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Adrianus Habeahan 150510003

Aloysius desan vitores unab 150510008
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Damian Y. Haukilo Muni 150510020
Nathanio Chris Maranatha Bangun
150510041
Tingkat/Semester : I/II
Mata Kuliah : Sejarah Agama Kristiani II

Calvin’s Reformation

A. Opening

The life of Christian people in 12th Century progressively was worse than before. The
religious behaviour didn’t show the pure spirit of the origin Church. Everywhere priests life
in richness, bishops had their own wife, etc. This situation made many efforts for returning to
the origin spirit such as brothers and sisters of Common life. The lacks of church and its
organization made crisis of papacy authority, the fanaticism in 13 th century, investiture
conflict and mysticism. Some pioneer of reformation’s thought also appeared like John
Wyclif, John Hus, John Tauler, Master Eckhart, Henry Suso and Jan van Ruvsbroeck 1. Of
course the most famous reformer who appeared in 15th century was Martin Luther King.

Calvin is one of the next reformer after Luther. He was a catholic at first but moved to
protestant after experienced many things in his life. He believed that God called him to
reform His church. He started his reformation movement in Geneva. He had the clearer

1
______. Sejarah Agama Kristiani II, Diktat untuk Kuliah (STFT St. Yohanes Pematangsiantar, 2014),
Pg. 1-23

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thought than Luther and deeper morally than Zwingly 2. With education, spirit and trust from
people, he finally succeeded making the reformation and university.

B. Youth, study, repentance and the first writing

Jean Cauvin was born on 10 July 1509 in Noyon in Picardy. Next day, his name was
adapted by the habit of the intellectuals from that period, which using latin language, then be
changed to become Calvin. He is the fourth child from six children. His brother’s name is
Charles, Jean, Antoine and Francois. His sister’s name is Maria and another is unknown.
Calvin’s Father is Gerrad Cavin, a secretary of Bishop Charles de Hangest. His mother’s
name is Jeanne Lentranc, a loyal Catholic Rome. In his childhood, Calvin was usually taken
by his mother to church for praying before statue of saints. Calvin dreamed to be a priest. If
from his father Calvin had inherited a mind that focus to law, so through his mother he
connected with the intensity of late medieval piety. 3 Calvin still experienced the mental
anguish caused by the thought of sin and the fear of judgment, and was the victim of that
mystical romanticism which was the outstanding evil of the sixteenth century. The consoling
theology of Martin Luther next time afford him the same solace as it had the German
reformer.4

Calvin’s first education was started in boy’s school at Noyon. In fourteen years old,
he got a chance to study in Paris Unversity. Actually, his parent’s money was not enough if
only relied on employ. Because of working in government, Calvin’s father may be had many
glimpse into human frailties that too often accompanied the linking together of money and
religion. Gerrad used church’s money which ought to used for the sake of church to pay
Calvin’s school fee.

In Paris, Calvin studied in College de la Marche. He studied latin language. Then he

moved to College Montaigu for 5 years 5. College degree was gotten by him in nineteen years
old. But Gerrad expected his son taking the law field. meanwhile, Gerrad had suit against

2
______. Sejarah Agama Kristiani II…, P 34
3
Hubert Jedin (ed.), History of The Church Vol. V, Reformation and Counter Reformation. (USA: The
Seaburg Press, 1980), Pg. 362
4
Dom Charles Puoulet, Church History Vol. II (USA: The Seaburg Press, 194), Pg. 44
5
W.F. Dankbaar, Calvin, Djalan Hidup dan Karjanja (Jakarta: BPK, 1967), Pg. 11

2
cathedral chapter. He was excommunicated in 1528. It’s very possible Calvin had his own
sentiment to traditional ecclesial life. That’s also buried his desire to be a catholic priest 6.

Calvin followed the reform’s movement in Germany. He acquainted with his cousin-
in-law, Pierre Robert d’ Olivet who motivated him learning Bible carefully until be brave to
criticized Catholic Roman’s faith which he considered only superstition believing.

