John Calvin - no Calvinist

Bro. James Reed · Jan 26, 2004

He drew up his five points — predestination, particular redemption, total depravity, irresistible grace, and the perseverance of the saints — and to this doctrine he compelled all Genevans to swear belief. Just to show that he wasn't joking, he banished a man name Caroli who dared to doubt. His theocracy also dictated, on pain of excommunication, how Genevans dressed and what they ate, employing spies to detect those who skipped church. In 1538, tired of his tyranny, Calvin was exiled.

But just three years later, Geneva persuaded Calvin to return, which he reluctantly did in 1541 (13 September). His power now nearly absolute, he wielded it with godly gusto. The Council declared that Calvin's Institutes were a "holy doctrine which no man might speak against." Jacques Gouet did so and was imprisoned for impiety in 1547; after severe torture , he was beheaded . Within five years, Calvin passed 58 death sentences and exiled 76.

For the heresy of doubting the Trinity, Miguel Served y Reves was arrested and tried by the Catholic Church in Vienne. Michael Servetus (as he is now known) had actually debated Calvin in 1534 and somehow got the idea that Calvin stood for religious toleration in Geneva. But that was the old Calvin, the one without the power of a state to bolster his bigotry. Little did Servetus know that it was Calvin who had denounced him to the authorities in Vienne. Indeed, Calvin was miffed at Servetus's criticism of his Institutes and vowed, "If he comes here and I have any authority, I will never let him leave the place alive." Friends helped Servetus escape the frying pan of Vienne only to enter the fire of Geneva in 1553. He was arrested and tried for heresy, but the verdict had been pronounced before Servetus ever entered Geneva. He was burned at the stake on October 27 with Calvin's complete approval. When Sebastian Castellio (1515-1563) wrote, "Let us who are Christians not condemn one another, but, if we are wiser than they are, let us also be better and more merciful" in his pamphlet, "Should heretics be persecuted?," Calvin merely banished him from his comfortable commune — a luckier break.

Exile and death, rather than persuasion by example, were the chief tools Calvin used for the enforcement of what would later be called Presbyterianism.
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For someone who supposedly believed, like most Calvinists today, that man had no choice in his belief, he sure liked to treat nay-sayers as if they were at fault for disagreeing with him. Now, was he a true Calvinist? I doubt very seriously that many Calvinists would advocate killing people because their religious views differed.

Note: I never said he didn't proclaim what Calvinists do today, but his actions speak for themselves as to whether he believed and followed what he taught.

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russell55 · Jan 26, 2004

He drew up his five points — predestination, particular redemption, total depravity, irresistible grace, and the perseverance of the saints — and to this doctrine he compelled all Genevans to swear belief.
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Here is the first problem with the article: Calvin did not draw up the five points. The five points were drawn up in response to the Articles of Remonstrance, which came after Calvin's death.

There are also lots of factual errors in the rest of the article, as well..

But I do see part of why you think Calvin wasn't a Calvinist--you have a false idea of what Calvinists believe:

For someone who supposedly believed, like most Calvinists today, that man had no choice in his belief, he sure liked to treat nay-sayers as if they were at fault for disagreeing with him
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Calvinists don't believe that man has no choice in his belief. (More and more I feel like a broken record.) Calvinists believe in choice. Real choice. Calvinists believe real choice is compatible with predestination.

I doubt very seriously that many Calvinists would advocate killing people because their religious views differed.
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Well, they wouldn't. Calvin was a product of his times. All the religious city states executed heretics back then. Doesn't make Calvin not a calvinist anymore than the leaders of Munster weren't really anabaptist just because anabaptists today don't kill people.

Monergist · Jan 26, 2004

The first line quoted from the article destroys the author's credibility. Russell is correct; Calvin did not draw up any "five points."

Monergist · Jan 26, 2004

I don't know who this guy is, but I doubt that he is writing from a Christian point of view. Some of the articles on his website contain vulgarities that are totally unneccessary.

Pastor Larry · Jan 26, 2004

Topic closed for violating the long standing forum policy of limiting our discussions to theology. If you would like to talk about what Calvin believed about theology, then please feel free to use this forum. If you would like to talk about what John Calvin did in church history, then please use the appropriate forum for it.

In this forum, keep your comments confined to theology.

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