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

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CHAPTER 4 A SURVEY OF PAST RESPONSES TO THE QUESTION AT HAND AND A PROPOSAL FOR THE WAY FORWARD An account of Calvin's early intellectual milieu, such as presented in the previous chapter, allows for further consideration of the primary resources of Calvin's early doctrinal expositions on the Lord's Supper. His humanist disposition, his sympathy for the reform movement, his emerging exegetical and theological interests, his interaction with the thought of his contemporaries and the tradition—such things press for consideration when the published expositions of the 1530s and 40s are examined and the provenance of their expression discerned. Appeals to such things have been varied among past scholars. In light of this and of the agenda of this study as a whole, the aim of this chapter is twofold: to look back and to glance ahead. To look back is to survey previous scholarship related to the specific question that drives this study. In this chapter, such a survey is developed chronologically, that is, following the chronology of Calvin's works and scholars' relevant observations therewith. Following a statement about the general tenor of several previous studies on Calvin's doctrine of the Lord's Supper, the chapter takes up previous studies that attend to Calvin's earliest expression of his doctrine of the Lord's Supper (in the 1536 Institutio) followed by previous studies that attend to his 154
subsequent early expressions (prepared 1536-1540). To glance ahead is to propose— briefly—a way forward for discerning the provenance in Calvin's thought of this particular emphasis on the role of the Holy Spirit with respect to believers' participation in the Lord's Supper, and especially in what Christ himself offers there. 4.1 A Look Back Previous Scholarship on Calvin's Doctrine of the Lord's Supper: The last one- hundred some years have seen a spate of scholarship on Calvin's doctrine of the Lord's Supper. As has been asserted by some recent scholars, authors of the majority of these works take Calvin to have been consistent in the expression of his doctrine throughout his lifetime. Finding development in Calvin's thought and expression is a task either (at best) beyond the purpose of their discussion, or (at worst) seemingly lost on them. The works of such authors, then, present Calvin's doctrine of the Lord's Supper as if the 1559 Institutio is simply Calvin's fully elaborated summa on the topic of the Lord's Supper, his doctrine of the sacrament having been essentially fully-formed and posited already in 1536. 536 536 For surveys referencing the works cited below, see Davis, Chapter 1: "The Foundations of the Modern Interpretation of Calvin's Teaching on the Eucharist," Clearest Promises, 15-27; Muller, "From Zürich or from Wittenberg?" forthcoming; and Janse, "Calvin's Eucharistic Theology," with reference to Davis. McDonnell, cited below, declares on the first page of the introduction to his study that "It is universally acknowledged among Calvin researchers that there is little development in his eucharistic doctrine." So, John Nevin, The Mystical Presence: A Vindication of the Reformed or Calvinistic Doctrine of the Holy Eucharist (Philadelphia: J. B. Lipincott, 1846); Joachim Beckmann, Vom Sakrament bei Calvin: Die Sakramentslehre Calvins in ihren Beziehungen zu Augustin. (Tübingen: J. C. B. Mohr, [Paul Siebeck], 1926); Wilhelm Niesel, Calvins Lehre vom Abendmahl im Lichte seiner letzeten Antwort an Westphal, Forschungen zur Geschichte und Lehre des Protestantismus, Third series, vol. 3 (Munich: Chr. Kaiser Verlag, 1930), and The Theology of Calvin, trans. Harold Knight (London: Lutterworth, 1956), 211-228; Willem Frederik Dankbaar, De sacramentsleer van Calvijn, (Amsterdam: H. J. Paris, 1941); Jean Cadier, La Doctrine calviniste de la Sainte Cène, Études théologiques et religieuses, Vol. 26. (Montpellier: Faculté de théologie protestante, 1951); Joachim Rogge, Virtus und Res: Um die Abendmahlsvirklichkeit bei Calvin (Stuttgart: 1965); Kilian McDonnell, John Calvin, the Church, and the 155
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THE PROVENANCE OF JOHN CALVIN'S EMP
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THE PROVENANCE OF JOHN CALVIN'S EMP
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For Paul, Liesl, & Annemarie. Witho
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CONTENTS Acknowledgments...........