In Strasburg 1528, Calvin met a community in the house of Gauilaume Cop, a doctor
of King’s France. With them, Calvin found himself inclined toward Luther rather than others
reformers from Swiss like Zwingli and Oecolampadius. As his father’s will, Calvin studied
law in Orleans. Calvin also studied literature, philosophy and surely Bible. Swabia Melchior
Wolmar, a Luheran profesor, brought Calvin deeper dived into the humanistic and reformers
thoughts. In the same year Calvin obtained the licentiate in the liberal arts, but he didn’t
continue his study in theology. He never studied theology to gain a licenciate. Next year,
Calvin moved to Bourges to study and he may be got his title of lawyer there. Sometimes
Calvin preached in Lignieres church with spoke out his christianity ideas which reek of
humanistic, although had not show the bright critics to teaching of Rome Catholic yet.

In Mei 1531 Calvin had to go home to Noyon because Gerrad got ill. So, Calvin was
free to choose his will. So, he went to France and studied in College Fortet, place humanistic
got its chance to develop. He also studied latin language and old literatures and bible from its
mother tongue, Hebrew and Greek. His thought poured out fluently so he could publish his
first book in 1532 that’s commentary of Seneca De Clementia book from the philosopher
Pomans jenecca, which show his intimate with classical writer and the church’s fathers.
Christian’s humanistic had opinion that moral stoa dapat disejajarkan dengan christian’s faith.
From that writing, Calvin had proven he had same opinion. Calvin was still under the
teaching of biblical reform humanism, whose chief at Paris was Lefevre d’Etaples. We can’t
determined exactly when he turned to Protestanism. But, Calvin had familiar with Luther’s
writings before 1529.7

He stayed at Angouleme, where he perhaps began his work, Institutio Chritianae

Religion. Then he went to Orleans, where he composed his first theological work,
Psychopannychia. In May 1534 Calvin benefices in Noyon were distributed to others and this
is generally seen as his final separation from the old Church 8. In the summer on 1535 he
6
Hubert Jedin (ed.), History of The Church …., Pg. 362
7
Hubert Jedin (ed.), History of The Church …., Pg. 363
8
Hubert Jedin (ed.), History of The Church …., Pg. 364

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finished the Institutio. The first edition contain the short summary of Gospel’s teaching and
an apologia for the French Protestans with a dedicatory note to King Francis I. Calvin’s
opponents claims that the Church was constantly present and was visible in her external form
and Church visible in the Roman see and the hierarchy of their bishops

Calvin was like to read and spread Luther’s writing. In 1533, he stayed in Etienne de
la Forge’s house, a rich man who interested in reformation movement. In that house, they
usually made the secret meeting. He met the reformer Fabrist, Gerard Roussel, who favored a
reform without an open breach.

In the same year, persecution was started. France’s government because of political
reason persecuted protestans9. Sometimes people heard the news of arrest, oppression, even
ignition. In November 1533, Calvin was suspended made the text of Nicolas Cop’s speech
that smells reformation. But another source wrote that the discourse of Cop was really the
work of Calvin10. It made him went out from the city. This persecution was the initial cause
of his open revolt.

C. First Activity In Geneva (1536-1538)

In 1536, Calvin leaved Basel then he went to Italy and Paris. When he went to
Strasbourg Calvin was prevented by the war so he went to Geneva in July-August of 1536.
Gauillaume Farel was beforehand appear in Geneva as a preacher. He got Calvin to help the
reformation movement in Geneva. Calvin at first had no will making a reformation. He was
to Strasbourg to study more and more and continued his writing. Farel persuaded him to
make a reformation but Calvin refused. Thus Farel cursed Calvin because Calvin only
looking to his own will and not to the will of Christ. Calvin said ,” In Farel’s words, it’s like
God from heaven put His hand on my head.”11 Calvin’s vocation was similar with the
vocation of Moses, Jeremiah and Paul. Calvin’s repentance was not same as Luther. His
repentance wasn’t appear from a anxious wrestling for his own salvation and surely didn’t
have the radical understanding about gospels. His repentance was based on his own
experience of God.

Geneva just got freedom from the government of Geneva’s bishop and tend to
memihak to reformers. This free city now held by city council. City council took

9
______. Sejarah Agama Kristiani II…, P 34
10
Dom Charles Puoulet, Church History…, Pg. 45
11
W.F. Dankbaar, Calvin…, Pg. 42

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responsibility both politics and ecclesial things. Catholic priests were banished and pastors
like Farrel were invited to reform the ecclesial life. City council and people solemnly
resolved “to live according to the Gospel”. Calvin believe that in organization the Church at
Geneva, he must organize it in imitation of the primitive church and thereby reassert the
independence of the church.

