Calvinism

Calvinism

1. Calvin

   • 1509 - 64
   • A brilliant linquist in Hebrew, Greek and Latin. He was influenced by French Lutherans and seems to have had a quiet conversation in 1533. After the day of the Placards in 1534, the French authorities began a persecution of suspect reformers and Calvin left France for Basle.
   • Calvin published "Institutes of the Christian Religion"
     • 1535/6
     • It was a six chapter introduction to the Christian faith. It was not an outline of Calvinism; its purpose was to explain the evangelical Protestant faith and at the same time show that it could be well organised and effective.
     • No other reformer had produced such a book.
     • The book held the starting point that God held supreme power.
   • Calvin was a superb preacher, speaking directly and passionately, without notes but displaying great learning

2. Salvation by faith alone

3. The Bible as the basis of all belief

   • Calvin acknowledged the Bible as the final authority and the complete revelation of God's purposes.
   • His own doctrinal statements were based on these scriptures. Calvin did not believe that every word of the Bible was literally true, but he tried to limit speculation on religious matters by insisting on the primacy of the Word of God. By using the Bible as a basis for all belief, he believed the Church could recover its original vitality and purity.
     • However, the scriptures could not simply be read without commentary and analysis. Much of Calvin's writing and preaching was devoted to explaining the books of the Bible.
       • Consequently, his insistence that the Bible was correct led others to suggest that it was a belief in his own interpretation of the Bible that drove his faith.

4. The priesthood of all believers

5. Double Predestination

   • He believed that God had predestined, or already decided before their birth, that some people should be saved (the elect) and others damned (the reprobate). According to his views, there was nothing that any one could do to change this.
   • Not at first central to Calvin's theology, in the 1536 edition of the Institute, it is mentioned twice,
   • Historian Geoffrey Elton argues that in practice true Calvinists came to think it was possible to know you were one of the elect on Earth and that this belief created great self confidence.
     • Success on Earth seemed to imply 'election'

6. Fiercely critical of the papacy

7. Infant baptism was the only acceptable form

   • Calvinism distanced from Anabaptism

8. Believed that Christ could not be in the bread (communion) because he was in Heaven

   • He rejected Zwingli's teaching that the bread and wine were merely symbols, and taught that Christ was present in the spiritual sense, and the bread and wine remained the same
     • Lutherans and Zwinglians rejected this

9. Ecclesiastical Ordinances

   • The organisation of the Church was a vital point for Calvin, and this differed from Luther who left organisation of the church down to the princes. i.e. State control.
   • Calvin said that the Church must have a structure, which meant that properly appointed ministers must preach the word and administer the sacraments.
   • Drafted these in 1541

10. Calvin's first ministry in Geneva

    • Calvin was returning to Paris on family business when he stayed the night in Geneva in 1536. He was approached by William Fare, who had already begun a reformation in the city and had suspended the Mass, to aid Farel in the task of reform.
      • Farel "who burned with an extraordinary zeal for the Gospel" said that God would curse him if he did not stay and help.
    • 1536 - 1538
      • They were asked to leave when they refused to hold communion services on Easter

11. Began in Geneva

    • Geneva was in a state of confusion. It was a city of around 10,000 people. It was French-speaking. Geneva was technically under the authority of the Duke of Saxony, but authority was disputed between the Bishop of Geneva and the city council, who claimed it an independent republic.
      • Geneva was positioned between France and Berne and Geneva allied with Berne in a bid for independence.
        • In 1527, the bishop was driven from the city and his troops were defeated by 1536. Berne decided to support a reformation, and Geneva followed led by Farel.
          • When Calvin arrived, supporters of the Savoy, French and Berne factions were still causing trouble in the streets. The city wanted to free itself from interference by Berne.
            • By 1536, the city had agreed to its own Protestant reformation; it was Farel and Calvin's task to organise it.
              • In 1536, Calvin presented a confession of Faith to the Little Council, and it January 1537, 21 articles on the Organisation of the Church
                • The Little council and the To hundred Council agreed to Calvin's articles but they were cautious about giving power to the hands of the Church. Calvin wanted the power to excommunicate those who disobeyed the rules of his Church but the Little council insisted on having a say. Calvin's confession of faith too was accepted but, when Calvin insisted that each person had to sign it, this was too much and many refused to sign it. It was more that the former Catholic Church had asked and as Farel and Calvin were French, they appeared to be foreigners telling the city what to do.
                  • Calvin and Farel had devised a clear system of reform, but it seemed that they had little political sense. In 1538 Syndics opposed to Calvin had achieved power, but they did not tone down their demands. Anyone who did not sign the Confession was stopped from going to Communion, but the Council refused to allow this without the Council's permission.
                    • The council even decided to accept Church services drawn up by Berne.
                      • Calvin's approach to the Little Council made the response worse:
                        • In a sermon, Calvin called the Little Council "a council of the Devil" and one of his supporters was jailed for calling them a "council of drunkards".
                      • After refusing to hold a communion service on Easter Farel and Calvin were ordered to leave - they went to Strasbourg

12. Calvin's second Genevan ministry, 1541 - 64

    • 1541 - 64
    • In 1541, following the establishment of a pro-French faction, Calvin was invited to return to Geneva and, after a year of persuasion (he was reluctant to exchange a peaceful life for a stressful alternative, he returned to Geneva in 1541.
      • Before his return, the Little Council agreed that it would draw up plans for a structured organisation for the Genevan Church. It accepted many of Calvin's proposals, put into law by the Ecclesiastical Ordinances of 1541.
        • Calvin would not have succeeded without the backing of the Little Council, and it too him until 1555 until he was almost completely unchallenged.
          • The council was needed to enforce the discipline that Calvin believed was necessary, but Calvin's sermons criticised them a lot.
            • The council's main concern was to avoid civil unrest in Geneva. It did not want the German reformation to collapse or be threatened by a powerful neighbour such as Berne.
              • Calvin had a European reputation and a brilliant mind

13. The role of the consistory, pastors and the Grabeau

    • The Consistory:
      • Made up of 12 lay elders and all the pastors.
      • Had the duty to enforce high standards of religious and social behaviour
        • Religious issues such as missing Sunday services or sermons, or survivals of Catholic practices were sorted
        • Calvin was particularly concerned with public behaviour. He denounced the latest fashions and enforced a simple, unadorned dress code. He condemned singing and whistling, and was incensed by dancing, even in private.
    • Pastors:
      • Pastors were expected to preach, administer the sacraments and assist in the exercise of disicpline
    • The Grabeau
      • A session in which each pastor faced criticism of his ministry and conduct from the other members. It was a "session of mutual frank and loving criticism" in which the pastors criticised themselves as well as each other.

14. Attendance at the Sunday service was compulsory, hearing a sermon was expected and children were expected to go to the catechism that Calvin produced in 1542.

15. Historian T.H.L Parker claimed that the important changes in Genevan society were caused by the preaching of Calvin and the pastors.