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am deeply indebte
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ABBREVIATIONS BDS Bucer, Deutsche S
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INTRODUCTION With respect to one of
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and secondary source material to my
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among humanists who dwell deeply on
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of the Greek Fathers for whom the i
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Optima ineundae concordiae ratio (1
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in the Supper," 13 Calvin refers to
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To make his point even more forthri
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I come to close quarters at once wi
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ends. 33 Read critically it becomes
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purpose, 'My flesh is meat indeed,'
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eality" (rei exhibitionem). 51 That
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themselves, because of their "natur
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locally present on earth, at least
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that there is a medium between thes
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another to receive." 85 The "nature
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the mouth of faith, 91 are truly fe
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concordiae ratio of 1560, "raises u
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1.4 Coda under the symbols of bread
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CHAPTER 2 A STUDY OF CALVIN'S REFER
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a historical development." 108 As J
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The chapter itself unfolds as a chr
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instructs us by his Word, confirms
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and blood in the Supper, he does no
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In light of his first treatment of
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y which under bread and wine he rep
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under the bread, or of the blood un
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participation we are fed on eternal
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François Gilmont conclude, "If it
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enclosed under some corruptible ele
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paragraphs before in this very trea
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preaching, as far as God uses the i
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moved and our souls opened for the
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ody, spirit, and soul with him. The
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In this passage Calvin concerns him
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order that they might truly receive
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minister and catechumen. He publish
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exert his energy (virtutem) by his
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same year Calvin published a liturg
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the vital role of the Holy Spirit w
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communicated in the sacrament, and
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(per spiritum), even although it is
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sacramentally, is Calvin's emphasis
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The nub of disagreement between Cal
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are three: "that the signs are not
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seemingly conceded the use of the t
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Spirit still figures as the "agent"
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truly fulfils what he figures, he t
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CHAPTER 3 A NARRATIVE, BIOGRAPHICAL
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with another, one must not simply i
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Paris were reading, appreciating, a
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Faculty and Parlement censured Berq
Page 115 and 116: devotio moderna" who longed for his
Page 117 and 118: Beyond the foregoing detail, little
Page 119 and 120: "brilliant classical scholar" 332 o
Page 121 and 122: oyally endowed lectures in the 'thr
Page 123 and 124: In May 1532, Calvin returned to Orl
Page 125 and 126: writes: "Like most of the humanists
Page 127 and 128: possibility exists, to which father
Page 129 and 130: which offered scholars opportunitie
Page 131 and 132: Oecolampadius' death in 1531 (just
Page 133 and 134: communes theologici, the first edit
Page 135 and 136: What of patristic influence? Lane t
Page 137 and 138: open repudiation of the "papist" in
Page 139 and 140: the churches and the destruction of
Page 141 and 142: defended the evangelical position,
Page 143 and 144: to his complete vilification by the
Page 145 and 146: is wholly due to "the secret and mi
Page 147 and 148: intention of devoting himself once
Page 149 and 150: Among medievals: Calvin cites Thoma
Page 151 and 152: whether positive or negative, of Me
Page 153 and 154: sources—the exegesis of Origen, 4
Page 155 and 156: placing loci into their commentarie
Page 157 and 158: "confluence" of humanistic and scho
Page 159 and 160: And, of course, Calvin seems to hav
Page 161 and 162: specifically refers include Bernard
Page 163 and 164: By now, an emphasis on the Holy Spi
Page 165: traditions, rather than by way of h
Page 169 and 170: distinguished Calvin's earliest ins
Page 171 and 172: sacraments" as seals of promises).
