Grace Thompson
John Calvin, the leading French Protestant reformer, is ironically responsible for converting many Protestants to Catholicism. In his pursuit of theological mastery, an individual may find themselves in a similar situation to Calvin, who himself experienced a break from the Roman Catholic Church. This internal turmoil, followed by spiritual and psychological anguish, can lead to a desire for historical rootedness and frustration with the confusion and inconsistency of Protestantism. Thus, despite growing up in an Evangelical Church and being raised Presbyterian, one might find themselves surprisingly convinced of the truth of the Catholic Church, as I did.
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What You'll Learn
John Calvin's teachings on the canon of Scripture
Calvin's view of Scripture is set forth in the first nine chapters of the Institutes. It is only after he has laid down the principle of biblical authority that he allows himself and the reader to proceed to a consideration of the doctrines of God, man, Christ, salvation, and the church. Calvin teaches that unless the authority of Scripture is firmly established, doubts will flourish in the mind, and there will be a lack of reverence for the Word. He calls it a pernicious error that the Scriptures derive their authority and weight by the votes of the church, or that the church decides what reverence is due to the Scriptures and what books comprise the canon.
Calvin introduces the argument that the Apocryphal books, unlike Sacred Scripture, fail to testify to their own inspired and infallible status. He points to the concluding remark of the author of 2 Maccabees, which reads: "I...will here make an end of my narration, which if I have done...not so perfectly, it must be pardoned me." Calvin observes that the Holy Spirit begs no forgiveness for errors or faults in His words. The author of Maccabees' words seem far from the confidence informing the Apostle John's warning against making additions or subtractions to his inspired text and, by implication, to the entire canon as such.
Calvin also notes the ambiguity in early Christian opinions about the Apocrypha, highlighting the need to evaluate claims of the Apocrypha's canonicity by a higher standard than tradition. He observes how untraditional the inclusion of these Apocryphal books in the Canon is, referencing the writings of two late-fourth/early-fifth-century Church Fathers: Jerome and Tyrannius Rufinus.
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The relationship between Calvinism and Evangelicalism
John Calvin was a French theologian and ecclesiastical statesman who played a pivotal role in the Protestant Reformation. His teachings and writings, such as the "Institutes of the Christian Religion," have had a profound and lasting impact on both Calvinism and Evangelicalism.
Calvinism, rooted in the teachings of John Calvin, emphasizes the sovereignty of God and the belief in predestination. Calvinists adhere to the concept of sola scriptura, holding that the Bible is the sole source of divine revelation and the final authority on matters of faith and practice. They also believe in sola fide and sola gratia, emphasizing that salvation is by faith alone and through God's grace alone. Additionally, Calvinists uphold divine monergism, recognizing the total depravity of humanity and asserting that God alone saves individuals by grace through faith in Christ.
Evangelicalism, on the other hand, has been influenced by Calvinism but has also evolved and diverged in certain respects. Both Calvinism and Evangelicalism share a commitment to the authority of Scripture and a focus on the individual's relationship with Jesus Christ. However, Evangelicalism places a stronger emphasis on a personal conversion experience and a holistic, life-transforming encounter with Jesus. This emphasis on individual experience and the heart's response is evident in the evangelical search for an "inner" Christianity during the mid-18th century evangelical revival.
Furthermore, in the American context, Evangelicalism has been influenced by Arminianism, which asserts that humans have free will in coming to faith, contrasting with the Calvinist belief in God's absolute sovereignty in salvation. American Evangelicalism has also been characterized by a "dumbing down" of theology and a shift away from rigorous theological tradition, as noted by some Calvinist scholars. Despite these differences, both traditions continue to shape religious discourse and practice, influencing individuals' spiritual journeys, as illustrated by testimonies of individuals who, despite being raised in a Calvinist or Evangelical environment, ultimately converted to Catholicism.
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The influence of John Calvin on American religion
John Calvin was a theologian and ecclesiastical statesman. He was the leading French Protestant reformer and the most important figure in the second generation of the Protestant Reformation. His interpretation of Christianity, advanced in his Institutio Christianae religionis (1536) (Institutes of the Christian Religion), and the institutional and social patterns he worked out for Geneva, influenced Protestantism in Europe and North America.
Calvinism contributed to the development of modern science with its empirical look at the real world. Calvin also contributed to the rise of modern capitalism by teaching that charging interest on loaned money was not immoral. He was the first Christian theologian to do so. Calvinism has spread throughout the world, with various Reformed Churches, such as the Continental Reformed, Congregationalism, Presbyterianism, and Baptist Reformed, looking to Calvin as the chief expositor of their beliefs.
Calvin was a tireless polemicist and apologetic writer who generated much controversy. He also exchanged cordial and supportive letters with many reformers, including Philipp Melanchthon and Heinrich Bullinger. In addition to his seminal Institutes of the Christian Religion, Calvin wrote commentaries on most books of the Bible, confessional documents, and various other theological works.
