Why did John Calvin {1509-1564} start another protestant church?

Answer 1

Short answer: He didn't! Calvin was a "second generation" Reformer, and the churches were already separate when he joined (though he did help to ORGANIZE the Reformed church in Geneva)

There is, unfortunately, a lot of misinformation about John Calvin and his teaching, and a lot of caricatures.

Why separate churches?

It was NOT so much because Luther and the others split from each other. In fact, there were separate, parallel reformation of churches in Switzerland at the same time as Luther was active in Germany (ca. 1515 through the 520s), in which Ulrich Zwingli played the largest role. In other words, though Luther got the press, Reformation was already going on in Switzerland at the same time (and not launched by Luther).

Now these various Reformers SHARED in the goal of Reforming the church according to the Word of God. And there was a desire among the Reformation churches to be united in their teaching. In fact, there was a great deal of agreement... more than people realize.

For example, ALL the Reformers were Augustinian and had a strong belief in doctrines of predestination and election -- this was NOT something that Calvin added! (In fact, Luther wrote th strongly predestinarian work "The Bondage of the Will" -- as a rebuttal of Erasmus's teaching about the freedom of man's will. Luther's point [as that of other Reformers] is NOT that people are puppets who don't make choices, but that as SINNERS they are not 'free' to choose to do good, BECAUSE they do not WANT to!)

And for that matter, Calvin did not give this teaching anything like the time and attention he did to other things (esp. the teaching of justification), contrary to the claims of modern-day critics.

The sticking point turned out to be the view of what was happening in the Lord's Supper. While all the Reformers believed much superstition had crept into the Roman Church's belief and practices, Luther held a view much closer to the Catholic church of Christ's "presence" in the Supper than did Zwingli

LATER Reformers in Switzerland, including Martin Bucer and John Calvin, made great efforts to bridge the gap. Bucer and then Calvin in more detail emphsized common points all shared and taught a "middle" view of the "real presence" of Christ. But unfortunately they were not able to bring the two sides together.

In other words - Calvin's teaching on predestination did NOT divide, and in the areas where different branches of the Reformation differed Calvin was a UNITER. (Actually, though his efforts on the Lord's Supper did not succeed in their original goal, they did do some good in bringing understanding between groups.)


Some material on the timeline of the Swiss Reformation, and the Lord's Supper controversy (esp. Calvin's efforts):

http://history-switzerland.geschichte-schweiz.ch/reformation-switzerland-calvin.html
http://www.theology.edu/h373.htm

http://demo.lutherproductions.com/historytutor/basic/reformation/genknow/lords_supper.htm
http://homepage.mac.com/shanerosenthal/reformationink/jcsupper.htm

Answer 2

Why did Luther protest the Catholic church? Though I do not know the specific reasons Calvin or Luther cited for doing so, I can only look around and see obviousness. Everyone has a separate way of thinking, be it big or small, we are all individuals with differences in psyche. What some focus on others could not care less about and so forth and so on. Does everyone the world over agree with their pastors and church? I do not myself believe everything the same as my denomination nor in fact my pastors, but I can agree on what I consider the major issues and do not feel the need to split and start something new.

Answer 3

Calvin didn't agree with Luther on a few points so he broke away and formed a new church, which unfortunely has become the Protestant way. if you don't like everything a denomination teaches break away and start a new one. Thats why there are at least 1,000 Protestant denominations half of them being baptists. The Catholic Church on the other hand has stayed as one.

Answer 4

I do not know about calvin and very little about luther. But one obvious reason is different interpretation of bible. This has happened in India a numerous times with Vedas. There were at least three major interpretations on only the upanishads (last portion of vedas). And two major branches on vedas as mimasas. So for any religion with a bookish authority there would in time come people with brilliant intellects to interpret it in different ways.

Answer 5

Calvin simply believed in bringing the existing church closer to Biblical teachings and principles. The masses, after Calvin's passing, coined the phrase Calvinism.
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Answer 6

'John Calvin' [aka: Jean Chauvin/Cauvin] French.
His 17th C. doctrine is explained below.
He was thought of as one of the original people who took part in the reformation in Europe....also called Protestantism, or a belief other than Catholicism. ['Catholic' actually meant 'universal' before the advent of the reformation by Luther and others such as Calvin].