Farel needed Calvin’s help to organize. Calvin first preached about Holy Scripture. At
the end of 1536 he was appointed as a preacher and pastor of the Church of Geneva. When
there were a conflict between Catholics and reformed theologians, he had displayed his force
of religious conviction and his wide knowledge of the Bible and theology. In the same year,
he drafted the rules of organization for the congregation. Much of Geneva citizen supported
him, but not for the sake of Gospel, but to shake off the rule of the bishop and of the Duke of
Savoy. We can see the misunderstanding evangelical freedom for political independence or
even for license12.

Calvin concern to fix the beliefs of the new Church, which he did in two works:
Articuli de Regimine Ecclesiae, treating especially of the Lord’s Supper and the Catechism in
1537.13 The Articuli de Regimine Ecclesiae submitted to the city council by Farel and other
preachers. It gave a short and clear exposition of Calvinism. It stressed the discipline of
congregation life. He told that Lord’s holy supper must often be celebrated. Communion
should be celebrated every Sunday as a praiseworthy demonstration of the divine grace and
as an encouragement to a unity Christian life in the body of Christ. But, because of many
people ignored it, Calvin would agree to a monthly celebration. The city council even decreed
that the celebration of Communion be held only four times a year. This became the contrary
rule between reformers and council. Council appointed a strong and incorruptible men to
keep the behavior of their fellw citizens in all sections. In the second section of the articels
dirctions are given for the congregational psalmody. The third deals with the instruction of
children. Calvin and Farel even bold to claim power of excommunication.

Calvin brought out a cathecism in French, but not yet in the form of question and
answer. He included the commandments, the Creed, the Lords Prayer, the Sacraments and
spiritual and secular authority. The Creed must obeyed by all citizens and inhabitants of
Geneva. Whoever refused to accept the creed would lose his citizenship and go elsewhere to
live. The ecclesial live were to see that if everyone live on it and the council was to punish
12
Hubert Jedin (ed.), History of The Church …., Pg. 366
13
Dom Charles Puoulet, Church History…, Pg.47

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those who refused. The council had prevented the independent civil authorities, so the city
and the church depended on the secular power.

Calvin admitted only two sacraments, Baptism and the Eucharist. Calvin denied the
real presence which he think that it was unworthy of the risen saviour. The Lord only gives us
the figure of his body and his blood. Calvin also refused ancient supersititions. There were no
images, no ornaments, no holy water, no unleavened bread and Bible took the main plaace of
all these. Thus, Calvin based his teaching on the Bible, because it deigned to make known
what is good and what is evil. No one permitted contradicting this teaching. The form of
government inaugurated by Calvin has been fitly characterized as Bibliocracy.14

In March 1537, the council decided that the church organization had to be obeyed in
full. On 29 July, the council secretary read aloud the creed and the city ordinance. On 12
November the order told that whoever did not take the oath was to lose all rights in Geneva.
Not all people agreed to bind themselves under oath to the Creed. Opposition to the council
grew. In February 1538, Calvin’s opponent were elected to the council and the opposition
obtained a majority. Soon, the council forbade the reformers to mix in political affairs and
ecclesial instituted. The reformers tried to preserve the independece of religion when Bern
urged that the customs it had retained- some ceremonial like baptismal font, unleaved bread,
Chrismast, New Year’s, etc- should be reintroduced in Geneva. In March 1538, two hundred
council member voted its acceptance of ceremonial agreement with Bern and also ordered the
pastors to comply. Calvin and Farel semakin tersudut. On Easter Tuesday 23 April 1538, the
general council decreed the banishment of Calvin and Farel. They had to leave Geneva in
three days.

D. Calvin in Strasbourg

In 1538, Calvin left Geneva and went to Basel, intending to revise his Institutio.
Bucer asked him to go to Strasbourg and doing some pastoral office. When Calvin hesitated
doing that, Bucer threatened him with the anger of God, with reference to the Prophet Jonah.
Calvin went to Strasbourg in September 1538. He preached in the French refugee community
and edited the Institutio. Learning from the difficulties in Geneva, he learned from
cooperating with Bucer and Capito how to build up a community and its order and thus found
his complete formation.

