I just finished Renée of France (Bitsize Biographies) by Simonetta Carr (Evangelical Press, 2013). Renée was a duchess in the realm of Ferrara, a small country in what is today known as Italy. A long-time supporter of the Reformation, Renée had met John Calvin and corresponded with him throughout his life. In 1554, she was pressured to publicly rejoin the Catholic church, which she did after much resistance. In 1555, not knowing the certainty of what Renée had done, but fearing that she had capitulated temporarily to the pressure, John Calvin wrote a letter exhorting Renée not to allow her sinful “backsliding” to keep her down permanently. Calvin’s advice to Renée is pertinent to all of us who are “prone to wander.”
Besides, Madame, since our good God is always ready to receive us in his grace and, when we fall, holds out his hand that our falls may not be fatal, I entreat you to regain strength. If, through your weakness, the enemy has gotten this one time the better hand over you, may he not have the final victory, but may he know that those whom God has lifted again are doubly strengthened against any struggle.
Renée afterward returned to the Reformed faith, remaining faithful until death. May you be blessed by Calvin’s encouragement and continue to “press on” each day!
Pity that John Calvin did not feel the same Christian charity towards Michael Servetus. Calvin wrote from Geneva to his colleague Guillaume Farel upon the prospect that Servetus might ever pass his way: “if my authority is of any avail I will not suffer him to get out alive.” When arrested for heresy in Geneva, and the death sentence was passed, at least Calvin asked that Servetus be mercifully beheaded instead of put to the stake. But it was death by fire, nonetheless. Let’s all be careful about heaping to ourselves teachers, having itching ears. Strange bed fellows indeed.
Ah the Servetus question. First off, Calvin was criticized for being too lenient with Servetus. In his time, Calvin was pretty standard for assuming that heretics deserved death, as the church was part of the state, heresy was considered like treason and we do hang traitors. In our day and age, thankfully, we have more freedom of conscience and a separation of church and state.
I do not condone Calvin’s role in the death of Servetus, I can’t defend him it was wrong. I can only say he was a man of his times in that.
Now comparing Servetus and Renee of France is comparing an apple and an orange. Servetus denied the trinity, adovcated strange doctrines about demons, and was obstinate and overbearing it seems in his advocacy of his out-of-bounds views. Renee was a waffling duchess pressured to keep face and continue with the Catholic faith, who at times kept her reformed views within instead of owning them proudly before all.
As for teachers with itching ears, or wanting false teachers, Servetus qualifies as such a teacher much more than Calvin would. Calvin was orthodox, Servetus wasn’t. Yes, don’t follow any man blindly, and Calvin has his weak points and blindspots. But so do every man, and so therefore should we shun all teachers? No, we need godly teachers, and Calvin would qualify as one.
Thanks for the interaction, Richard.
Blessings,
Bob Hayton
My brother:
The veneration of such a man as John Calvin has always puzzled me. John Calvin was not a godly man at all and the effort you make to overlook his wickedness in light of the “times” in which he lived is equally puzzling. There’s just no need to venerate the man or to compare his wickedness to how the world would deal with treason today. Our standard has never been what the world would do, but what Jesus would do. Both Calvin and Augustine were both power-hungry zealots in their day, more on the order of politicians than theologians. They were so because of an unholy desire to consolidate power. Ironically, one did it to consolidate power in the Holy Roman Catholic Church. A thousand years later, the other did it to take that power away. Neither man exhibited the love of Jesus by which all men know we are Christ’s disciples. They were harsh and unforgiving of their enemies. Please stop condoning by “explaining” what they did. Please don’t argue that beheading was a recommendation made out of love and a desire to be “lenient.” Think of what you are saying, Bob. Neither men were orthodox in their time. What they taught was a stark departure from the orthodoxy of their time. We don’t need the baggage that comes with these men. Let the truth of God’s word stand on its own. We would do better to call ourselves “Paulists” rather than Calvinists, but we have been warned not to do such a thing, even with Paul, Apollos or Peter. Let’s agree to defend the faith “once delivered to the saints,” and not the reformed faith delivered by ungodly men, despite how appealing their words may be to our ears. You shouldn’t just look the other way. It isn’t just the “Servetus thing.” We have not so learned Christ. That’s what it is, my brother. We have not so learned Christ. Calvin neither needs your defense, nor does he deserve it.
To base your conclusion that Calvin “was not a godly man at all” on the single case of Servetus, is perilous.
I grant that Calvin and Augustine had flaws and that they may have played church politics too, but both are remembered for deep piety. Augustine’s confession wasn’t read and treasured by the church for more than a thousand years because he was a shrewd politician. Neither have Calvin’s works endured the test of time because he was the chief reformer. The fact we have a system with Calvin’s name affixed to it is more an accident of history than proof of Calvin’s singular prowess. He was one reformer among man, and noted for his piety. His works continue to be prized by common Christians for their devotional tone, not simply his logic and doctrinal acumen.
