John Calvin (1509-1564)
Calvin was born in France; 'a man from among the common people' was his description of himself. He distinguished himself in school and the Roman church helped him to go to the University of Paris. He was destined for priesthood. His father, initially supporting Calvin to prepare for the priesthood, changed his mind and instructed him to become a lawyer.
But by this time Calvin had been strongly influenced by the German reformers and what he described as 'a sudden conversion' empowered him to continue the course of the Reformation within Europe. Calvin supported the persecuted Protestants within Paris and eventually he was forced to leave finding refuge in Basel in 1535. This was where he produced his book 'the Instruction in the Christian religion, also known as Calvin's Institutes. This is still a significantly important book on the subject of the Christian faith.
In Geneva, Calvin met up with William Farel, a French reformer. They were both powerful preachers and many people listened to them but their emphasis was on the hearers of the Word becoming doers of the Word. They introduced a strict discipline for their followers and this eventually led to them being banished from Geneva.
In 1541 Calvin returned to Geneva and started preaching again. The influence of Calvin's teachings and books quickly spread throughout western Europe. John Calvin became the dominant figure of the Protestant Reformation, especially after Luther's death in 1546. Geneva became a haven of refuge to Protestants fleeing persecution. One such person was John Knox who, with others, produced the Geneva Bible translation. Calvin had a significant influence on this translation.
Calvin organized Geneva in a very regimented manner. Attendance at worship was mandatory with punishments for people who failed to go! Education was considered to be very important for both secular subjects and Christianity. There were laws regulating most of society including their clothing and their moral behaviour. Calvin did not institute these rules directly, they were freely adopted by the majority of the society and were welcomed by most of the people. There were problems caused by some people who did not want to live their lives in a decent manner but Calvin succeeded in leaving his influence in the Christian church even of today.
But Calvin and his supporters, as some church groups do today, missed a very simple but important point. People have a free will to accept or reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ. No one can be forced to become a Christian. It is only a divine act of grace by God that changes the nature of people that makes a Christian. Thus all attempts to force a society to become Christians through laws and punishments is doomed to fail. Even within a family, children cannot be forced into Christianity. But they can be brought up with a decent lifestyle and Christian teaching and protected from the influence of the world. Then God will honour His promise in Proverbs 22:6.