John Calvin (1509-1564)
Father of what is known as Reformed and Presbyterian doctrine and theology. Calvin was born in Noyon, Picardie. His father was a notary who served the bishop of Noyon, and as a result Calvin, while still a child, received a canonry in the cathedral which would pay for his education.
Although he commenced
training for the priesthood at the University of Paris, his father, because of
a controversy with the bishop and clergy of the Noyon cathedral, now decided
that his son should become a lawyer, and sent him to Orleans, where he studied
under Pierre de l'Etoile. Later he studied at Bourges under the humanist lawyer
Andrea Alciati.
On his father's death Calvin
returned to Paris, where he became involved with the Protestants there and as a
result had to leave, eventually spending some time in Italy and in Basel,
Switzerland. In the latter city he published the first edition of the
Institutes of the Christian Religion (1536).
After wandering around France, he decided to go to Strasbourg, a Protestant city, but while stopping overnight in Geneva he was approached by William Farel, who had introduced the Protestant movement there. After considerable argument Calvin was persuaded to stay and help. Calvin and Farel, however, soon ran into strong opposition and were forced out of the city, Calvin going to Strasbourg, where he stayed for three years (1538-41), ministering to a French Protestant refugee congregation. Called back to Geneva in 1541, he remained there for the rest of his life as one of the leaders of the Reformed Church.
A little known fact about John Calvin
Taken
from the book Believer's Conditional Security By Dan Corner
On October 27, 1553 John Calvin, the founder of what is known as Calvinism, had Michael Servetus, the Spanish physician, burned at the stake just outside of Geneva for his doctrinal heresies! Hence, the originator of the popular doctrine of "Once saved, always saved" (known in certain circles as "the perseverance of the saints") violated the cry of the Reformation -- "Sola Scriptura" -- by murdering a doctrinal heretic without Scriptural justification. This event was something Calvin had considered long before Servetus was even captured, for Calvin wrote his friend, Farel, on February 13, 1546 (seven years prior to Servetus' arrest) and went on record as saying: "If he [Servetus] comes [to Geneva], I shall never let him go out alive if my authority has weight."
Evidently, in that day
Calvin's authority in Geneva, Switzerland had ultimate "weight." This
is why some referred to Geneva as the "Rome of Protestantism" and to
Calvin as the "Protestant 'Pope' of Geneva."
During
Servetus' trial, Calvin wrote: "I hope that the verdict will call for the death penalty."
All this reveals a side of
John Calvin that is not well-known or very appealing, to say the least!
Obviously, he had a prolonged, murderous hate in his heart and was willing to
violate Scripture to put another to death and in a most cruel way. Although
Calvin consented to Servetus' request to be beheaded, he acquiesced to the mode
of execution employed. Why did Calvin have a death wish for Servetus?
"To
rescue Servetus from his heresies, Calvin replied with the latest edition of
his 'Institutes of the Christian Religion,' which Servetus promptly returned
with insulting marginal comments. Despite Servetus's [sic] pleas, Calvin, who
developed an intense dislike of Servetus during their correspondence, refused
to return any of the incriminating material."
"Convicted
of heresy by the Roman Catholic authorities, Servetus escaped the death penalty
by a prison break. Heading for Italy, Servetus unaccountably stopped at Geneva,
where he had been denounced by Calvin and The Reformer. He was seized the day
after his arrival, condemned as a heretic when he refused to recant, and burned
in 1553 with the apparent tacit approval of Calvin."
In the
course of his flight from Vienne, Servetus stopped in Geneva and made the
mistake of attending a sermon by Calvin. He was recognized and arrested after
the service.
"Calvin
had him [Servetus] arrested as a heretic. Convicted and burned
to death."
From the time that Calvin
had him arrested on August 14th until his condemnation, Servetus spent his
remaining days:
" ...
in an atrocious dungeon with no light or heat, little food, and no
sanitary facilities."
Let it be noted that the Calvinists of Geneva put
half-green wood around the feet of Servetus and a wreath strewn with sulfur on
his head. It took over thirty minutes to render him lifeless in such a fire,
while the people of Geneva stood around to watch him suffer and slowly die!
Just before this happened, the record shows:
"Farel
walked beside the condemned man, and kept up a constant barrage of words, in
complete insensitivity to what Servetus might be feeling. All he had in mind
was to extort from the prisoner an acknowledgement [sic] of his theological
error -- a shocking example of the soulless cure of souls. After some minutes
of this, Servetus ceased making any reply and prayed quietly to himself. When
they arrived at the place of execution, Farel announced to the watching crowd:
'Here you see what power Satan possesses when he has a man in his power. This
man is a scholar of distinction, and he perhaps believed he was acting rightly.
But now Satan possesses him completely, as he might possess you, should you
fall into his traps.'
When
the executioner began his work, Servetus whispered with trembling voice: 'Oh
God, Oh God!' The thwarted Farel snapped at him: 'Have you nothing else to say?'
This time Servetus replied to him: 'What else might I do, but speak of God!'
Thereupon he was lifted onto the pyre and chained to the stake. A wreath strewn
with sulfur was placed on his head. When the faggots were ignited, a piercing
cry of horror broke from him. 'Mercy, mercy!' he cried. For more than
half an hour the horrible agony continued, for the pyre had been made of
half-green wood, which burned slowly. 'Jesus, Son of the eternal God,
have mercy on me,' the tormented man cried from the midst of the flames
...."
Not only was Calvin's influence widespread in his own day through his writings, but his impact on the Christian church, for the most part, a very bad influence, has continued down to the present day. Calvin accepted Augustine's view on predestination, and went on advancing that position, which is "That before the fall, indeed before man's creation, God had already determined what the eternal destiny of each person was to be." This view of unconditional predestination makes God "The author of sin." This view is of course in contradiction with the Bible, in that the bible teaches; with such texts as "he died for all" which means, that
God is not willing that any should perish!
2 Corinthians 5:15 and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. 2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 1 John 2:2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. Matthew 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Acts 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.