He believed that the Lord himself saved him from the errors that the Roman rulers imposed on Catholics. Seeing through, he promoted his ideas and mercilessly punished dissenters.
Finding a new path is always full of risk. Few people succeed in avoiding the repetition of all those mistakes for which the predecessors condemn them in the fight against the ills of society. The founder of a new trend in Christianity was no exception.
Childhood
Jean was born in July 1509 in the French city of Noyon. His father Gerard was a lawyer. He provided the family not only financially, but also sought to acquire a high place in society. In which sphere the son will make a career, the parent did not care, the main thing is that he be respected and be on an equal footing with aristocrats.
French city Noyon
Our hero could observe the depravity of the clergy from the early years of his life. In 1521, a chaplain was vacated in one of the nearby villages, and a caring father made the boy a cleric. To avoid doubts about the competence of the child, the child was sent to study at a Paris university. True, Jean spent his first student years at home, on the list of students. He went to the capital in 1523 due to the fact that a plague epidemic began in his hometown, and it was necessary to escape from the infection somewhere.
Youth
The teenager liked the study. Lectures were given by famous teachers, in addition to theology, students were taught foreign languages and literature. Mentors noticed a talented guy and identified him at the Faculty of Arts at Montague College. Jean was preparing to become a Christian philosopher, but these plans were not destined to come true. In 1528, the father recalled his son from Paris and sent to Orleans. There, his heir was supposed to get a law degree. A diligent young man completed the task, simultaneously visiting Paris, so as not to leave his favorite faculty.
Lecture at the university. Vintage engraving
Getting 2 higher educations, our hero managed to work on his own work on the Catholic Church. Jean Calvin found it imperfect and suggested that some reforms would benefit this structure. He presented his work to the court of teachers at the University of Paris in 1533. The new rector of the university, Nicolas Cope, was inspired by the ideas of the graduate and allowed himself to read the text in public. Scandal erupted and freethinkers fled from Paris.
Exile
The apostate theologian was graciously accepted only by those who sympathized with the ideas of the Reformation. Citizens loyal to Rome, regardless of their position in society, saw him as an enemy. The poor man had to move from city to city so as not to fall into the hands of angry Aboriginal people. In 1534, Calvin visited his native Noyon and officially abandoned the position of chaplain.
Jean Calvin
In 1535, Jean Calvin reached Basel. Here the fanatics could not get it, since the city was dominated by Protestants. Here he created and published his work, “Instructions of the Christian Faith.” Now it was time to introduce the world to his thoughts. The reformer tried to find like-minded people in Italy and France, but to no avail. Geneva lay in its path. The monopoly of the Roman church was recently overthrown there, and local activists created their own version of the religious community. A competent philosopher, in whose biography there was an open opposition to the Papal throne, they needed, because they asked Calvin to stay with them, he agreed.
Brawler
During the year, everything was safe. As soon as the magistrate of Geneva began to look for allies in France and in Switzerland, Calvin showed his rebellious character. He expressed disagreement with the dogmas of the new church by refusing communion for Easter. They could not forgive such a demarche and were asked to leave the city. To find a new shelter the poor fellow helped Protestant compatriots who lived in Strasbourg. Our hero went to this city.
Idedette de Bure
Jean began to settle in a new place with the device of his personal life. He stated that celibacy is disgusting to God, and it is difficult for a clergyman to conduct housekeeping alone, because he needs a wife. Friends recommended the wealthy widow Idelette de Bure. The woman had two children from her late husband, and she did not know French. The lady did not like Calvin, but the pimps tried, and in 1540 the couple got married
Tyrant
In Geneva, passions subsided, and the townspeople increasingly recalled Calvin as an honest and righteous person. In 1541 they asked him to return. Jean and his family moved to Switzerland. Then he launched large-scale reforms. A council of priests was formed, which exercised strict supervision over the lifestyle of citizens. This power was far more implacable and tyrannical than aristocrats and Roman church fathers. Any social events of an entertaining nature were banned. The people began to murmur.
In 1553, Dr. Miguel Servet came to Geneva. He made a contribution to the natural sciences and tried his hand at theology and began by denying the Trinity. The latter was not forgiven him. Jean Calvin was plotting against his brother in misfortune, telling the Inquisition about the places through which Servetus traveled. When the poor man was in the hands of the reformer, he sent him to the scaffold.
The execution of Miguel Servet. Vintage engraving
