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"The fire of affliction reveals the
quality of our faith." (John Calvin)
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"The fire of affliction
reveals the quality of our faith."
AUTHOR: John Calvin (French: Jean
Calvin, born Jehan Cauvin: 10 July 1509 – 27 May 1564) was an influential
French theologian and pastor during the Protestant Reformation. He was a
principal figure in the development of the system of Christian theology later
called Calvinism. Originally trained as a humanist lawyer, he broke from the
Roman Catholic Church around 1530. After religious tensions provoked a violent
uprising against Protestants in France, Calvin fled to Basel, Switzerland,
where he published the first edition of his seminal work The Institutes of the
Christian Religion in 1536. In that year, Calvin was recruited by William Farel
to help reform the church in Geneva. The city council resisted the
implementation of Calvin and Farel's ideas, and both men were expelled. At the
invitation of Martin Bucer, Calvin proceeded to Strasbourg, where he became the
minister of a church of French refugees. He continued to support the reform
movement in Geneva, and was eventually invited back to lead its church.
Following his return, Calvin introduced new forms of church government and
liturgy, despite the opposition of several powerful families in the city who
tried to curb his authority. During this time, the trial of Michael Servetus
was extended by libertines in an attempt to harass Calvin. However, since
Servetus was also condemned and wanted by the Inquisition, outside pressure
from all over Europe forced the trial to continue. Following an influx of
supportive refugees and new elections to the city council, Calvin's opponents
were forced out. Calvin spent his final years promoting the Reformation both in
Geneva and throughout Europe. Calvin was a tireless polemic and apologetic
writer who generated much controversy. He also exchanged cordial and supportive
letters with many reformers, including Philipp Melanchthon and Heinrich
Bullinger. In addition to the Institutes, he wrote commentaries on most books
of the Bible, as well as theological treatises and confessional documents. He
regularly preached sermons throughout the week in Geneva. Calvin was influenced
by the Augustinian tradition, which led him to expound the doctrine of
predestination and the absolute sovereignty of God in salvation of the human
soul from death and eternal damnation. Calvin's writing and preachings provided
the seeds for the branch of theology that bears his name. The Reformed and
Presbyterian churches, which look to Calvin as a chief expositor of their
beliefs, have spread throughout the world.
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