung. Neue Bearbeitung,” in: Torbjörn Johansson et al. (eds) Hermeneutica Sacra. Studien zur Auslegung der Heiligen Schrift im 16. und 17. Jahrhundert (Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 2010), 381–442. 6 Cf. Heinz Schilling (ed.), Die Reformierte Konfessionalisierung in Deutschland—Das Problem der “Zweiten Reformation” (Gütersloh: Gütersloher Verlagshaus G. Mohn, 1986).