John Calvin: Life and Ideas

Causes of the Reformation

1. CLERICAL CORRUPTION Anti-clericalism The low quality of the clergy had become a point of scandal – this was seen especially in Germany. Clergy were not well education or well trained. Result was a lot of clerical corruption. Papacy reaches one of its worst periods around this time. Some of the most worldly and corrupt popes were reigning at this time

2. CRISIS OF AUTHORITY IN THE CHURCH The great western schism ended 100 years before Luther’s 95 theses. The question that arose from this period really came down to “Who is in charge?” Is a council supremely authoritative or is a pope supremely authoritative?POPE ALEXANDER VI Pope Julius 2

3. INFLUENCE OF RENAISSANCE HUMANISM Renaissance = “rebirth” Ad fontes = “back to the sources” Point of demarcation: How do you read the tradition? Catholics: time of development with attendant corruptions. Protestants: Look over it to the beginning, the ‘fontes

4. SCHOLASTICISM FALLS OUT OF FAVOR It reached its high point in the 12-13 centuries. In time, the negativities of a system becomes more and more apparent. Reformers come with a renewed stress on the Bible, rather than logic. Analogical conception of being – Similar. Not completely different, not completely the same. All creaturely things participate in the fullness of being who is God. Univocal understanding of being. Using the word in exactly the same way. Issue when you say there is a univocal meaning of being between God and creatures. No longer the world participating in the fullness of God’s being, but now a variety of beings all on the same playing field. Now a type of rivalrous relationship between God and creatures

5. THE RISE OF EUROPEAN NATIONALISM T h e g l u e h o l d i n g t o g e t h e r t h e n a t i o n s w a s t h e c h u r c h. This is what we know a s C h r i s t e n d o m. Europe had begun t o s o l v e tw o m aj o r p r o b l e m s. Gained military supremacy and le a r n e d t o g o v e r n i n a n a t i o n a l s e n s e. Rulers secured their realms from foreign aggression and influence (including the Pope). The Church began losing some of its hold over the whole of Europe

6. The invention of the printing press

   the printing press a l l o w e d fo r t h e r a p i d r e p r o d u c t i o n o f t e x t s. Information and texts could spread in a way that they couldn’t before. They also couldn’t be controlled i n t h e w ay t h ey h a d b e e n b e fo r e. This lea d s t o t h e e x p l o s i v e q u a l i ty o f the Reformation

John Calvin: Life and Ideas

Life of John Calvin

• Born in 1509 in France.

• Immersed in the Humanist tradition.

• Strongly trained in a philosophical tradition influenced by a univocal understanding of being.

• Studied law, similar to Martin Luther.

• 1531: Returned to Paris, became involved in the Reformation (11 years after Luther's excommunication).

• 1533: Forced to flee Paris due to Reformation ideas expressed in a university speech (possibly written by Calvin).

• Settled in Basil, Switzerland.

• 1536: Went to Geneva, attempted to impose Reformation-style life, faced opposition.

• 1538: Expelled from Geneva, moved to Strasbourg, France (center for Reformation thinking).

• Invited back to Geneva, remained for life.

• 1536-1559: Wrote "The Institutes of the Christian Religion," continuously revised it. The final edition was published in 1559.

• 1564: Died at age 55.

The Institutes of Christian Religion

• Structured similarly to Aquinas' works (orderly).

• An important Christian text, comparable to City of God/Summa/etc.

• The main ideas are:

  • The relationship between humanity and divinity, as revealed in Jesus Christ.

  • Distinctio sed non separatio – Distinct, but not separate

  • The sovereignty of God is the key organizing principle, according to Paul Tillich (Gottheit Gottes – godliness of God).

• Predestination fits under the sovereignty of God.

• Calvin aimed for a purely biblical work, avoiding philosophical frameworks and scholasticism.

• Heavily relied on Augustinian ideas and framework: "Augustine, he’s all ours."

Order of the Book

• Divided into four books, each with chapters and sections:

  • Book I: The Doctrine of God (Creation and providence).

  • Book II: The Doctrine of Redemption (Original sin and the work of Jesus Christ).

  • Book III: The Application of Redemption (The work of the Holy Spirit).

  • Book IV: The Life of the Redeemed Community (The Church).

• Mirrors the Apostles' Creed: God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Church.

Knowledge of God and Self

• "Our wisdom, insofar as it ought to be deemed true and solid wisdom, consists almost entirely of two parts: The knowledge of God, and of ourselves.” – John Calvin

• Addresses how we gain knowledge of God.

• Calvin is open to natural theology.

• Comparison to philosophical ideas:

  • Rene Descartes: “I know two things, God and self.”

  • St. John Henry Newman: “There are two luminously self-evident beings, myself and God.”

• Calvin: “Every man, being stung by the consciousness of his own unhappiness, in this way obtains at least some knowledge of God.”

• “We don’t really aspire to God, until we’re disgusted with ourselves.” – John Calvin

• Similar to Luther, the law reveals our incapacity, leading us to God.

• True self-knowledge comes after encountering God.