Answer 7

Calvin strongly disagreed with the interpretations of Christianity at the time. He took a more literal view of the Bible.

Answer 8

During the summer of the year 1536, Calvin left for Italy and spent a few weeks at the Court of Ferrara. There were religious refugees there to whom Duchess Renée de France had given temporary asylum. He did not stay there long, as his intention was to settle permanently in Strasbourg. However, forced by prevailing circumstances to pass through Geneva, he came back several times.

Farel learned of Calvin's visit and interpreted it as a sign of God's presence. Having been absent from Geneva for some time, Farel had been called away urgently and was preparing to leave; but he was suddenly convinced that Calvin was the man whom Geneva urgently needed.

A memorable scene came about, and both men were to remember it for the rest of their lives. Farel asked the young traveller to stay in Geneva, but at first he hastened to decline firmly. Calvin did not at all feel inclined towards public action. He wanted to continue his studies; he needed a rest which was incompatible with the task which Farel wanted him to assume.

Farel's thunderous appeal to John Calvin. Thereupon Farel, filled with the Holy Spirit, shouted in a thunderous voice: "You have no other excuse for refusing than your professed attachment to your studies, but I warn you in the name of Almighty God that if you do not share with me the holy work in which I am engaged, He will not bless your plans, since you consider your rest more important than Jesus Christ." Many years later, Calvin wrote: "These words frightened and shook me so much that I gave up the idea of the journey that I had undertaken, as if God had stretched forth His Hand from above to stop me."
Calvin began his ministry by giving theological lessons in the Cathedral of St. Peter without any remuneration. Then the Cathedral Chapter appointed him Pastor. No sooner had he taken up his post than he wrote and submitted to the Council - which adopted them - a confession of faith, a liturgy and a catechism.

Answer 9

The Catholic church IS a leader at fighting for human civil rights world-wide, providing untold dollars in charitable works, and funding hospitals, homes for the aged, and caring for and educating children. If you believe in the bible you have to believe in the Pope and the Catholic Church and tradition Tradition was used to canonize the bible by the church Christ gave authority to the Church under the Holy spirit to canonized the bible what criteria was used tradition oral teaching passed on truth and its beliefs under the guidance of the Holy spirit. The Catholic Church canonized the bible Christ gave the authority. So how can any books be put into the bible that go against Catholic beliefs then if you believe the catholic church is false and not Christian the bible has no meaning and had no authority to put the bible together then throw out your bible. Who gave Luther any authority to remove or add words to the bible. So if you believe in the bible You believe In the Church and the Pope and all its teachings which are the same now as then. Other wise you are not a Christian Early Christian writings prove the first Christians were thoroughly Catholic in belief and practice and looked to the successors of the apostles as their leaders. What these first Christians believed is still believed by the Catholic Church. No other Church can make that claim. The papacy is the oldest Intuition in the world .- How could it survived without the grace of God & the guidance of the Holy Spirit.........The Holy Spirit did not convert to Islam in 610AD or Lutheranism in 1517AD or Calvinism in 1540s AD ...There's no comparisons. ..................The truth is , they Catholics give us the first Bible..the rest of religions intrepid it differently & formed counterfeit religion's groups...which inturn give us supermarket christens;.......pick & choose laws to suit themselves [ cool & new age stuff ] but has nothing to do with the scriptures.... The Catholic Church has no practices or doctrines that are in conflict with Scriptures....... Early in the second century of the Church St. Ignatius of Antioch coined the name for the Church as Catholic and that same Church remains today as the Church created and built by Jesus the apostles and their successors. It never fell into apostasy for doing so would make Jesus a liar as He said that the gates of hell would not prevail against His Church and also that His Church would endure for all times. The only reason that I can think of is that the Catholic Church is created by Christ and all others are protesting what He created. I guess they think that as men they can create a better and more enduring church than did Christ. The tens of thousands of exponentially increasing schisms and denominations prove that they can not.

Answer 10

Because the others just wasn't bitter enough for him.