Calvin's academic background

Like Luther and Zwingli, Calvin was a reformer who wanted a return to the ways of the early Church and a religion based on the New Testament.

He was unable to do much because he was exiled from Geneva from 1538-1541, but on his return he introduced the "Ecclesiastical Ordinances". These were an attempt to unify the churches of Geneva and to reform them. Calvin disagreed with Luther and Zwingli over the role of priests, ministers and pastors - he thought they were important. He was also very undemocratic because he made sure that the pastors made all the decisions, without reference to the congregation. Discipline was important for all Protestants, but particularly so with Calvin, who introduced a group called the elders to maintain order in the Church. They were there to make sure the pastors and the congregation behaved in a "moral" way.

Calvinist churches came into conflict with lay rulers of Geneva because, by controlling people so closely, the pastors and the elders interfered with the power of the city council and the magistrates. For example, if someone was accused of a crime, it was also a sin - who should deal with the criminal/sinner? The Church or the law courts?

In 1550 clergy began to make annual visits to parishioners houses to check they were keeping the rules of the Church. People were not allowed religious ornaments, nor allowed to dance.

All these things showed that the Church and the State were clearly inter-linked.

Calvin's Ideas

Between 1530 and 1559 Calvin wrote his most famous book, "Institutes". In it he explained that everything that happened in the world did so because "God wills it". He proposed the idea of predestination saying that God had decided what would happen and what people would do. Luck and chance, therefore, did not exist.

You remember that Luther based his work on "The just shall live by faith". For Calvin it was "Thy will be done" in the Lord's prayer.

None of these ideas were new in themselves, but what set Calvin apart more than anything was the idea that God had chosen who would go to heaven. They have since become known as the elect.

It proved difficult to argue with Calvin. One man, Bolsec, who did so was imprisoned.

Comparing Four Reformers (opens in a new window)

• Introduction to the Reformation
• The Church before the Reformation I : Indulgences, Relics and Pilgrimages
• The Church before the Reformation II : The Wealth and Political Power of the Church
• The Church before the Reformation III :The Clergy
• The Church before the Reformation IV : Inside a Church
• The Lutheran Revolt
• Conflict between Luther and the Church
• The Church reacts to Luther
• The Catholic and the Lutheran Church
• Huldreick Zwingli
• The English Reformation
• Top of Page