John Calvin and the John Calvin and the Protestant Protestant

Reformation in Reformation in GenevaGeneva

Institutionalizing Institutionalizing ProtestantismProtestantism

The Spread of The Spread of ProtestantismProtestantism

Protestantism spread Protestantism spread rapidly in the early 16th rapidly in the early 16th century. It grew strong century. It grew strong in northern Europe in northern Europe (northern Germany, (northern Germany, Scandinavia, the Scandinavia, the Netherlands, and Netherlands, and England) but failed in England) but failed in the Latin countries the Latin countries (Italy, France, and (Italy, France, and Spain). It was an urban Spain). It was an urban phenomenon and phenomenon and flourished where local flourished where local magistrates supported magistrates supported it.it.

John CalvinJohn Calvin John Calvin (1509-1564), John Calvin (1509-1564),

a French lawyer and a French lawyer and theologian, was theologian, was responsible for the responsible for the success of the success of the Reformation outside Reformation outside Germany and Germany and Scandinavia. He created Scandinavia. He created the patterns of thought the patterns of thought that have dominated that have dominated Western culture Western culture throughout the modern throughout the modern era. American culture, in era. American culture, in particular, is thoroughly particular, is thoroughly Calvinist.Calvinist.

Conversion and ReformConversion and Reform Somewhere in the period Somewhere in the period

1532-1534, Calvin 1532-1534, Calvin experienced a sudden experienced a sudden conversion which he conversion which he never discussed publicly. never discussed publicly. Originally a lawyer and Originally a lawyer and northern humanist, he northern humanist, he turned to theology and turned to theology and dedicated himself to dedicated himself to reforming the church. He reforming the church. He began to spread his began to spread his theological beliefs and theological beliefs and within a year he and his within a year he and his friends were in trouble friends were in trouble with the authorities – with the authorities – both civil and both civil and ecclesiastical. ecclesiastical.

The Institutes of the The Institutes of the Christian ReligionChristian Religion

He wrote He wrote The The Institutes of the Institutes of the Christian ReligionChristian Religion (1536) hoping to (1536) hoping to convince King Francis convince King Francis I that Protestantism I that Protestantism posed no threat to his posed no threat to his rule. However, the rule. However, the treatise did not have treatise did not have the intended result the intended result and Calvin was forced and Calvin was forced to leave France.to leave France.

The Power of GodThe Power of God Calvin emphasized the Calvin emphasized the

power of God over sinful power of God over sinful and corrupt humanity. and corrupt humanity. Calvin’s God demanded Calvin’s God demanded obedience. The distance obedience. The distance between God and man between God and man was bridged only by was bridged only by Christ. Calvin’s theology Christ. Calvin’s theology was stern. God’s laws was stern. God’s laws must be rigorously must be rigorously obeyed. Social and moral obeyed. Social and moral righteousness must be righteousness must be earnestly pursued. earnestly pursued. Political life must be Political life must be carefully regulated. carefully regulated. Human emotions must be Human emotions must be strictly controlled.strictly controlled.

PredestinationPredestination Calvin explained salvation Calvin explained salvation

in terms of predestination. in terms of predestination. God grants grace for his God grants grace for his own inscrutable reasons own inscrutable reasons and knows in advance who and knows in advance who will be saved and who will will be saved and who will be condemned to hell. be condemned to hell. Although people are Although people are predestined to salvation or predestined to salvation or damnation, they can never damnation, they can never know their fate with know their fate with certainty. Nevertheless, certainty. Nevertheless, Calvinism offered the saint Calvinism offered the saint (i.e., the truly predestined (i.e., the truly predestined man or women) a sense of man or women) a sense of self-assurance and self-assurance and righteousness that righteousness that transformed them.transformed them.

Dedication to God’s Law: Dedication to God’s Law: Sign of SalvationSign of Salvation

Calvinists assumed Calvinists assumed that only unfailing that only unfailing dedication to God’s dedication to God’s law could be seen as a law could be seen as a sign of salvation, so sign of salvation, so Calvinism made for Calvinism made for stern men and women, stern men and women, active in their active in their congregations and congregations and willing to suppress willing to suppress vice in themselves and vice in themselves and others.others.

