Johannes Calvinus (A Brief Bio)

With the exception of Martin Luther, of all the Reformers both past and present none, in my estimation, have had the impact on Protestantism than John Calvin. Calvin was born at Noyon in Picardy, France, July 10th 1509, and died at Geneva, May 27th 1564. Calvin was born into a French middle class family. His father practiced both civil and canon law and expected his son to do the same. Therefore, John Calvin was educated to this end, the practice of law.

Unlike Martin Luther, Calvin never made vows (monastic or otherwise) to the Roman Catholic Church. Instead, Calvin focused his entire formative years being educated in law and humanities. In fact, there is no historical evidence that Calvin’s family had any direct ties to the Roman Catholic Church other than through legal notary between Gerard Calvin (John’s Father) and the cathedral chapter in Noyon. While it is probable that Calvin’s family attended Mass, to what regularity is not known.

Somewhere between the time Calvin was being taught classical languages and perusing his B.A. in liberal arts, Calvin developed a love for theology. Many historians believe this interest in theology began when Calvin spent five years at Montaigu studying philosophy. Apparently, Calvin’s father had a change of heart for his son and withdrew John from Paris and quickly enrolled him into Orleans to study civil law. From Orleans, Calvin transferred to Bourges, where he finished his studies in law. However, around 1531 Calvin’s father became ill, so Calvin immediately went back home only to find that his father and brother had both been excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church. Calvin’s father died May 26, 1531 and Calvin’s brother Charles persuaded, with great difficulty, the cathedral chapter to allow Gerard (Calvin’s father) to be buried in consecrated ground.

After the death of Calvin’s father, several things occurred. First, Calvin was no longer obligated to study law. He therefore quickly dropped his study of law and pursued humanist studies with an emphasis in classical languages. These studies would ultimately lead Calvin to a greater interest in philosophy and theology. Second, due to the trouble Calvin’s father and his brother had with the Roman Catholic Church, it is perhaps thought that this may have embittered John against the Church, and upon his conversion to Christianity he quickly embraced the growing tenets of the Reformation and made it his task to write to that end. I believe this second point is speculative at best since there is no indication in Calvin’s writings where he mentions or even hints any trouble or bitterness toward the Church in Rome due to the situation with his Father and brother (unless I am merely overlooking it).

Eventually Calvin focused his attention on theological issues and in 1536 he completed and published his masterpiece titled Christanae Religions Iinstitutio (Institutes of the Christian Religion). While Calvin went on to write many other works, none were ever as popular nor had such a massive impact on Protestant theology as the Institutes.

Though Calvin was French, born and raised, in history he is known as the Reformer from Geneva. The interesting thing about his being "from" Geneva is the fact that the first time he ever visited was to see a friend, lu Tillet. Calvin intended to stay in Geneva only one evening until William Farel, the man who led the Reformation in Geneva found out Calvin was visiting. Apparently, as the story is told by Calvin himself, Farel marched over to where Calvin was staying and announced to Calvin that he could not leave Geneva, the city and the Protestant Church was in dire need of him. Calvin details the whole story in an autobiographical fragment found in one of his commentaries. Of course, Calvin stayed in Geneva to aid in the Reformation there, and the rest is history.

[Stay tuned, there will be more posts on Calvin’s writings and his theology]