THE PROVENANCE OF JOHN CALVIN'S EMPHASIS ON THE ...

As has often been observed, the form of Calvin's initial Institutio "is very close
to the form of Luther's Small and Large Catechism, although, even from a purely formal
perspective, the catechetical model was readily available to Calvin from other sources,
and he chose it, arguably, because it was a standard and not a revolutionary form." 389
For his part, Ganoczy asserts and defends the thesis that, among his contemporaries, the
principal influences on Calvin's theological thought as evidenced in the 1536 Institutio
include: first and foremost, Luther, 390 particularly by way of his Small Catechism, the
Babylonian Captivity, 391 On Christian Liberty, 392 and two sermons on the Eucharist, the
Sermon von dem hochwürdigen Sakrament des heiligen wahren Leichnams Christi und
von den Bruderschaften 393 and the Sermon von dem Sakrament des Leibes und Blutes
Christi wider die Schwarmgeister 394 ; Melanchthon, particularly by way of his Loci
389 Muller, Unaccommodated Calvin, 120. Cf. Ganoczy, who asserts Luther's Small Catechism
was the model for Calvin (Ganoczy, Young Calvin, 137).
390 In this conclusion, Ganoczy is not alone. See also Wendel, Calvin: Origins and Development,
331, Concerning the form of the Institutio in comparison to the form of the Small Catechism, see Muller,
Unaccommodated Calvin, 103, 104, and 120.
391 See Ganoczy, Young Calvin, 140 ff. The Babylonian Captivity first appeared in 1520. It is
entirely possible that Calvin was exposed to this work (and other of Luther's works printed in Latin)
already in the late 1520s and earlier 1530s, given that Luther's works were in circulation in Paris. For
discussion of Calvin's appropriation, summarization, and rearrangement of Luther's thought in the 1536
Institutio, see Ganoczy as already cited. See also Muller, who refers approvingly to Ganoczy's study
(Muller, Unaccommodated Calvin, 44).
392 Ganoczy, Young Calvin, 142.
393 This sermon was first printed in German in 1519, and in Latin in 1524.
394 This sermon was first printed in German in 1526, and in Latin in 1527. According to
Ganoczy, directly reflecting this particular sermon of Luther, "the author of the Institutes expresses his
regret at the 'horrible dissensions' that divide the evangelicals as soon as they approach the theological
problems of the Supper; but at the same time he hastens to reject the Zwinglian interpretation of 'This is
my body.' In this way he implicitly declares himself a follower of Luther's theory, at least to the degree
that Luther held that the body and blood of Christ are truly present in the sacrament and actually received
by the communicant. We note that this basic acceptance does not prevent Calvin from criticizing several
expression of the Saxon reformer, some of which are found in the two sermons in question. It is notable
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