What is Calvinism - definition
Calvinism is the religious doctrine formulated by John Calvin (1509-1564). His doctrine led to the extreme consequences of Luther's doctrine, particularly with regard to predestination.
Calvinism - the birth
Calvinism was born from the work of Giovanni Calvino, who consolidated his Reformation in Geneva. In Geneva, in fact, in 1541 the city council approved the ecclesiastical order; in 1542 the liturgical order and the so-called Geneva catechism; in 1559 a theological academy for the formation of shepherds was founded.
Calvin exerted a considerable influence on the city of Geneva until his death (1564), making it one of the greatest centers of Christianity.
Calvinism - the principles
As for Luther, at the center of the life of the Christian is the Bible, source and rule of faith.
- Doctrine of predestination: men are at birth destined by God for salvation or damnation; men cannot with their own strength modify this divine decree.
Calvin urged his followers to discover which of the two categories they belonged to, adding that the signs of divine Grace are often manifested in the concrete facts of daily life, therefore in the duty accomplished, in the work well done in the fields or in the shops and also in the financial successes in activities such as those of the banker or the merchant.
Calvin himself had extolled work as a form of sanctification, he had considered professional activity as a religious vocation. Finally, against the ethical doctrines of medieval origin, he allowed interest-bearing loans (on condition that they did not exceed 5%).
These elements led some scholars and in particular the German sociologist Max Weber (1864-1920) to support a very close link between the Calvinist spirit and the economic development that characterized many Protestant countries in the following centuries, in contrast to the difficulties of the Catholic ones.
- Since men are predestined, the true Church is formed solely by the elect.
- The whole social community must behave soberly and austerely. Those who do not abide by this iron discipline must be subject to fines and punishments (including the stake). The most famous trial, which still obscures Calvin's memory today, was against Michele Serveto (1511-1553), a Spanish intellectual already condemned by the Inquisition for his ideas on the Trinity. He took refuge in Geneva, was sentenced to death here because he was a heretic and was burned at the stake on October 27, 1553.
- There is no ecclesiastical hierarchy based on the sacrament of order. The structure of the Calvinist Church is based on four functions: that of pastors, who preach and administer the sacraments; that of doctors, who teach in schools and train pastors; that of the elderly, who watch over the behavior of the faithful; that of deacons, with administrative tasks and care for the poor.
- Only two sacraments are recognized: baptism and the Eucharist. The Eucharist, however, is not really the body of Christ (as in Catholic doctrine): it is only a commemoration.
Calvinism - the spread
Calvinism first arrived in France. Here they were called Huguenots. On May 26, 1559, the first National Synod was held in Paris with the presence of more than 400,000 faithful from various communities. The Gallican Confessio (confession of faith) and the Ecclesiastical Discipline were welcomed there. They still constitute the statute of French Calvinism today.
Starting in 1562, the clash between the Catholic and Calvinist parties dragged France into a civil war. The climax was the massacre of Saint Bartholomew in 1572. With the edict of Nantes in 1598, King Henry IV recognized its legal existence.
Calvinism also penetrated Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Scotland and the northern Netherlands. Poland and Hungary also joined it in part. It also reached Italy, where the Waldenses joined.