14
Dom Charles Puoulet, Church History…, Pg. 46

6
 Calvin benefitted a “German mass” that composed by pastor Theobald Schwarz for
his French congregation at Strasbourg. In 1539 he made in French a psaltery, containing
eighteen psalms, the Apostles Creed, the canticle Simeon, and the Ten Commandments in
hymn form. In 1540 he also made a formulary for liturgy of the word, communion and
baptism. In Strasbourg Calvin didn’t find any difficulties as when he stayed in Geneva,
because his little refugee congregation was under the protection of law. There, he married
with a widow of an Anabaptist who became a helper in his life’s work.

Calvin knew the situation of religion in Germany because he often participated in

religious discussions at Frankfurt, Hagenau, Worms and Regensburg. He met with leaders of
German Protestantism, especially Melanchton. Although Luther and Calvin never met, they
knew each other through their writings. Their differences in personality made a differing
theological interpretations, notably in regard to communion. If Luther acted in sentimental
ways and full of anger, Calvin acted with a clear rationalism15.

Calvin participated in the Regensburg Colloquy of 1541 as delegate of Starsbourg. He

critized the doctrine of Eucharist. If Melanchton and Bucer recognized transubstantiation, but
Calvin didn’t. He really opposed the treatment of the Mass.

E. Geneva, organization and reformation

On 4 September 1541, Calvin returned to Geneva. There was a prelude of his return.
In Geneva, the situation became more chaos. Pastors and mayors don’t support reestablish
orderly life. The followers of Calvin and Farel, called “Guillermins” began to act again. They
refused to return to the Old Church. To face this situation, Cardinal Jacob Sadoleto, Bishop of
Carpentras, published an open letter to the city of Geneva, inviting them to come back to the
bosom of the Church. Erasmian, a cardinal, wrote a letter that alleged the follower of Calvin
only striving for personal power and honor. He stressed the justification by faith alone, of the
sacraments, and of the invocation of the saints. He wrote that anyone who separates himself
from this Church, has no champion at the Last Judgment and the outer darkness awaits him.
Everybody had to return to Catholic Church and its spiritual leader.

The Geneva pastors were at a loss what to do. When Calvin was still in Strasbourg, he
was requested to rejoin in Geneva. Calvin helped them with a reply message. Calvin wrote
that Church is based, not on the approval of the centuries, but on the word of God. He

15
Hubert Jedin (ed.), History of The Church …., Pg. 370

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stressed the correct worship. Calvin proved that he didn’t split the Church nor withdraw from
her. As the result, that letter won the Geneva’s reformation. Many people became more aware
of the inability of their pastors and the desire to have Calvin’s reformation grew back.

In February 1539, mayors who were sympathetic to radical reforms had come into
office. Calvin was invited back, but he refused. In October 1540 an official petition from
council asked him and Farel back again. Calvin tried to determine his choice in the will of
God. Finally, he decided going back to Geneva but Farel did not do the same.

On 13 September 1541, Calvin entered the council hall and was treated with greatest
politeness and was served very politely. The struggle over the independence of the spiritual
power were in store for him. He became a dictator of the city and want to carry out all of his
programme. He write Ecclesiastical Ordinances, a sort of religious constitution for Geneva
Church16. There soon followed a liturgy and the catechism that modeled on parish in
Strasbourg. Calvin also adopted the system of four ecclesiastical offices: pastors, doctors,
elders and deacons17.

Pastors were to preach the word of God and administer the Sacraments. Every week
was performed study of Scripture and consultation on pastoral matters. The compagnie was to
nominate a new pastors, but the biggest power of selection rested with the council. Calvin
marked that the pastors should be inducted into office without any superstitious ceremonies,
and only did the instruction on the office and prayer. Thus, liturgy of Catholic became more
apart from them.

Doctors acted as teachers of theology. They were to deliver lectures on Old and New
Testaments. They also had to supervise candidates for the office of pastors. In the secondary
school, they were to teach the biblical languages and gave a general education.

