LIBERTY
BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
JOHN
CALVIN BIOGRAPHY
A
RESEARCH PAPER SUBMITTED TO DR. MANN
IN
PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF
CHHI
525-B01
BY
PAUL
HORNE
SUFFOLK
VA
July 3,
2014
Introduction 1-2
Calvin’s Life 2-7
Calvin as Teacher 7-8
Calvin as Pastor 8-10
Conclusion 11
Introduction
For me, like many other people,
when I hear the term “The Reformation,” the first thing that comes to mind is a
man named Martin Luther nailing his ninety-five thesis to the door of the
church in Wittenberg, Germany. While it is true that not everyone has the same
mental image, I would assume that this is the case. Martin Luther played a
crucial role in igniting the reformation movement but it would be a young
Frenchman in Geneva that would turn the world on its head. There was a great
commonality between these two men and some huge differences. Luther was fiery, spontaneous, and explosive,
while Calvin was more careful, pensive and systematic. Luther has been likened
to a bull, stubborn and strong headed, whereas Calvin has been compared to an
owl, wise and calculating. Calvin was a logical systematizer, quiet, and
thoughtful, with a far more stable character.[1]
It should
also be noted that the differences between the two men did not stop in their
personalities. As they grew older their physiques, showed tremendous
differences, Luther was what you might call a portly man while Calvin was more
slender. Bruce Shelley makes note of these differences by stating, “As Luther
grew older his face and figure filled out, and a kind of confidence and peace
with himself appeared in the lines of his eyes and mouth. As Calvin grew older
he became even thinner than he was as a young man, and the perpendicular lines
of his long nose and firm, thin lips suggest the increasingly flint like
qualities of his mind and personality.”[2]
This is just a minor groundwork for us to come to know who this man was not
only as a man in history, but as a pastor and as a teacher also.
Calvin’s Life
John Calvin
was born on July 10, 1509 to parents Gerard and Jeanne Cauvin in the small town
of Noyon, France. This town is located about sixty miles northeast of Paris. Calvin’
s father was a notary, or financial administrator, for the Roman Catholic
bishop of the Noyon diocese and thus a member of the professional class.[3]
When John was only eleven years old, Gerard had used his influence to gain his
son a chaplaincy at the Noyon Cathedral.[4]
Over the next few years Gerard would acquire several more of these positions to
pay for John’s education.[5]
It would
also be around this time when John would leave home and go off to school and
study at the University of Paris. While in Paris he would study theology as
means of preparation of entering into the priesthood. “Most of Calvin’s early
coursework concentrated on improving his knowledge of Latin, for that was the
language of all teaching and learning in the universities of that day. Until
students mastered Latin, they could not advance toward a degree.”[6]
In 1528, he graduated with a Master’s
degree, “having received the finest education of the day in the study of Latin,
literature, logic, theology, rhetoric, and philosophy.”[7]
After his graduation Gerard attempted to gain several more chaplaincy
appointments for his son, however there was some type of falling out between
the bishop and himself. Due to this falling out, Gerard convinced his son to
study law instead to make a better living.
John would
go on to study law at the universities of Orleans and Bourges. It would be at
these two prestigious universities John would study under two of the most
famous jurist of the time, Pierre de l’Estoile and Andrea Alciati.[8]It
was during this point of his education that Calvin grew in his humanist
interest, while also learning Greek and sharpening his analytical and
persuasive argument skills. Lawson points out that, “It is possible that he
came to a deeper understanding of evangelical truth through his Greek teacher,
Melchoir Wolmar. Subsequently, Calvin was converted to Christ.”[9]
Even after the unexpected death of his father Gerard in 1531, John still
continued his law degree that he completed in 1532.
