Background
John Calvin was an influential French theologian and paster during the Protestant Reformation. He played a big part in the development of the Christian theology system, which was later named Calvinism. Originally, he as a humanist lawyer, but broke from the Roman Catholic church in 1530. Religious tension created a violent uprising against the Protestaants in France, leading Calvin to flee to Basel, Switzerland where he published The Institutes of the Christian Religion in 1536. He was invited by William Farel to help reform the chuch in Geneva but the city council resisted taking in Cavin and Farel's idea, causing them to both be expelled.
Martin Bucer then invited Calvin to Strasbourg where he became a minister of a church of French refugees. He continued to support the reform movement in Geneva, and was finally invited back to lead its church. There he introduced new forms of church government and liturgy.
Calvin spent his final years promoting the Reformation in Geneva and throughout Europe. He regularly preached sermons throughout the week in Geneva. In addition, he wrote "Institutes" as well as commentaries on most of the books in the Bible, theological treaties, and confessional documents.
Calvin was later influenced by Augustinian tradition which led him to explain the teachings of predestination and "absolute sovereignty" (supreme authority in a political community) of God in salvation of the human soul from death and "eternal damnation."
Martin Bucer then invited Calvin to Strasbourg where he became a minister of a church of French refugees. He continued to support the reform movement in Geneva, and was finally invited back to lead its church. There he introduced new forms of church government and liturgy.
Calvin spent his final years promoting the Reformation in Geneva and throughout Europe. He regularly preached sermons throughout the week in Geneva. In addition, he wrote "Institutes" as well as commentaries on most of the books in the Bible, theological treaties, and confessional documents.
Calvin was later influenced by Augustinian tradition which led him to explain the teachings of predestination and "absolute sovereignty" (supreme authority in a political community) of God in salvation of the human soul from death and "eternal damnation."
Primary Source:
Excerpt from John Calvin's Instutute of Christian Religion
[On the Lord's Supper.]
". . . Now, that holy participation of His flesh and blood, by which Christ
communicates His life to us, just as if He actually penetrated every part of
our frame, in the sacred supper He also testifies and seal; and that not by the
exhibition of a vain or ineffectual sign, but by the exertion of the energy of
His Spirit, by which He accomplishes that which He promises. And the thing
signified He exhibits and offers to all who come to that spiritual banquet;
though it is advantageously enjoyed by believers alone, who receive such great
goodness with true faith and gratitude of mind. . . . If it be true that the
visible sign is given to us to seal the donation of the invisible substance, we
ought to entertain a confident assurance, that in receiving the symbol of His
body, we at the same time truly receive the body itself."
". . . Now, that holy participation of His flesh and blood, by which Christ
communicates His life to us, just as if He actually penetrated every part of
our frame, in the sacred supper He also testifies and seal; and that not by the
exhibition of a vain or ineffectual sign, but by the exertion of the energy of
His Spirit, by which He accomplishes that which He promises. And the thing
signified He exhibits and offers to all who come to that spiritual banquet;
though it is advantageously enjoyed by believers alone, who receive such great
goodness with true faith and gratitude of mind. . . . If it be true that the
visible sign is given to us to seal the donation of the invisible substance, we
ought to entertain a confident assurance, that in receiving the symbol of His
body, we at the same time truly receive the body itself."
Translation:
Above, is an excerpt from John Calvin's Institute of Christian Religion written in 1536. Calvin believed and was for communion. He agreed with Martin Luther and Zwingli. These other figures during the reformation believed that the Pope should not have all the power. In "The Lord's Supper", Calvin believed that not only would the person receive the symbol of the body but also receive the body itself during communion. Also this passage was significant because it helped William Farel to reform the church in Geneva.
The Renaissance and Reformation period could be redefined as a period of Religion due to the examples shown by John Calvin. His Christian teachings played a big role in the development of the Calvinism, a Christian theology system. Calvin was a huge promoter of religion and taught others through preaching and writings in order to inform and pass down his knowledge.
Works Cited
"John Calvin." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 02 July 2013. Web. 07 Feb. 2013.