Church History and Theology CHT | S1E40: John Calvin and the Genevan Reformation
Jan 18, 2023
A fast-paced tour of John Calvin's life from law student to leading reformer in Geneva. Stories of exile, return, and the political drama that shaped church rules. Deep dives into his writing method, preaching routine, and how Geneva exported Bible and worship practices across Britain and beyond.
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Calvin's Early Tonsure And Humanist Education
- Calvin was born in 1509 and began clerical service at age 12, receiving the tonsure and later sponsored to study rhetoric in Paris.
- His father secured patronage and Calvin mastered Latin early, shaping his later rhetorical and theological style.
Humanism Drove Calvin's Return To Scripture
- Renaissance humanism pushed Calvin to learn Greek and Hebrew and to return to original texts, influencing his method and theology.
- Easley connects Calvin's law/humanist training to his later insistence on scriptural languages and systematic theology.
The Institutes Began As A Defense To The King
- Calvin's Institutes began in Basel (1536) as a short defense to King Francis that exiles were orthodox, not a full systematic theology.
- Later editions expanded drastically as Calvin shaped a comprehensive Protestant framework.