Calvin's teachings on faith in the third book of the Institutes, for example, explain how faith rests in Christ, is a gift of the Holy Spirit, and was planned from eternity in God's electing purpose. Calvin's most distinctive teaching is that, because of the promise of God, we can know that we will belong to Christ forever.
English Puritans, the Pilgrim Fathers, Jonathan Edwards, and the "Great Awakening" all drew on Calvin's teachings and strongly influenced American religion.
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John Calvin's break from the Roman Catholic Church
John Calvin, the French reformer, played a pivotal role in the second generation of the Protestant Reformation. His break from the Roman Catholic Church occurred around 1530, but the exact reasons remain unclear. Scholars have proposed various explanations, and it appears that a combination of factors influenced his decision.
One significant factor was Calvin's pursuit of a career in theology. Initially, Calvin considered an ecclesiastical career in his home country of France. However, a falling out between his father and the bishop of his hometown, Noyon, led him to study law instead. After his father's death, Calvin returned to Paris to complete his theology degree. During this time, tensions arose between humanists/reformers and conservative senior faculty members at the Collège Royal, which later became the Collège de France. Nicolas Cop, a reformer and rector of the university, delivered an inaugural address in 1533 advocating for reform and renewal within the Roman Catholic Church. This address was denounced as heretical, forcing Cop to flee to Basel and implicating Calvin, who had collaborated with Cop. As a result, Calvin went into hiding and eventually fled France during the Affair of the Placards in October 1534.
Calvin's studies of the Bible also played a role in his break from the Catholic Church. He envisioned a society governed by the Bible's teachings, rather than the interpretations of Rome and the Catholic Church. This is reflected in the Geneva Ordinances, a document written by Calvin, which laid out a set of rules and regulations to create a Christian community based on biblical ideals. Calvin believed that these regulations offered an improved relationship with God, unaffected by material possessions. He only recognized two sacraments: baptism and communion, in contrast to the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church.
Calvin's attendance at international religious conferences and interactions with Protestant leaders further solidified his break from Catholicism. In Strasbourg, he was introduced to the world of inter-confessional dialogue by Martin Bucer, with whom he attended religious colloquies aimed at achieving religious concord between Protestants and Catholics. Despite these efforts, Calvin ultimately became a major figure in international Protestantism. He promoted the Reformation in Geneva and throughout Europe, enforcing strict disciplinary actions and measures against "Roman Catholic superstition."
In summary, John Calvin's break from the Roman Catholic Church was likely influenced by a combination of personal, theological, and social factors. His pursuit of theological studies, desire for a Bible-centered society, and involvement with Protestant leaders all contributed to his decision to leave the Catholic Church and become a leading voice in the Protestant Reformation.
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John Calvin's treatment of the Bible
John Calvin, the leading French Protestant reformer, was a theologian and ecclesiastical statesman. He believed that Scripture is necessary for human understanding of God's revelation, and that it is the equivalent of direct revelation. Calvin viewed Scripture as majestic and simple, with an "unpolished simplicity". He compared Scripture to a pair of spectacles that enable us to properly interpret what we see in creation. Calvin also believed that inscripturation is necessary to avoid the errors inherent in oral transmission.
Calvin produced commentaries on most of the books of the Bible. His first commentary on Romans was published in 1540, and he devoted himself to writing commentaries on the entire New Testament. Within four years, he had published commentaries on all the Pauline epistles and revised his commentary on Romans. He then turned his attention to the general epistles, dedicating them to Edward VI of England. By 1555, he had completed his work on the New Testament, finishing with the Acts and the Gospels. For the Old Testament, he wrote commentaries on Isaiah, the books of the Pentateuch, the Psalms, and Joshua.
Calvin's sermons were known for their consistency, and he worked his way through the Bible in consecutive sermons. From March 1555 to July 1556, Calvin delivered two hundred sermons on Deuteronomy. He also lectured on the Bible while in Strasbourg, where he was pastor of a church for French-speaking refugees.
Calvin's views on Scripture are found mainly in his Institutes of the Christian Religion, which also reflected the findings of his massive biblical commentaries. His first edition of the Institutes was published in Basel in 1536, and subsequent editions in Latin and French contained elaborated and revised teachings and replies to his critics.
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Frequently asked questions
The book is about the author's journey to Catholicism, which was influenced by their study of John Calvin, a French reformer and theologian. The title is a bit of hyperbole, and the author's conversion was the result of a decade of theological study and a desire for historical rootedness.
The author's study of Calvin's treatment of the Bible and their examination of Calvin's teaching on the canon of Scripture influenced their decision to leave Protestantism. The author also mentions that their upbringing in an Evangelical Church and their study of Reformation history contributed to their interest in Catholicism.
Some specific events and experiences that influenced the author's conversion include:
- Their friendship with the college chaplain at Calvin and their participation in a group that discussed John Calvin's "Institutes."
- Watching a televised Catholic Mass and becoming interested in Catholic teachings.
- Attending Episcopal church services and being introduced to a liturgical form of worship.
- A conversation with a Protestant friend about the Catholic position on the Eucharist.
