July 1 - The Reformed Church

Calvin had a legal and humanities background. He was in Geneva, they loved not having a Pope but also not really excited about what Calvin was positing. He was basically writing the law for the local government. He was paid by the government to be a reader at the church. He was focused on training nominal Christians into devout believers. He was run out of town. He then went to Strasbourg and becomes a preacher. 3 years of turmoil in Geneva led to them inviting Calvin back, and they pass his previous rules into law. very strong sense of discipline, those that do not flourish in this could be denied communion. He thought Luther's church was too much like the Catholic Church. So he changed the Eucharist to look less like the Catholic Church. He thought that the Eucharist connects us to God, the true presence of Christ (differentiated from the true presence). He really drivers for pastors to have the power to excommunicate, which means that they have the power to exclude people from essentially ALL community. You could not choose to miss church (you could be banished from the city) nor would you want to because it would isolate you from the community. Luther sees that law is overcome (it is to be avoided) whereas Calvin says that the law shows us our sin, it is a good thing. Calvin is an advocate of stewardship, to take care of the city/countryside. The preached word was also an essential for Calvin, you had EVERYONE coming to hear your words.