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JOHN CALVIN : LIFE, LEGACY AND THEOLOGY -<br />
PROF. M. M. NINAN<br />
Impact on France<br />
<strong>Calvin</strong> was deeply committed to reforming his homel<strong>and</strong>, France. The Protestant movement had been<br />
energetic, but lacked central organizational direction. With financial support from the church in<br />
Geneva, <strong>Calvin</strong> turned his enormous energies toward uplifting the French Protestant cause. As one<br />
historian explains:<br />
He supplied the dogma, the liturgy, <strong>and</strong> the moral ideas of the new religion, <strong>and</strong> he also created<br />
ecclesiastical, political, <strong>and</strong> social institutions in harmony with it. A born leader, he followed up his<br />
work with personal appeals. His vast correspondence with French Protestants shows not only much<br />
zeal but infinite pains <strong>and</strong> considerable tact <strong>and</strong> driving home the lessons of his printed treatises.<br />
Between 1555 <strong>and</strong> 1562, more than 100 ministers were sent to France. Nevertheless French King<br />
Henry II severely persecuted Protestants under the Edict of Chateaubri<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> when the French<br />
authorities complained about the missionary activities, the city fathers of Geneva disclaimed official<br />
responsibility.<br />
While instituting many positive policies, <strong>Calvin</strong>'s government also punished "impiety" <strong>and</strong> dissent<br />
against his particularly spare vision of Christianity with execution.<br />
The struggle over control of Geneva lasted until May 1555, when <strong>Calvin</strong> finally prevailed <strong>and</strong> could<br />
devote himself more wholeheartedly to other matters. He had constantly to watch the international<br />
scene <strong>and</strong> to keep his Protestant allies in a common front. Toward this end he engaged in a massive<br />
correspondence with political <strong>and</strong> religious leaders throughout Protestant Europe.<br />
He also continued his commentaries on Scripture, working through the whole New Testament except<br />
the Revelation to <strong>John</strong> <strong>and</strong> most of the Old Testament. Many of these commentaries were promptly<br />
published, often with dedications to such European rulers as Queen Elizabeth, though <strong>Calvin</strong> had too<br />
little time to do much of the editorial work himself. Committees of amanuenses took down what he<br />
said, prepared a master copy, <strong>and</strong> then presented it to <strong>Calvin</strong> for approval. During this period <strong>Calvin</strong><br />
also established the Genevan Academy to train students in humanist learning in preparation for the<br />
ministry <strong>and</strong> positions of secular leadership. He also performed a wide range of pastoral duties,<br />
preaching regularly <strong>and</strong> often, doing numerous weddings <strong>and</strong> baptisms, <strong>and</strong> giving spiritual advice<br />
In 1559 <strong>Calvin</strong> founded what is now the University of Geneva…<br />
<strong>Calvin</strong>, for his part, preached twice every Sunday <strong>and</strong> every day of alternate weeks. When not<br />
preaching, he lectured as the Old Testament professor three times a week. He took his place regularly<br />
on the Consistory, which met every Thursday. And he was either on committees or incessantly being<br />
asked for advice about matters relating to the deacons.<br />
<strong>Calvin</strong> drove himself beyond his body's limits. When he could not walk the couple of hundred yards to<br />
church, he was carried in a chair to preach. When the doctor forbade him to go out in the winter air to<br />
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