Page 173 and 174: that "a static view of the eucharis
Page 175 and 176: Supper between the publication of t
Page 177 and 178: Davis continues just a little on: O
Page 179 and 180: Chrysostom and published it in one
Page 181 and 182: It was in a sermon which Erasmus ha
Page 183 and 184: Like van't Spijker, Wendel claims d
Page 185 and 186: up again the question of the proven
Page 187 and 188: CHAPTER 5 ASSIMILATION: CALVIN'S DO
Page 189 and 190: when Calvin concerns himself with "
Page 191 and 192: the Lord's Prayer, and the Sacramen
Page 193 and 194: creation, "we are never to doubt or
Page 195 and 196: We are persuaded that there is for
Page 197 and 198: Here, the "efficacy" of the Spirit
Page 199 and 200: length. While the doctrine of the T
Page 201 and 202: Calvin's Trinitarian conception of
Page 203 and 204: … our faith receives from baptism
Page 205 and 206: the Godhead into itself. Now who do
Page 207 and 208: As noted in Chapter 2, Calvin inter
Page 209 and 210: Calvin broaches the conception of d
Page 211 and 212: with respect to the person and work
Page 213 and 214: In his exposition of the confession
Page 215 and 216: So Christ, the Son, is appointed by
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us to seal the gift of a thing invi
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himself, not the Spirit, but Christ
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Spirit He consecrates us as temples
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This is evident from Calvin's prefa
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CHAPTER 6 ASSIMILATION: THE THOUGHT
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integrate his ideas into a powerful
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Bourges. 694 So it is not unlikely,
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Luther's own doctrine of the Lord's
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Luther's doctrine of the Lord's Sup
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Supper of 1528, 718 Luther employs
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proof that only a spiritual eating,
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ifurcation of these two views, not
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The point is then, that although Ca
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naturally'—vere et efficaciter ex
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Therefore just as the word is an in
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eading them." 760 Given its context
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this view in his definition of the
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the contemplation of faith" (adesse
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doctrine as an argument for Christ'
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physically." This fact seemingly mi
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He then proceeds to his exegetical
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sharers in all his blessings." 800
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century. 808 Oecolampadius had been
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Oecolampadius' treatment of the sac
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The extent to which Calvin had acce
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Clearly Oecolampadius is concerned
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Calvin's thought and expression is
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faithfully defending his predecesso
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which, being received spiritually b
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sacraments, as signs of things sign
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espect to the sacraments, at least
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eliever, operatio spiritu sancti. A
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The Zwinglian, even "Karlstadtian,"
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judiciously, distinguished his thou
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Bucer and Capito given that it was
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might have been picked up from Bren
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"Lutheran-leaning," or, as Amy Nels
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Confessionis Augustanae (1530), 912
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Spirit might incite confusion, migh
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signified. Christ himself is encoun
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The 1537 Synod of Bern was called,
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This is the confession Bucer ratifi
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Lausanne, but also the Pays de Vaud
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the disputation, the Lord's Supper
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By esprit, Viret is presumably spea
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ecepvoir de grace en son corps et e
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thought, though never in a direct q
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1542, when he edited for publicatio
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efers to the Spirit as the nexus be
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Now, it cannot be declared definiti
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Charybdis of Zwingli's spiritualist
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Since Calvin's early interest in th
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"Calvin's use of the fathers (espec
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. . . quando hoc beneficii per spir
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the Spirit as the vinculum 1013 —
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Interestingly, in his presentation
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is likely spurious, its preparer be
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Once again Calvin's signature expla
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of the Institutio, and the expressi
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Even though such an expression is n
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Throughout the dialog between the K
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himself." So Butin, for one among o
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sacramental is equivalent merely to
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Spirit is not expressed in Augustin
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Ratramnus were monks at the Benedic
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as the papal legate designated to p
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Lord's Supper and Ratramnus'. 1089
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Here, as in the passage above, Ratr
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theological tradition of the church
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8.1 Calvin's Liturgy: Context and C
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himself and printed in Strasbourg i
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On the day of the Lord's Supper, th
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himself invites us to His Table: th
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one "disposes" one's soul "to be no
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edition of his Institutio, "suggest
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Their content is likewise distinct.
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lavishness of God's "peace, grace,
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Bürki suggests. And yet such a ric
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Bucer's rhetorical set-up of this c
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truly be for us the communion of Hi
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in true childlike trust, and always
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"Gott sei gelobet" or a psalm, afte
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The prayer of confession immediatel
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Calvin's Genevan and Strasbourg rub
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not only Germany, but also the Neth
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However, given their thematic struc
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For all their resonance, though, it
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disposition could subscribe to it,
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and beyond? 1213 What is the measur
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CONCLUSION The front matter of this
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expositions of the sacrament—pres
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uniquely ordained for such proclama
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Institutio christianae religionis,
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Hazlett, W. Ian P. "Calvin's Latin
Page 405 and 406:
-----. "Confession on the Eucharist
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-----. De Trinitate, translated by
Page 409 and 410:
Battles, Ford Lewis. "The Sources o
Page 411 and 412:
-----. Revelation, Redemption, and
Page 413 and 414:
Farge, Benjamin W. Orthodoxy and Re
Page 415 and 416:
Guggisberg, Hans R. Basel in the Si
Page 417 and 418:
Koopmans, J. Het oudkerkelijk dogma
Page 419 and 420:
Macy, Gary. The Theologies of the E
Page 421 and 422:
Neuser, Wilhelm H., and Brian G. Ar
Page 423 and 424:
Partee, Charles. "Farel's Influence
Page 425 and 426:
------. "Philip Melanchthon." In Re
Page 427 and 428:
van Stam, Frans Pieter. "Das Verhä
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