Naturally Implanted Sense of God

• Calvin argues that the insight of God's existence is “naturally implanted in the human mind.”

• God’s existence is more or less self-evident.

• “All men of sound judgement will therefore hold, that a sense of Deity is indelibly engraven on the human heart.” – John Calvin

Limited Godliness

• “Scarcely one in a hundred is found who cherishes it in his heart, and not one in whom it grows to maturity.” – John Calvin

• “In no part of the world can genuine godliness be found.” – John Calvin

• Referencing Psalm 14:1: “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”

• “Thus, although they’re forced to acknowledge there is some God, they rob him of his glory by denying his power.” – John Calvin

God's Glory in His Works

• “In each of his works, his glory is engraven in characters so bright, that none, however dull and illiterate, can plead ignorance as their excuse.” – John Calvin

• Knowledge of God comes from observing the world, accessible to all, not just believers.

• “The world is the theater of God’s glory.” – John Calvin

• This natural knowledge is often overlooked: “Do we not rather overlook him and sluggishly content ourselves with a view of his works?” – John Calvin

The Need for Christian Revelation

• Christian revelation provides a clarifying lens to see the truth of God, necessary because of the Fall.

• God has offered these clarifying lenses from the beginning.

Accepting Scripture

• “Scripture bears upon the face of it as clear evidence of its truth, as white and black do of their color, sweet and bitter of their taste.” – John Calvin

• Accepted through the inner conviction of the Holy Spirit: “From the secret testimony of the Spirit.” – John Calvin

• Karl Barth on the Trinity: If God has spoken, there's a speaker (Father), a word (Son), and an interpreter (Holy Spirit).

John Calvin's Anthropology

• Accepts natural theology but acknowledges that sin compromises our ability to see clearly; we need God’s revelation.

• Christianity is a salvation religion, not a self-help program.

• Classical philosophers believed knowledge of human nature leads to happiness and confidence.

• “When viewing our miserable condition since Adam’s fall, all confidence and boasting are overthrown.” – John Calvin

• We know how we should live but are incapable of achieving it.

• Aristotle thought virtue could restore our lives, while Plato saw reason as a charioteer guiding the passions (horses).

The Sin of Adam

• “Hence infidelity was at the root of the revolt. From infidelity sprang ambition and pride, together with ingratitude.” – John Calvin

• The sin of Adam isn't just disordered desire but infidelity to God's word.

• Reference to Genesis 2:16: “You may eat freely of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat.”

Consequences of the Fall

• “After the heavenly image in man was effaced, he not only was himself punished by the withdrawal of the ornaments in which he has been arrayed – wisdom, virtue, justice, truth, and holiness, and by the substitution in their place of blindness, impotence, vanity, impurity, and unrighteousness, but he involved his posterity also.” – John Calvin

• The Fall corrupted the entire race and cosmos, affecting Adam and all his descendants.

• Definition of Original Sin: “It’s a hereditary corruption and depravity of our nature, extending to all parts of the soul, which first make us obnoxious to the wrath of God and then produces in us works which in Scripture are termed works of the fresh.” – John Calvin

• Aligned with the Council of Trent's views.

Navigating Extremes

• Two extremes to avoid:

  • Giving up.

  • Relying on self-realization.

• Calvin critiques classical thinkers' overconfidence in reason governing passions.

• “This is the judgement of all morals, that fortitude is to be sought from God but that wisdom is to be acquired from oneself.” – Cicero

• Even church fathers sometimes overestimate human potential.

• Free choice remains, but we lack free will due to sin's compromise; we cannot will our salvation.

• “The will is truly free only when it’s inhabited by the Spirit of God.”

• “In conclusion, it would be a great boon for the church if talk of the freedom of the will were just abolished.” – John Calvin

Natural Endowments vs. Supernatural Gifts

• Following Luther, Calvin distinguishes between natural endowments and supernatural gifts.

• The Fall corrupted natural gifts but stripped away supernatural ones, leaving some capacity for natural good.

• Capacity for salvation is lost.

• Philosophers gained insight into God but are like travelers in a lightning flash, seeing briefly before darkness returns.

• “Though the best of the philosophers gained some insight into God, ‘They’re like travelers passing through a field at night, who in a momentary lightning flash see far and wide, but the sight vanishes so swiftly that they are plunged again into the darkness before they can even take a step.’” – John Calvin

Calvin’s Treatment of the Liturgical Law

• Contrasting views:

  • Catholic Church: Integrated liturgical laws into its life.

  • Luther: Wanted to eliminate them.

• Calvin: Ceremonial law is a symbolic anticipation of Christ, not to be taken further.

• “What could be more vain or frivolous than for men to reconcile themselves to God by offering him the foul odor produced by burning the fat of beasts?” – John Calvin

• Sees ceremonial law as past, whereas, the Catholic Church draws it up into the sacrifice of Jesus. Likewise with the priesthood.

Calvin’s Treatment of the Moral Law

• Theological Purpose - Usus theologicus legis (Theological use of the Law):

  • “By exhibiting the righteousness of God it admonishes everyone of his own unrighteousness.” – John Calvin

  • Like Luther, Calvin sees the law as convicting us of sin.