During
Calvin’s time in Paris he had become close friends with a man named Nicholas
Cop who was the rector of the University of Paris. In November of 1533, Cop
would deliver a rousing address for the opening of the winter semester. According
to Lawson, “The message was a plea for reformation on the basis of the New
Testament and a bold attack on the Scholastic theologians of the day. Cop
encountered strong resistance to his expressed “Luther-like” views. Calvin is
believed to have collaborated with Cop on the address, as a copy of the
manuscript exists in Calvin’s handwriting. As a result, Calvin was forced to
flee Paris before he could be arrested.”[10]
Calvin
needed a place to lay low so he went into hiding at the estate of Louis du
Tillet, who was a well-to-do man that had a heart for the Reformation. Calvin
would spend five months there enjoying du Tillet’s extensive theological
library, reading the Bible and the church fathers, Augustine in particular. “By
hard work, genius, and grace, Calvin was becoming a self-taught theologian of
no small stature.”[11]
1534 would be a very interesting year for Calvin, he would relinquish his role
of his ecclesiastical post, and would lose a brother, I am not sure if it was
his only brother or not. The reason for this loss as Harrison points out is,
In the fall
of 1534, French Protestants found themselves in a significantly more dangerous
position. During the night of October 18, some Protestant daredevils placed
posters all over Paris calling for support of the Protestant cause. They put
one on the inner door of the royal bedroom. The king was furious and fearful
that agents of revolution could get so close to him. This “Affair of the
Placards” resulted in the arrest of hundreds of Protestants. Thirty-five people
were burned at the stake. Among those killed was Calvin’s brother Charles.[12]
It would be
in 1535, just one year after his conversion at the age of twenty five, the
young Calvin would write the beginnings of his magna opus, Institutes of the Christian Religion. Amazingly, Calvin would write a plea of
tolerance to the king of France in the preface of this work, with the hope that
the persecution of Protestants would stop. Calvin chose to go in to exile in
the city of Basel, Switzerland. While there Calvin made the decision to move to
Strasbourg, Germany where he intended to lead a quiet life of a scholar, but
the Lord had other plans for him. On his way he was taken on a detour through
Geneva, Switzerland; where he would meet the local leader William Farel, who
had been leading the Protestant movement for ten years.[13]
Almost, every historian when dealing with Calvin and Farel’s meeting resorts to
the telling of how Calvin was hesitant to stay more than one night, it was not
until Farel called down an imprecatory threat upon Calvin that he agreed to
stay on and help the city.
That
faithful night in July 1536 would change the course of history, as we know it. Calvin
would begin his tenure in the city first as a lecturer then finally as a
pastor. Alister McGrath points out, “Reluctantly, Calvin agreed to stay in
Geneva, where he assumed the office of “reader” (lector) of Holy Scripture. He
was never “ordained” in any sense of the term.”[14]
But things in Geneva were not easy going for the reformer, Farel was not the
easiest person to work with, and the city was reluctant to accept the reforms
in which Calvin was trying to implement. One of the reforms that he wanted to
implement had to do with church discipline around the Lords supper.[15]
This was not taken very well by the leaders of
the city and “This crisis reached the boiling point on Easter Sunday,
April 23, 1538, when Calvin refused to
administer Communion to certain leading people who were living in open sin. The tensions grew so great that
Calvin and Farel were forced to leave the city.”[16]
Calvin went
to no other place than Strasbourg, where he was originally headed when Farel
convicted him to stay in Geneva. While there he was convicted by Martin Bucer
to continue his pulpit ministry to the 500+ French refugees that were living in
the city. Shelley observes that,
The next
three years spent in Strassburg were probably the happiest in Calvin’s life. As
pastor of the church of French refugees he was free to carry out his
disciplinary measures; he was a successful teacher of theology; he was honored
by the city and was made its representative to important religious conferences
in Germany. He married a widow with two children during these years and she
remained his helpful companion till her death in March, 1549.[17]
