John Calvin for Dummies

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John Calvin for Dummies

• Background to the Reformation

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Theories of the Reformation

• Background to the Reformation

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Theories Why?

• Old Fashion Revolution One ruling elite
  replaced another
• Insignificant  Did not permanently change
  anything and no different from what all religions
  are seeking.
• Genuine Clearest re-presentation of Gospel
  since New Testament

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Contexts of the Reformation

• Background to the Reformation

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Political

• Kings and national consciousness became stronger
  

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England

•  
• War of Roses (Lancaster and York) united England.
• Henry VII (1495) initiated House of Tudor.
• England had national church but not Catholic
  because they rejected papal control.

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Spain

• Marriage of Isabella and Ferdinand united Spain
  (1469).
• While not papal, Roman Catholic Church was
  national by 16th century.
• The Reformation made no progress in Spain because
  of strength of Catholic political rulers.
• By time of Reformation, Charles, son of
  Ferdinand, was King.

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Germany

• Maximillian (Germany) married Mary (Burgundy
  the Netherlands). Their child was Philip who
  married Joanna (Spain). Their child was Charles
  V who became Holy Roman Emperor, 1519. By
  inheritance became most powerful ruler since
  Charlemagne. A cosmopolitan man, someone has
  said he spoke French to the ladies, Italian to
  the men, German to his horse and Spanish to God.
  While technically Germany was under the Holy
  Roman Empire (descending from Charlemagne, 800s),
  there were 365 sovereign states within German
  territory, including ecclesiastical states.
• Council of Constance cured Great Schism 1417 and
  established one pope over the Empire with
  authority immediately from Christ.

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France

• When the Hundred Years War ended in 1453, France
  developed a sense of national unity. The
  Catholic Church was national and papal. It was
  the home of the Babylonian (Avignon) captivity
  (1309-78).
• Francis I became king in 1515 while Calvin was
  writing from Geneva (dedicatory preface to
  Institutes).

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Social Factors

• After the Plague, cities began to grow again. By
  1500, five cities in the world were over 100,000.
  By 1600, twelve cities were over 100,000.
  Genevas population was 15,000 Wittenberg never
  had more than 3500.
• Reformation succeeded in cities because the
  populace was more open to change
• People were able to make money without inheriting
  it.
• Kings became more powerful than popes.

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Ecclesiastical Factors

•  Papal corruption
• Secularized Cardinal speaking of Medicci Pope
  he would have been a good pope had he believed
  in God. Medicci Pope said, Now that we have
  attained papacy, let us enjoy it.
• Lucrative sold indulgences, taxed papal
  estates, higher clergy taxed lower clergy

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Ecclesiastical Factors

• Members 
• Sacramental system was mechanical and only
  reminded of Christs merit in order to inspire
  members merit.
• Lacked assurance and feared death sought relief
  through indulgences, masses for the dead and
  viewing relics/pilgrimages.

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Progress of the Reformation

• Background to the Reformation

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Germany
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Discovery of Grace

• Augustinian monk (1505)
• Professor of Bible at University of Wittenberg
  (1512)
• Ninety-five theses (1517)
• Tower experience (1518)
•  

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Justification

• Debates Scripture Alone
• Bulls
• Against Luthers teaching (June 1520)
• For excommunication (Jan. 1521)
• Writings between Bulls
• Appeal to German Nobility against the pope
• Babylonian Captivity of the Church repudiated
  sacramental system fuzzy on confession
• Freedom of the Christian Man most beautiful
  what it means to be a Christian

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Conflicts

• State
• Diet of Worms (1521)
• Temporal ban at Wartburg (1521-22) under ban of
  State for treason, interdicted by Frederick for
  safekeeping at Wartburg
•  

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Conflicts

• Devil
• Inkwell at Wartburg
• dark night of the soul regularly battled
  spiritual depression, played lute and flute for
  comfort, and Katie was an aid (From the way you
  were acting, I thought God had died)

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Conflicts

• Radicals
• Andrew Karlstadt tried to push Reformation
  faster, but Luther urged moderation
• Peasants hereditary rights to things like
  firewood, etc. were being taken away
• Luthers Admonition to Peace said the nobles
  were guilty of oppression and the peasants were
  guilty of insurrection

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Conflicts

• Erasmus
• On Free Will (1524) bondage of the will is one
  of the useless doctrines we can do without,
  afraid it would give rise to licentiousness
• On the Bondage of the Will (1525) if brilliant
  man like Erasmus cannot develop freedom of the
  will, proves it is a lie
• Zwingli
• Marburg (1529) dispute over Christs presence
  in Supper. After gaining respite from Francis
  the Pope and the Turks, Charles V turned his
  attention against the Protestants. They sought
  at Marburg to strengthen themselves by unifying.
  Agreed on 15 of 16 points but left divided.

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Conflicts

• Self
• Coarse language and conduct
• Tolerated secret bigamy of Philip of Hesse
  Protestant elector who could not divorce first
  wife, nor give up second
• Harsh toward Jews when grew impatient that they
  were not converting.

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Switzerland

• Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531) was third man of the
  Reformation in terms of prominence though his
  life and work occurred between Luthers
  (1483-1546) and Calvins (1509-1564).  
• Founder of the Reformed Tradition, that is,
  international, non-sectarian consensus on
  Scriptural principles as opposed to Lutheran.
  That emphasis was continued by his son-in-law
  Bullinger who at the Consensus Tigerinus pulled
  together Calvin and Zwinglian works on Lords
  Supper.

