by Dr. Mark Brewer :: In honor of John Calvin’s five hundredth birthday, we’re looking at the “Father of Presbyterianism” and his experience with trying to make Geneva Switzerland the “Greatest City for Christ” in the 1500s.
Having been born the second of four brothers, Calvin lost one of his siblings in youth. His beautiful mother sadly also died when he was young. His father, who was an attorney for the church, sent his brilliant son off to Paris to become a priest and an attorney. Along the way he ran into the new teachings of this “Reformation” (they did not want to leave the Catholic church but to “reform” it) and the “Protestants” (they were protesting some of the teachings of the Church and the Pope) when he came to Geneva in 1536. This was a time of civil war and upheaval. Calvin and friends tried to institute (no pun) strict and radical laws on the city. They were hoping to “protect” people from heresy and immoral living. Sort of changing a major city into one happy “family camp.” How did the city respond? They were driven out for their lives and fled to Strasbourg, France. Did they try to change things too fast? How fast should we pray God changes the social systems and culture of Los Angeles? It takes wisdom.
Anyway, while he was in Strasbourg he met his wife and new friends who would help him refine his understanding of what following Christ in his time meant. Sadly his wife and son died in the nine years they were married. The man had much sorrow in his life, yet his writings drip with the goodness of God and life. Ironically, the leadership of Geneva sent for him to come and help transform the city they drove him out of earlier. Sometimes when God has us in our own “wilderness,” it’s there we meet life long friends and even loves. Sometimes we had the right idea but the wrong timing. Strasbourg was one of those chapters for John Calvin.