Calvin reluctantly returned to Geneva after being gone for
three and a half years, Farel chose to return to his home country. This time
the leaders of Geneva were willing to listen to Calvin and he almost had free
reign to rule how he saw fit. “Under his direction, the government of Geneva
was transformed into something like a Protestant theocracy. It became known
as ‘Protestant Rome’ to reflect its new
importance.”[18]
It is during this time that the final revision of the Institutes will be written; Calvin will lose an infant son (and
still preach and teach the sovereignty of God) and he will establish the
Academy. Hill informs us that,
This
Academy taught Protestant theology as well as providing a rigorous training in
science and humanism—making it a Protestant answer to the schools of the
Jesuits at this time springing up across Europe. Four Schools were also opened
in Geneva for younger students, and like the Academy their courses were later
made free—thus creating in effect the first integrated, free, state-run
education system of modern times. [19]
According to Calvin, four offices governed the church:
pastors, teachers, elders, and deacons. Calvin would himself hold two or more
of those roles up until the very day he died. Calvin who was thought to suffer
from IBS (irritable bowl syndrome), would die what would be considered a rather
peaceable death in the arms of his successor Theodore Beza. He went to be with
the Lord whom he loved so passionately on May 27, 1564 quoting Scripture
none-the-less—“How long, O Lord?” (Pss 79:5; 89:46)[20]
Calvin As Teacher
Most of us
think of John Calvin the theologian and tend to forget about the other roles the
man filled; one of the most important roles he filled was that of teacher (or
doctor). Calvin took this role very
seriously so much so he “took a personal interest in the instruction of
children, providing a catechism in question and answer form and a primer to be
used in school for teaching the Lord’s Prayer, the Apostles Creed, and the Ten
Commandments, along with the alphabet.”[21]
Calvin did draw a distinction between the office of teacher (doctor) and
pastor. The office of doctor (or teacher) as described in the Ecclesiastical Ordinances, was focused
entirely on instruction and included none of the administrative or disciplinary
functions of the pastoral office. [22]
According to
Puckett, “ The Ecclesiastical Ordinances
refers to the office of doctor as the “order of the schools.” It explains that
the one in this office may be a “lecturer in theology” and it suggests that it
will be good to have one in the Old Testament and one in the New Testament.
This office is especially focused on preparing candidates for ministry.”[23]
The major differences between those roles was one was focused on teaching the
congregation (pastor) and the other was focused on teaching the teachers
(doctor). It would be Calvin’s role as
teacher that would span the centuries, since the Institutes were intended to be mainly a teaching tool to those
already engaged in Bible study.
Calvin As Pastor
While Calvin
was the consummate teacher, his ultimate calling was to the role of pastor. Shawn Wright notices several different facets
in which his pastoral nature takes place. First, can be found in the agendas
that Calvin wrote to the Genevan church to change to a more biblical direction.[24]
Second, his Catechism would be used to help in the basic instruction of the
Christians in Geneva. Third, take a look at Calvin’s letters, which were often
very pastoral in nature. He was often asked to pastor persons from a distance,
through letters and he did so, willingly and thoroughly.[25]
From the very beginning the Institutes were pastoral in nature
having a very pedagogical nature. As such “we see that Calvin was not merely
about increasing his readers’ data set; he didn’t just want to give them more
information. His labors had a relational end.”[26]
Calvin’s
pastoral vision was multi-faceted with the first facet being the soli deo
Gloria; because, God is the one constant reality in the universe.[27]
Another facet of his pastoral vision was how he viewed man, he thought of
humans as thinking beings, capable of affection that have and seek out
experiences.[28]The
next aspect to his vision was the fact that Christians must have faith in
Christ. Calvin thought the life of a Christian was a battle, an extremely
difficult pilgrimage as the believer wearily struggled to get to his final home
in heaven.[29]
The final facet of his pastoral vision is that it was eternal in perspective,
meaning he sought to live it out with the great end in mind.
