John Calvin-Life,Legacy and Theology

More documents

Recommendations

Info

JOHN CALVIN : LIFE, LEGACY AND THEOLOGY - PROF. M. M. NINAN privacy in some obscure place, and saw that he gained nothing by entreaty, he descended to cursing, and said that God would surely curse my peace if I held back from giving help at a time of such great need. Terrified by his words, and conscious of my own timidity and cowardice, I gave up my journey and attempted to apply whatever gift I had in defense of my faith” By September 1536, all necessary business addressed, Calvin took up residence in Geneva as a ‘Reader in Holy Scripture’. He received no pay until the following February. Nevertheless, Calvin quickly rose to prominence simply through his scholarship. Soon after there was dispute between the Roman Catholic and the evolving Protestant groups in Lausanne. The debate was convened by the city to help the citizens determine in which direction the city would move. Peter Viret, a Protestan presented the subjet of debate and the debate went on for three whole days which brought in several scholars of the city from both side. Calvin was on the audience and did not got himself involved. On the fourth day one Roman Catholic priest presented the doctrine of the bodily presence of Christ in the elements of the Mass, and how these common material elements of bread and wine are turned into the flesh and blood of Jesus himself during the sacrament. This was one of the main arguments which was opposed by the reformers. At the end of the presentation, Calvin rose on his feet and gave a detailed argument against it, even though he was not prepared for it. These arguments based on earlly fathers and the scripture was so immpressed those who heard him that a Franciscan friar stood, and on the spot denounced his own errors, renounced his monastic vows, and pronounced himself determined to follow Christ and his pure doctrine. Even the Catholic priest who presented and initiated the debate was converted. The city voted for the reform stand. Calvin accepted his new role without any preconditions on his tasks or duties. He was eventually given the title of "reader", which most likely meant that he could give expository lectures on the Bible. Sometime in 1537 he was selected to be a "pastor" although he never received any pastoral consecration. For the first time, the lawyer-theologian took up pastoral duties such as baptisms, weddings, and church services. The reformers often reached the extent of enforcement to rediculous levels as in enforcing a confession of faith to be signed by all the citizens. During late 1536, Farel drafted a confession of faith, and Calvin wrote separate articles on reorganizing the church in Geneva. On 16 January 1537, Farel and Calvin presented their Articles concernant l'organisation de l'église et du culte à Genève (Articles on the Organization of the Church 32
JOHN CALVIN : LIFE, LEGACY AND THEOLOGY - PROF. M. M. NINAN and its Worship at Geneva) to the city council. The document described the manner and frequency of their celebrations of the Eucharist, the reason for, and the method of, excommunication, the requirement to subscribe to the confession of faith, the use of congregational singing in the liturgy, and the revision of marriage laws. The council accepted the document on the same day. In May 1536 the city adopted religious reform: monasteries were dissolved Mass was abolished Papal authority renounced IN September, 1536, many of the principal citizens, accompanied by great numbers of the lower classes, had demanded an audience of the council; before whom they protested that they could not endure the reproofs of the ministers, and that they wished to live in freedom. The confession already mentioned, as drawn up by Farel and Calvin, was printed and distributed in the spring of 1537: yet it did not seem to produce much impression, and was ill received on all sides. Very few returned the confession signed individually as required. The article respecting excommunication, which put a great deal of power into the hands of the ministers, by enabling them to exclude the refractory from the sacrament, was particularly obnoxious. Far from giving way, however, the ministers pressed upon the government the necessity of establishing still more stringent rules for the maintenance of religion; and unless this were done, Calvin, who was bound to the city by no particular ties, threatened to leave Geneva. The oath taken by the people towards the close of the previous year to observe the confession had been administered collectively; but now Calvin and his colleagues succeeded in persuading the government that it should he offered to them individually. This ceremony accordingly took place in St. Peter's church, on Sunday the 29th of July, 1537, and following days. After a sermon by Farel, the town secretary mounted the pulpit, and read the confession. After that the people were brought up by tens, and sworn to the observance and made to sign the confession. However the people soon rose against it. Many, however, especially among the leading people, refused compliance with what cannot be designated otherwise than as an act of ecclesiastical tyranny. The council, however, were so devoted to the ministers, that at their instance they ordered the disaffected to leave the city. But they were too numerous to allow of this measure being carried into effect; and the show of such an inclination, without the power of enforcing it, only rendered the malcontents more violent. The opposition to these forcing of reform within matters connected to religious faith increased continuously. By degrees their number of supporters increased. Many of those who had sworn to the confession began to join them, and complained that they had been compelled to perjure themselves. They soon began to assume the shape of an organized party, calling themselves "Brothers in Christ," 33
Page 2 and 3: JOHN CALVIN: LIFE, LEGACY AND THEOL
Page 4 and 5: JOHN CALVIN: LIFE, LEGACY AND THEOL
Page 6 and 7: JOHN CALVIN : LIFE, LEGACY AND THEO
Page 86 and 87:
JOHN CALVIN : LIFE, LEGACY AND THEO
Page 88 and 89:
Page 90 and 91:
Page 92 and 93:
Page 94 and 95:
Page 96 and 97:
Page 98 and 99:
Page 100 and 101:
Page 102 and 103:
Page 104 and 105:
Page 106 and 107:
Page 108 and 109:
Page 110 and 111:
Page 112 and 113:
Page 114 and 115:
Page 116 and 117:
Page 118 and 119:
Page 120 and 121:
Page 122 and 123:
Page 124 and 125:
Page 126 and 127:
Page 128 and 129:
Page 130 and 131:
Page 132 and 133:
Page 134 and 135:
Page 136 and 137:
Page 138 and 139:
Page 140 and 141:
Page 142 and 143:
Page 144 and 145:
Page 146 and 147:
Page 148:
show all

John Calvin-Life,Legacy and Theology

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?