  • “The law is a kind of mirror in which we behold our impotence and our iniquity.” – John Calvin

• Political Purpose - Usus civilis legis (Civil use of the law):

  • To prevent the unregenerate from devolving into total dysfunction.

  • The law constrains those outside God's grace.

• Third use of the Law:

  • To encourage those who are saved on the path of salvation.

  • Aligning the outer man with the inner man.

  • The Ten Commandments guide the outer man.

John Calvin's Christology

• Based on Book II of the Institutes.

• The good news of Christianity is that God has come to save us.

• a salvation religion.

• “Who could do this (save us) unless the Son of God should also become the Son of man, and so receive what is ours as to transfer to us what is his, making that which is his by nature to become ours by grace. For it was his to swallow up death. Who but Life could do this? It was his to conquer sin, but who could do so save Righteousness itself? It was his to put to flight the power of the air and the world: who could do so but the mighty power superior to both?” – John Calvin

Jesus' Humanity

• Jesus had to be human so that obedience could recover what disobedience lost.

• The Son of God took on human nature to obey the Father in Adam’s place.

• “We are saved by the whole course of his obedience.” – John Calvin

Jesus as Prophet

• “Throughout the Old Testament, God sends prophet after prophet to speak his truth, but they anticipate the day when one will come who will speak the fullness of truth.” – John Calvin

• “He will teach us all things.” – John 4:25

• “His prophetic office extends to the Church, which he founded and which speaks now in the Father’s name.” – John Calvin

• “Christ’s perfect doctrine brings all prophecy to end.” – John Calvin

• “All those who, not content with the Gospel, patch it with something extraneous to it, detract from Christ’s authority.” – John Calvin

• “Outside of Christ there is nothing worth knowing.” – John Calvin

• “Its not lawful to go beyond the simplicity of the Gospel.” – John Calvin

• Emphasis on exclusivism and knowing truths in relation to Christ.

Jesus as King

• “This office is entirely spiritual in nature.” – John Calvin

• Directed at the Pope.

• Christ’s kingship has to do with his governance of the Church.

• “God surely promises here that through the hand of his Son, he will be the eternal protector and defender of his Church… Amid the violent agitation with which it continually is troubled, it still remains safe.” – John Calvin

• Happiness in Christ is not in outward advantages but in heavenly life.

• Christ directs us to our heavenly reward and equips us with spiritual weapons.

• The last act of Christ the King is the Last Judgement.

Jesus as Priest

• Christ performs the great sacrifice for our salvation.

• “The priestly office belongs to Christ alone because by the sacrifice of his death, he blotted out our own guilt and made satisfaction for our sin.” – John Calvin

• Anti-Catholic undertones, but it can be agreed upon that it’s only who has this office.

• “We who are defiled in ourselves, yet are all priests in him.” – John Calvin

• Calvin’s version of Luther’s ‘universal priesthood of all believers’.

• Vatican II acknowledges the priesthood of all believers but emphasizes a particular ministerial priesthood.

• Calvin would agree with Luther – don’t isolate an ‘elite’ everyone who is baptized shares in the priesthood of Jesus.

The Holy Spirit

• The divine person applies Christ’s accomplishments to our lives.

• The Spirit brings the fruits of Christ's sacrifice to bear on us.

• The spirit of adoption grafts us onto the Son.

• Seal and guarantee of salvation.

• Anointing and fire: nourishes good, burns away evil.

Book III: The Spirit

• The Principle work of the Holy Spirit: Faith

• Affirms justification by grace through faith but emphasizes God's sovereignty and Jesus' person.

• Faith is the act of laying hold of Christ’s accomplishments, making it the Holy Spirit's primary work.

• Two great fruits of faith:

  • “We are reconciled to God by the righteousness of Christ, so that God becomes not a terrible judge, but an indulgent Father.” – John Calvin (Alien Righteousness)

  • “We are sanctified by the Spirit, so we aspire to integrity and purity of life.” – John Calvin (Proper righteousness – Outer man in conformity with the inner man).

Justification Apart from Works

• Justification takes place apart from works “when we are deemed righteous and are accepted on account of his righteousness.” – John Calvin

• Aligned with Martin Luther.

• We are deemed righteous; it is imputed to us (alien righteousness).

• The sinner is covered by the mantle of Christ and appears righteous to God.

• “To justify, therefore, is nothing else than to acquit from the charge of guilt as if innocence were proved.” – John Calvin

The Gift of Justification

• Calvin’s opponent's argument: Wouldn’t it be contrary to God’s nature to justify someone who remains wicked?

• Calvin: “It ought to be remembered, the gift of justification is not separated from regeneration, though the two things are distinct.”

• One leads to the other, but don’t confuse them.

• “It is too well-known by experience that the remains of sin always exist in the righteous. It is necessary, therefore, that justification should be something very different from reformation to newness of life.”

• Analogy: Jacob clothed himself in Esau's mantle and received the blessing; the sinner, remaining a sinner, is wrapped in Christ's righteousness.