Revolutionaries: Right to Revolutionaries: Right to RevoltRevolt

Calvinism could also Calvinism could also produce produce revolutionaries willing revolutionaries willing to defy any temporal to defy any temporal authorities perceived authorities perceived to be in violation of to be in violation of God’s laws. For God’s laws. For Calvinists, obedience Calvinists, obedience to Christian law to Christian law became the became the dominating principle dominating principle of life.of life.

Geneva TheocracyGeneva Theocracy Calvin finally sought refuge in Calvin finally sought refuge in

Geneva, a small prosperous Geneva, a small prosperous Swiss city near the French Swiss city near the French border. There he eventually border. There he eventually established a Protestant established a Protestant church that closely regulated church that closely regulated the citizens’ personal and the citizens’ personal and social lives. Elders of the social lives. Elders of the Calvinist church governed the Calvinist church governed the city and imposed strict city and imposed strict discipline in dress, sexual discipline in dress, sexual mores, church attendance, mores, church attendance, and business affairs. and business affairs.

Michael ServetusMichael Servetus They severely They severely

punished irreligious punished irreligious and sinful behavior. and sinful behavior. For example, Calvin For example, Calvin condemned the anti-condemned the anti-Trinitarian views of Trinitarian views of Michael Servetus and Michael Servetus and the episode ended in the episode ended in the notorious trial and the notorious trial and burning of Servetus in burning of Servetus in 1553.1553.

Appeal to MerchantsAppeal to Merchants Prosperous merchants Prosperous merchants

and small shopkeepers and small shopkeepers saw in Calvinism saw in Calvinism doctrines that justified doctrines that justified the self-discipline they the self-discipline they already exercised in their already exercised in their own lives and wished to own lives and wished to impose on the unruly impose on the unruly masses. They particularly masses. They particularly approved of Calvin’s approved of Calvin’s economic views, for he economic views, for he saw nothing sinful in saw nothing sinful in commercial activities commercial activities (unlike many Catholic (unlike many Catholic clergy).clergy).

Center of International Center of International ProtestantismProtestantism

Geneva became the center of Geneva became the center of international Protestantism. international Protestantism. Calvin trained a new generation Calvin trained a new generation of Protestant reformers of many of Protestant reformers of many nationalities, who carried his nationalities, who carried his message back to their message back to their homelands. Calvin’s homelands. Calvin’s InstitutesInstitutes becamebecame the leading textbook of the leading textbook of the new theology. In the second the new theology. In the second half of the sixteenth century, half of the sixteenth century, Calvin’s theology of Calvin’s theology of predestination spread into predestination spread into France, England, and the France, England, and the Netherlands, and parts of the Netherlands, and parts of the Holy Roman Empire.Holy Roman Empire.

Revolutionary IdeologyRevolutionary Ideology Calvin always opposed any Calvin always opposed any

recourse to violence and recourse to violence and supported the authority of supported the authority of magistrates. Yet when monarchy magistrates. Yet when monarchy became their persecutor, his became their persecutor, his followers felt compelled to resist. followers felt compelled to resist. Calvinist theologians became the Calvinist theologians became the

first political theologians of modern first political theologians of modern times to publish arguments for times to publish arguments for opposition to monarchy, and opposition to monarchy, and eventually for political revolution. eventually for political revolution.

In France, and later in the In France, and later in the Netherlands, Calvinism became a Netherlands, Calvinism became a revolutionary ideology, complete revolutionary ideology, complete with an underground organization, with an underground organization, composed of dedicated followers composed of dedicated followers who challenged monarchical who challenged monarchical authority. authority.

PuritanismPuritanism In the seventeenth In the seventeenth

century, the English century, the English version of Calvinism, version of Calvinism, known as Puritanism, known as Puritanism, performed the same performed the same function. Thus, in function. Thus, in certain circumstances, certain circumstances, Calvinism possessed Calvinism possessed the moral force to the moral force to undermine the claims undermine the claims of the monarchical of the monarchical state on the individual.state on the individual.