He did not
take the role of pastor as something to be taken lightly; there was much import
to it. It is to be one of comfort for those who need it, rebuke for the others
as needed; it is for strengthening the believers in their faith so that they
can face the battles of daily life. There were some who tried to separate the
Spirit of God from his word, “But a faithful pastor will not do that. He will
recognize that the Spirit functions by giving and sustaining vital Christian
life through his word preached.”[30]He
also believed that the piety of the pastor should be easily visible in his
life. There are two major applications
to pastoral life Calvin would stress, “first is the submitting to and adoring
the sovereign God and, second, Calvin’s desire to comfort weary Christians by
reminding them of the reality of their sovereign heavenly Father. “
Calvin
believed in stressing the sovereignty of God. Because “people who deny God’s
complete providence ‘defraud God of his glory.”’ Calvin wanted his followers to
understand two major things, that predestination is of great importance, and
prayer should play a major part in the believer’s life. Humility should be a
mark of those who believe in predestination. Prayer ultimately honored God as
sovereign, because it shows how we trust him through all things, because he has
the will and the power to assist us.[31]
With the both of these Calvin’s ultimate focus is on the Glory of God and how
we can show we trust him to be who he says he is. While this was a role he tried as hard as he
could to escape, it turned out to be the favorite role for this man of God, he
enjoyed shepherding people and trusting God to take care of them.
Conclusion
Calvin’s life was not what he or his father ever anticipated it would be.
It was actually much greater. The works we have been given by this man cannot
be overestimated. His work that was created in the 16th century for
the average man has become a go to work for seminary students, pastors and even
lay people who want a greater understanding of theological topics. His life was
not one of comfort and ease, but it was one of great importance. I would hate
to imagine what the 21st century would look like without John
Calvin’s role in century’s prior.
He was
extremely vital for the growth of the church and the spread of Christianity as
a whole. I can only hope to be as faithful a teacher and pastor as he was. May
his pastoral vision enhance the way we view God and those we lead. It is my
hope that reading about Calvin’s life has inspired you to trust God even in the
small stuff because he is ultimately in control.
Bibliography
Barry, John D., and
Lazarus Wentz, eds. The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham
Press, 2012.
Calvin, John. Institutes
of the Christian Religion. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 1997.
Cross, F. L., and
Elizabeth A. Livingstone. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church.
Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2005.
Eckman, James P. Exploring Church History. Wheaton,
IL: Crossway, 2002.
Galli, Mark, and
Ted Olsen. 131 Christians Everyone Should Know. Nashville, TN: Broadman
& Holman Publishers, 2000.
Gonzalez, Justo L. The Story of
Christianity Vol Two: The Reformation to Present Day. New York: Harper
Collins, 2010.
Harrison Jr., Richard L. John
Clavin-Spread of the Reformatioin. Nashville: Graded Press, 1988.
Hill, Johnathan. Handbook to the History of Christianity. Grand
Raphds: Zondervan, 2006.
Johnson, Paul. A History of Christianity. New
York: Touchstone Book, 1976.
Lawson,
Steven J. Pillars of Grace. Harrisonburg: Reformation Trust Publishing,
2012.
McGrath,
Alister. Christianity's Dangerous Idea. New York: Harper One, 2007.
Puckett, David L. "John Calvin as
Teacher." Galaxie Software. 2009.
http://www.galaxie.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/article/sbjt13-4-05?highlight=John%20Calvin
(accessed May 18, 2014).
Shelley, Bruce L. Church History in Plain Language Second Ed. Nashville:
Thomas Nelson, 1995.
Wright, Shawn D. "John Calvin as
Pastor." Galaxie Software. 2009.
http://www.galaxie.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/article/sbjt13-4-02?highlight=John%20Calvin
(accessed May 18, 2014).
[2]Bruce L Shelley, Church History
in Plain Language Second Ed. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995)257.
[5]
Richard L. Harrison Jr., John Clavin-Spread of the Reformatioin.
(Nashville: Graded Press, 1988)15.
[8]
Justo L.Gonzalez, The Story of
Christianity Vol Two: The Reformation to Present Day. (New York: Harper
Collins, 2010)78.
[21]
Puckett, David L. "John Calvin as Teacher." Galaxie
Software. 2009.
http://www.galaxie.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/article/sbjt13-4-05?highlight=John%20Calvin
(accessed May 18, 2014) 45-46.
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