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Zwingli

• Preacher and patriot
• Man of the Land
• Born January 1, 1484 to relatively prosperous and
  godly agrarian family. He was proud of his
  heritage and reminded that Adam and Eve were the
  first peasants.
• The Reformation will proceed as surely as the
  Rhine.
• Translation of Psalm 23, He leads me along the
  Alps.

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Zwingli

• Studied classics, Erasmus, the Greek and Hebrew
  Bible. Memorized the Epistles in Greek.
• Ministry at Great Minster in Zurich (1519) 
• Preaching Began in Matthew and preached through
  the New Testament. Thrilled the people.
• Gifted musician, singer, composer
• Reform at Zurich 
• Sermon On the Choice and Freedom of Foods (1522)
  breaking point was indulgences in Germany
  sausages in Switzerland
• Priests petition to Marry (1522) Bishop denied
  request, but Zwingli and nine others married.  

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England

• The course of the Reformation in England followed
  the ideas of Henry and his successive children
  Edward, Mary, and Elizabeth. 

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England Early Influences

• Wycliffe and the Lollards (1506-30) 50 Lollards
  were killed between 1506-30.
• Erasmian Humanists (Thomas More, 1478-1535)
  Among there ranks were defenders and objectors to
  Catholic Church
• New German Theology (Lutheran)
• Cambridge (White Horse Inn) Latimer, Ridley,
  Foxe, Tyndale (maybe) formed study group to
  promote German theology.
• William Tyndales (1494-1536), New Testament
  (1526) included Lutheran preface and notes.
  When Tyndale died he prayed Lord, open the
  King of Englands eyes 

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Henry VIII

• King of England (1509-47) He was the king, the
  whole king and nothing but the king. He desired
  to be the pope, the whole pope, and something
  more than the pope
• Henrys divorce problem (Catherine of Aragon)
  received a papal dispensation to marry his
  brothers widow. 
• Canonical Married in 1510. Sought divorce in
  1527. Problem with church because some supported
  earlier dispensation.
• Political Rome just captured by Charles V and
  Pope Clement VII not willing to offend Charles
  (Catherines nephew) in order to please Henry.
• Solution laws culminating in the Supremacy Act
  (1534) Thomas More executed because he refused
  to acknowledge Act of Supremacy
• Creation of new church
• Thomas Cromwell (1485-1540) Chief political
  advisor to Henry. Convinced him to put Coverdale
  Bible (based on Tyndales) in all churches
• Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556) Archbishop of
  Canterbury quiet scholar, timid. Greatest
  accomplishment, appreciation of tradition and
  piety which produced Book of Common Prayer

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Edward VI 1547-1553

• Became king at nine years old  
• Dramatic move to Protestantism 
• Book of Common Prayer (1549) Lutheran
• Forty-two Articles (1552) Calvinistic, basis of
  Thirty-Nine Articles
• Second Book of Common Prayer (1552) Puritan 

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Mary Tudor 1553-1558

• Catholic, pro-Spanish (married Philip II of
  Spain) offended English, dismantled
  Protestantism
• By 1554, England was Catholic again
• Marian Exiles left England to save life, John
  Knox left
• Martyrs (about 300), earned name Bloody Mary
• John Foxes (1516-87) Acts and Monuments (Book
  of Martyrs) responsible for spreading
  anti-Catholic sentiments
• Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley (1555) Today
  we shall light such a candle in England as will
  never be put out
• John Hooper (1555) Life to come is more bitter
  and death to come is more sweet
• Thomas Cranmer (1556) Signed document to
  recant, but burned anyway. Recanted recantation
  and charred hand, which signed document

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Conclusion

• Lovers of Jesus Christ

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Not. . .

• Lutheran
• Protestant
• Reformed
• Evangelical
• Catholic
• Christian
• But. . .

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Lovers of Jesus Christ

• Prophets
• Disciples

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Prophets Against Falsehood

• We are before a spectacle exactly like that of a
  city struck by a severe epidemic and taken by
  assault by an enemy, that is sinking under the
  simultaneous impact of the double carnage and is
  being utterly consumed in a single fire. Blow
  your trumpet, watchman! To arms, shepherd!
  What? You do nothing? What? You remain
  inactive? What? You sleep? Now, when there is
  murder everywhere? . . .You must render an
  account to the Lord of so many dead, wretched
  man you are a homicide so many times, you are
  guilty of the blood shed, every drop of which the
  Lord will reclaim from your own hand. . . . But
  it is still not enough to call you a homicide and
  traitor to your own people. Behold a crime too
  great for any branding to punish as far as it
  depends on you, you sell Christ over again and
  crucify him anew. --Calvin

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Disciples for Christ

• To all lovers of Jesus Christ and of his Gospel,
  greetings.Preface to Olivetan Bible, 1535
• We are all called to this inheritance without
  distinction of persons male or female, small or
  great, servant or lord, master or disciple,
  cleric of layman, Hebrew or Greek, Frenchman or
  Latin, none is rejected anyone who will with
  assured trust receive what is sent to him, who
  will embrace what is presented to him, in short,
  who will recognize Jesus Christ as what he has
  been given by the Father.
• Preface, 1535