Bob:
I love you brother, but you don’t get to rewrite history. Calvin’s cruelty and ruthlessness were well-known in his generation. He was known as a tyrannical despot of Geneva, dubbed by other believers in Europe as “The Protestant Pope.” He fled from France after his father was excommunicated from the Catholic Church for heresy, and defaulting on his financial obligations. Calvin’s hatred for the Catholics was certainly more personal than theological. Calvin took up sanctuary in Geneva, beyond the power of the Pope, and with friends, set about to establish a theocratic government made up of hand picked friends who would install him as their absolute leader. The city council of Geneva rejected Calvin’s attempt to take over the city. Calvin retaliated by denying the good people of Geneva the Lord’s Supper on Easter morning, 1538. For that, he was expelled from the city altogether. He returned three years later after certain allies were able to win seats on the city council. Your romanticized view that Calvin was some beloved figure in his day is just revisionist history. He was a ruthless despot who presided over the deaths of thousands, not just Servetus. Some for allegations of witchcraft, some for moral impurity, some for allegations of heresy, some simply for the timerity of challenging his authority. Thankfully, his reign of terror was ended less than a dozen years later by an untimely death. He never left Geneva during that time because he was such a hated man in his time. He presided over a new religious sect based on his narrow view of what God’s word taught about saving grace, all in his own little fiefdom. The thought that he was known in his time as a man of piety is ludicrous. He was known as a tyrannical despot throughout Europe. He took upon himself the power to decree life and death, by fire as well as beheading, which cannot be “explained” or defended as something merely in keeping with the times. Christ-likeness does not vary with the times. Calvin was the worst of wicked men hiding behind the mantel of Christianity.
As for Augustine’s “Confessions” being read and cherished by the church for a thousand years, neither of those two statements are true. They were neither read, not cherished. They were summarily revived by John Calvin, and him alone. Have you actually read the Confessions, Bob? I have. They read like a dime store selatious novel complete with details of Augustine’s many mistresses and sexual exploits, all the while his godly mother chased him across the Mediterranean praying for his conversion to Christ. She begged him to quit his mistresses and turn to Jesus. She even arranged a marriage with the 12 year old daughter of a wealthy family if he would simply wait two years for her to reach age 14 and remain chaste in the interim. This, all while he was a young presbyter in a church congregation in Milan. Poor Augustine couldn’t do it. He took up with yet another whore and the promise of marriage was broken. If you’ve read the Confessions, point me to the place where he begged God to forgive his wickedness. Show me where he says he fell prostrate or dropped to his knees in shame. Even after his conversion, it still took him some time to have victory over his propensity for whores. The whole of his “conversion” is told as a story about hearing voices. Folks don’t come to Jesus as a consequence of hearing voices, Bob. Augustine was installed by the Pope to his bishopric years later from wence he went to war with the “Donatists” of his time who had the gall to challenge the wisdom of reinstalling those who had renounced their faith during Diocletian’s decade long persecution to their former places of leadership in the church. Augustine (and the Pope) saw no problem giving them back their churches and letting them administer the sacraments. Augustine tortured and tried a number of these “purists” during his bishopric, all with the Pope’s blessing. Pious? Godly? Revered? Cherished? I don’t think so. Neither man understood or exhibited the love of Christ. They were, however, greatly feared. If that’s what you mean by pious or godly, then yes, they were godly. They wanted to be feared and made that known in their time. They thought they were God’s arm of righteousness and retribution, and in the process became devoid of Christ-likeness. There’s good reason we should keep our eyes on Jesus and not worship the legends of men who could never live up to those legends. Good reason, Bob.
You don’t get to rewrite history either, Richard. No one is talking about worshiping the legends of men, here. Standard church history books take my side. I just did a 10 part historical survey of the Reformation in the adult SS class I teach, last Fall. The legend of the tyrannical Calvin grows with the telling.
Standard Protestantism and its history, agrees with me on Calvin. They also agree with me on Augustine, as does standard Roman Catholicism and its history. You can side with whatever group you are, but I’m content to rest with that.
“Sirs, we would see Jesus.” John 12:21. That’s the group I’m in Bob. Defending Calvin is such a useless fight to have, given the history be both agree upon. I love your spirit, though, and only hope you put the same energy into reaching the lost for Jesus. The fields are still white. The problem has always been with the size of the workforce. God Bless.
Thanks Richard. We’ll agree to disagree. I find that Calvin’s writings often help me see Jesus. And I did read and benefit from Augustine’s Confessions.
Thank you so much Bob! I am glad you enjoyed the book. I found Renée’s story very comforting too.