Beside that, the elders took responsibility to supervise the behavior of the members of
the congregation. They supervised by visiting homes in regular times. Whoever was proofed
guilty of gossiping, drunking, usury, immorality, brawling, card playing, etc. was brought
before the consistory each Thursday by a city official. They had to be excommunicated after
three warnings and denounced to the council. In Geneva, the elder seemed like an agent of
the city council. Council in agreement with pastors selected twelve elders from among the
membership of the council. Calvin couldn’t act with full independence because the mayor
16
Dom Charles Puoulet, Church History…, Pg. 48
17
Hubert Jedin (ed.), History of The Church …., Pg. 373

8
took the biggest role . Deacons were stewards of ecclesiastical institutions or took direct
charge of the poor and the sick.18

Calvin compiled the cathecism in November 1541. This “Geneva Cathecism” of 1542
differed in form and arrangement from that of 1537. It had include questions and answers. It
also abandoned the arrangement of Luther’s small catechism. The Order was: faith, law,
prayer, sacraments. The law was not only a “disciplinarian”. The law gave to baptized the
rule of Christian life.

The community organization of Geneva faced problems before it could realize. Many
people saw this as the limitation of personal freedom. These opponents called themselves
patriots, but Calvin’s friend called them “libertines,” because they stood for a more liberal
concept of moral and proper life. The leader of the opposition was Amie Perrin, who had at
first been one of the Calvin’s side. But it had been changed when his father-in-law had been
jailed for eight days because of the bad behaviour at a wedding and his wife had been
rebuked for dancing at a wedding. For years Calvin had to put up with various restrictions
and affronts. But in the elections of council in January 1555, the new mayors and a majority
of the council were on Calvin’s side. Thus, the rioters were either executed or banisehed. The
ecclesiastical council obtained more freedom from the secular government.

In 1556, Calvin asked for advice from Johannes Strum, the great teacher, about his
plan making a university. Finally the academy opened in 1559 with two departments. In
addition to elementary instruction, Latin, Greek, and philosophy were taught in the “Schola
privata”, a continuation of the earlier Latin school. This university menarik many students far
beyond Geneva and created reformer’s actor such as: Olevianus, Philip Marniz de Sainte-
Aldegonde and Jhon Knox.

Calvin was given the citizenship because of his recognition of many valuable services
the he had rendered since the Christian Reformation of the republic. He death on 27 May
1564.

18
Hubert Jedin (ed.), History of The Church …., Pg. 374-375

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 F. Reflection

Calvin who at first was the loyal catholic and dreamed to become a priest, leaved that
because of his grudge to the excommunication of his father. Thus, he moved to protestant and
became the opponent of Roman Catholic Church. Actually the motivation was too subjective
because persisted his own feeling. Calvin should not immediately leaved his faith in Catholic
only because his father. Then, he studied humanistic which made him desiring to take back
the church to its origin spirit. Actually, he can reform church from inside without making the
new church, but he did not do that. It can’t be unwilled that the reformation of Geneva mixed
with political business. Indeed Calvin really wanted to reform the church so the church can
return to its pure spirit, but the council focused to make the clear organization in the city.

The reform’s action in Geneva seemed too cruel. History showed the ignition,
persecution to every citizen who was not loyal to the rule. Calvin built the rule with tight
discipline. But his action was opposed to the law of love which gospel teach. In the other
side, the discipline fruit the sweet result. Geneva become the model of the disciplined church,
which attracted many country to see Geneva’s church. The academy also created the great
people. At last, a church reformation only bring dissension and hostility to the old church and
created the right church based on the view of its founder and follower.

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 Bibliography

Chadwick, Owen. The Pelican History of The Church Vol III. U.S.A. : Penguin books, 1964.

Dankbaar, W.F.. Calvin, Djalan Hidup dan Karjanja. Jakarta: BPK, 1967

Douglas, J. D. (ed.). The New International Dictionary of The Christian Church. USA: The
Paternoster press, 1978.

Jedin, Hubert (ed.). History of The Church Vol. V, Reformation and Counter Reformation.
USA: The Seaburg Press, 1980.

Jonge, Christian De. Apa Itu Calvinisme?. Jakarta: BPK Gunung Mulia, 1999.

Puoulet, Dom Charles. Church History Vol. II. USA: The Seaburg Press, 1945.

______. Sejarah Agama Kristiani II, Diktat untuk Kuliah. STFT St. Yohanes
Pematangsiantar, 2014.

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