Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Calvin's war on the Catholic Church

By Alan Austin - posted Monday, 20 July 2009


Today, no denomination defends the fundamentals of Calvin’s theology of salvation more energetically than the Catholics.

Calvin was profoundly committed to scholarship. He believed faith was sustained by diligent Bible study, using the best research tools available. He studied Hebrew, Latin and Greek at an early age and wrote commentaries on most books of the Bible. The Catholic Church encourages scholarship today.

Calvin established schools for children throughout Geneva, where he lived for most of his adult life. He made Bible study a central subject and attendance compulsory. Some claim Calvin’s catechism for children is his greatest work. He would admire the Catholic education network worldwide.

Advertisement

Calvin was among the first theologians to admit that while Scripture is reliable on matters of faith, it may not be so on science. “He who would learn astronomy, and other recondite arts, let him go elsewhere,” he wrote.

Perhaps his greatest reform was to separate church and state. The Protestant revolution was certainly about theology. But it was also about democracy. The invitation to Calvin to teach at Geneva in 1536 was motivated largely by the fledgling Protestant community's desire to replace the Catholic prince-bishop with an elected council, as had happened elsewhere in Europe.

Most Catholics today accept Calvin’s view that the civil and church authorities should be separate, but that civil power should be exercised according to godly values.

If it can be argued that Calvin won these battles, it is clear he has lost some as well.

He disapproved of drinking, dancing and musical instruments and sought to abolish taverns, theatres, holidays and celebrations. Only a tiny religious fringe practices such puritanism today.

Calvin’s doctrine of predestination has been highly contentious for 500 years. “Some men are born devoted from the womb to certain death, that His name may be glorified in their destruction,” he proclaimed in his famous Institutes of the Christian Religion. Few today, even in Calvinist churches, accept this dogma in its entirety.

Advertisement

In other areas, the tussle over Calvin’s ideas continues.

Calvin was critical of ceremonies and sacraments which he believed hindered rather than encouraged reverence. He claimed Scripture allows just two sacraments - baptism and communion.

The roles of ministers of the church he drew from the New Testament. Here he found pastors, teachers, elders and deacons. But not priests, bishops or popes. Celibacy, he believed, had basis in neither Scripture nor reason.

All ministers were to be popularly appointed - elders by the lay city council and deacons by the congregation. He rejected papal primacy and infallibility. To him, the Church was the body of believers who placed Christ at its head. So, by definition, the Catholic Church could not be the universal Christian Church.

The Bible was the only source of God’s truth. (He argued passionately for this using the authority of the early church fathers.)

These remain under discussion within the Catholic community and beyond. Will Calvin eventually win these arguments too? Perhaps in another 500 years.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. Page 2
  4. All


Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

9 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Alan Austin is an Australian freelance journalist currently based in Nîmes in the South of France. His special interests are overseas development, Indigenous affairs and the interface between the religious communities and secular government. As a freelance writer, Alan has worked for many media outlets over the years and been published in most Australian newspapers. He worked for eight years with ABC Radio and Television’s religious broadcasts unit and seven years with World Vision. His most recent part-time appointment was with the Uniting Church magazine Crosslight.

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Alan Austin

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Photo of Alan Austin
Article Tools
Comment 9 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy