January 1997

The Works of John Calvin Calvin

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YON IEAN CALVIN, DE DE NO NOYON

PICARDIF, PASTEVR EN PICARDIE, EN PASTEVR DE DE L'EL'E¬ GLISE DE GENEVE. GLISE DE GENEVE.

LEAN IEAN

Editor: Francis Higman, Institut d'Histoire de de la la Reformation, Réformation, Universite Université de Geneve Genève

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John Calvin, 1509-1564 1509-1564 In the past few years, IDC Publishers Publishers has has released released several several important important collections collections on on the the Reformation, Reformation,such suchasasThe TheLutheran Lutheran Reformation, Methodists, GuyGuy de Bres and and Reformation,The ThePeople PeopleCalled Called Methodists, de Brès Huldrych Zwingli. If there is name one name that cannot be left Huldrych Zwingli. If there is one that cannot be left out, it is that of John Calvin. IDC Publishers Publishers is therefore therefore pleased pleased to offer offer you you this catalogue, catalogue, in in which which we present the original editions in their original original languages. languages.

Of all the major Reformers, John Calvin had the most far-reaching far-reaching influence on the modern modem world. Unlike Luther and Zwingli, he worked from a city, Geneva, 'home town' but a which was not his `home place of exile, and his target was always wider than the local community: France, Europe (both Western Western and Eastern), and even the New World, World, for for Calvin had a global global view view of his vocation. vocation. Calvin's name has been associated with the development of two major phenomena of the the modem modern world: world: democracy democracy and and of capitalism. While for capitalism. While the the claims claims made made for his direct contribution contribution to of these these his direct to either either of two movements movements have have been been exaggerated, exaggerated, two the breadth breadth of of their their implications implications is is the significant. Calvin's Calvin's Reformation Reformation was was significant. not simply a religious movement, in the the not simply a religious movement, in sense of an ecclesiastical reorganization sense of an ecclesiastical reorganization or aa doctrinal doctrinal revision; revision; itit was was something something or that touched all areas of life, and which that touched all areas of life, and which involved a profound reorientation of the the involved a profound reorientation of life of the individual and of society in life of the individual and of society in line of the the Gospel. Gospel. line with with the the teachings teachings of

northern France, in July July born in Noyon, northern 1509, the the son son of of a lawyer employed by 1509, the Noyon Cathedral Chapter. He studied in Paris from 1521 to from about 1521 1526 1526 (studying (studying Latin, Latin, rhetoric rhetoric and dialectic, but not theology), at Orleans and Bourges from 1526 to 1531 1531 from about 1526 (studying law), and in Paris once again from 1531 1531 to 1533, 1533, when he concentrated on classical literature. Some time between about 1528 1528 and 1533, probably probably after after a long period of to the the hesitation, he was converted to Reformed doctrines then sweeping Europe, and and had had to to leave leave Paris. Paris. During During Europe, 1534 he moved frequently, frequently, sometimes sometimes 1534 he moved living under under aa pseudonym, pseudonym, studying studying the the living

His works works So who exactly was Calvin? Though we can easily outline the major events of his life, life, getting to know know his personality is aa He was, was, rather more difficult matter. He surprising to relate, a retiring retiring and timid timid person, unwilling to talk about himself, concerned only with the task of communicating the message which he believed had been entrusted to him. What he has left left us is his works - his theological treatises, his biblical commentaries and Institution monumental Institution sermons, and his monumental of the Christian Religion.The Thepresent present Christian Religion. collection seeks to make the writings of the Reformer available in the most direct form possible, by presenting, in almost every case, case, the the original original editions editions of of his his printed works. This is Calvin as he printed works. This is Calvin as he impacted on on the the reading reading public public of of the the impacted sixteenth century. sixteenth century.

His life Many biographies biographies of of Calvin Calvin have have been Many written, and this is not the place to provide yet another. A few words of introduction, however, will help to place the present collection in context. He was

Bible and the Church Fathers (and (and thereby laying the foundations of his self-taught theology), and writing his first works. His first published Christianae theological study, study, the Christianae Religionis Institutio, was probably completed by August 1535, 1535, though publication (in Basle) was delayed until early 1536. 1536.

dragooned him into joining in the work city. Unlike Unlike of the Reformation in the city. Luther, Zwingli or Bucer, Calvin was never ordained in the Roman Catholic Church; he saw his ordination as a prophetic call from from God (communicated by Farel) within the exceptional exceptional context of the early Reformation. Reformation.

Exile first sojourn sojourn in Geneva lasted only His first 20 months, ending in apparent disaster when he was exiled from the city, city, along with with Farel, for for opposing opposing the city government government in a conflict conflict between the authority authority of State and Church, and for making making himself himself thoroughly thoroughly unpopular with the citizens by attempting attempting to impose on each individual a confession of Reformed Reformed faith. faith. He then went to Strasbourg, where his three years as refugee pastor of the French refugee congregation congregation and as lecturer in the Academy Academy enabled him to mature his thinking thinking (this was to be the only period of his life life during during which he was able to enjoy enjoy the company of his intellectual and theological equals). He extensively revised and augmented the Institutio and (thereby and translated translated it it into into French French (thereby creating, creating, incidentally, incidentally, aa turning-point turning-point in in the the evolution evolution of of the the French French language). language). He also composed the first of his long series of commentaries commentaries on Scripture (Romans) and the short Treatise on the the Treatise on Lord's Supper, the first work that he first Lord's Supper, wrote directly in French. He composed a liturgy for his congregation, and introduced the singing of metrical psalms in congregational worship. At the interdenominational colloquies at 1540 and and 1541, 1541, Worms and Ratisbon in 1540 he made made contact contact with with the the religious religious he leaders of of the the Lutheran Lutheran Reformation. Reformation. leaders

to Geneva Geneva Back to

In 1540, the Geneva City authorities, unable to find suitable leadership for the Geneva newly reformed reformed Church, asked Calvin newly to return to the city. Much against his After After further further travels travelstotoItaly Italyand and to to year, Paris, thethe recently Paris,he hefinally finallyarrived arrivedat at recently will, and after procrastinating for aa year, finally returned returned in September 1541. reformed city July 1536. reformed cityof ofGeneva Genevainin July 1536. he finally It is then that his real work began. He Here he found found himself himself accosted accosted by by the first first proposed proposed ordinances for for the forceful forceful Guillaume Farel, who

regulation of the Church (and its with the the State); State); this this was was relationship with followed followed by a catechism and a liturgy, including the metrical metrical psalms psalms of of Clément Clement Marot. He then undertook the mammoth task of education: educating the local population through through his massive series of sermons (about 250 each year, year, each an hour long); educating educating theological students and the wider scholarly scholarly community by his equally impressive series of commentaries on the Bible; and explaining the need for a Reformation, Reformation, attacking the Roman Church, as the the `radical 'radical Church, as as well well as Reformation', the Anabaptists and Reformation', the Anabaptists and 'spiritual libertines', in over 40 very `spiritual varied from the the varied treatises. treatises. These These ranged ranged from popular and and entertaining entertaining (Traite des popular (Traite des reliques, 1543) 1543) to satirical (Articuli to the the satirical reliques, facultatis parisiensi parisiensi cum cum antidoto, antidata, 1544) 1544) facultatis

or the persuasively eloquent (Excuse from the aux Nicodemites, 1544), from eirenical (Petit traite traité de de la la sainte sainte Cene, Cène, 1541) to the bitterly controversial (e.g. (e.g. the exchanges with Joachim Westphal and Sebastian Castellio). On the whole, the earlier treatises were more general and more popular, while, after 1550, 1550, the the emphasis lay more on doctrinal conflicts conflicts Trinity, and the over predestination, the Trinity, Eucharist.

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