Education: 1523 Paris, liberal arts; 1527 Orleans, law, classics
1534 Affair of Placards: French King suppresses Reform
1534-1538 flees to Strasbourg
& Basel
Systematic
theologian of the Reformation:
1536 Institutes
of the Christian Religion Latin edition;
1541 French edition (rewritten in multiple editions to 1559)
Central
theological concerns:
(cf Luther's = salvation)
1) double predestination (= election plus damnation)
2) in Christian disciple in church & society (for glory
of God)
Geneva:
1534 urban revolution
against Bishop & Duke of Savoy
1536 Calvin called to begin reform of Geneva (William Farel)
1536
Geneva Confession:
statement of reformed belief,
citizens must publicly swear to it
1538 "Libertines" (anti-Calvin) win elections; Calvin exiled
1541 Calvin recalled to Geneva, Council accepts Ordinances
Calvinist Church Organization: Ecclesiastical Ordinances
1) church organization separate from city govt (vs Zwingli)
rejects
state control of religion (vs Luther); church higher
2) Presbyterian church government: (vs episcopal)
teaching
offices: pastors, doctors (theology professors)
lay
administration of church: deacons (social services) &
elders (called
presbyters)- sit on consistory
3) consistory: church court enforces "Christian discipline"
local pastors
+ 12 elders; morals: adultery, blasphemy,
4) goal of church: Christian reform
of society
Geneva as
model Protestant city;
1550's French
Huguenot refugees
5) 1559 Geneva Academy: trains Calvinist pastors &
missionaries
Michael Servetus: Spanish physician, 1553
executed in Geneva
against infant baptism, anti-Trinitarian, anti-Calvin
Sebastian Castellio - opposes Calvin's actions
vs Servetus
1554 Concerning Heretics: Whether They are to be Persecuted
first
extended statement in favor of religious toleration
arrested
& tried for heresy by Calvin; dies during trial