8. La communauté chrétienne - The Christian community

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En provenance du cours de University of Geneva

Calvin - Histoire et réception d'une Réforme

58 notes

University of Geneva

Calvin - Histoire et réception d'une Réforme

58 notes

Course in French with English subtitles -- Ce cours introduit à la vie et à la pensée du réformateur Jean Calvin (1509-1564) ainsi qu’à son influence sur le monde moderne et contemporain. La démarche proposée se veut critique, il ne s’agit ni de canoniser ni de condamner Calvin, mais de comprendre sa pensée avec toute la distance requise et d’en analyser les enjeux. Au cours de la première semaine, nous explorerons les principales étapes de la vie de Calvin. Les semaines 2 et 3 seront consacrées à l’étude de sa pensée théologique et de son éthique. Enfin, lors des semaines 4 et 5, nous nous interrogerons sur la diffusion du calvinisme dans le monde et la pertinence actuelle de la pensée de Calvin. -- This course is an introduction to the life and thought of the reformer John Calvin (1509-1564) and to his influence on the modern and contemporary world. The approach we develop is critical: we intend neither to canonize nor to condemn Calvin or his thought. Our goal, rather, is to avoid any rash evaluation in order to understand his thought and analyze the issues at stake in it. During five weeks, we will explore together the life and work of the Reformer. During the first week, we will study the main aspects of Calvin’s life. Weeks 2 and 3 will focus on his theology and his ethics. During the last two weeks (weeks 4 and 5), we will ponder how Calvinism became a worldwide phenomenon and ask ourselves what kind of relevance Calvin’s thought may still have today.

À partir de la leçon

La pensée théologique de Calvin - Calvin's theology

Calvin a été un réformateur non seulement de l’Église mais aussi de la théologie. Son œuvre fut avant tout une œuvre pastorale et théologique. Ce deuxième module présentera les principaux aspects de sa pensée théologique, en conversation avec la recherche récente. Après avoir examiné son rapport aux Écritures bibliques (Ancien et Nouveau Testament), nous passerons en revue plusieurs thèmes théologiques particulièrement importants pour lui : l’être humain, la connaissance de Dieu comme Père, l’œuvre réconciliatrice du Fils, le rôle de l’Esprit-Saint, l’élection divine, l’Église, les sacrements et la spiritualité.Lors de la deuxième semaine, nous nous pencherons sur ce qui constitua le cœur de l’action de Calvin : la réforme de la théologie et de l’Église à partir du message biblique. L’objectif de cette semaine est de présenter, d’analyser et d’évaluer des thèmes centraux de la pensée théologique de Calvin, en conversation avec la recherche récente. Au terme de cette semaine, les étudiant-e-s auront une idée plus précise de la manière dont Calvin réfléchissait sur des questions théologiques centrales. Calvin was not only a reformer of the Church, but also of theology. His work was above all a pastoral and a theological work. Module 2 of the course focuses on some of the main aspects of his theology, on the basis of recent scholarship. After examining Calvin's view of the Bible (Old and New Testaments), we will consider several themes which were of great importance to him: the human being, the knowledge of God as Father, Christ's reconciling work, the role of the Holy Spirit, God's election, the Church, the sacraments and spirituality. All of these themes belong to the heart of what animated him and his work: the reforming of theology and of the Church in the light of the biblical message. The goal of this module is to present, analyze and evaluate some of the main themes of Calvin's theology, at times in conversation with contemporary scholarship. At the end of module 2, you should have a good grasp of the ways in which Calvin reinterpreted central theological questions.

7. Election et réprobation divines: «mauvaise» ou «bonne» nouvelle? Divine election and reprobation: 'good' or 'bad' news?13:34

8. La communauté chrétienne - The Christian community7:37

Rencontrer les enseignants

Christophe Chalamet
Professeur de théologie systématique
Faculté de théologie
François Dermange
Professeur d'éthique
Faculté de théologie
Michel Grandjean
Professeur d'histoire du christianisme
Faculté de théologie
Sarah Nicolet
Collaboratrice scientifique
Faculté de théologie

Calvin. History and Reception of a Reformation

Week 2. Calvin's Thought Sequence 8. The Christian Community

The Christian community, or Church, is the result of a divine decision, of a divine election (a notion we've recently discussed).

This community does not come together by and of itself, by a process of attraction, but is the product of the Word, of the Divine Word.

Ultimately, God alone knows who is truly a member of His Church.

It is not possible for us to conclusively assert who does or does not belong to it.

Yet did Calvin not help to undermine the unity of the Latin Church?

How did he view this new schism, in which he was a participant?

For Calvin, there is but one Church -- the body of Christ --, of which Christ is the head.

He writes: "the Church is called catholic or universal, for two or three [churches] cannot be invented without dividing Christ, which is impossible."

Thus the Church, on a fundamental level, is one.

Where, then, is the Church to be found?

God alone knows.

Nonetheless, there are "notes" (Latin: notae ecclesiae) -- markers or criteria to determine where a Church may be found.

A Church is found anywhere the Gospel is purely, or properly, announced; and anywhere the sacraments are soundly administered.

These are the two criteria for Calvin: the Gospel purely (or correctly) announced and the sacraments soundly administered.

In this respect, Calvin is merely echoing the Augsburg Confession, the 1530 text that is fundamental to Lutheranism.

Calvin had very harsh words for the Roman Catholic Church of his time.

These words must be read in the context of the 16th century, with its particular mode of expression, which is very different from the conciliatory or ecumenical tone we are used to today.

Calvin writes: "the state of religion is corrupt and depraved with them. [...] Their idolatry far exceeds that of the kingdom of Israel under Jeroboam."

The assemblies of the Roman Catholic Church are "contaminated by idolatry, various superstitions, and evil doctrines."

"Instead of the ministry of the Word, they have schools of impiety, and an abyss of all kinds of error."

"Yet we deny not to the Papists those vestiges of a Church which the Lord has allowed to remain among them amid the dissipation" -- all hope is not lost.

Baptism, for example, "retains its virtue [i.e., power] in spite of human depravity."

These quotes are taken from book 4 of the "Institutes," in which Calvin presents his ecclesiology (doctrine of the Church).

"The Church is in a fearful state of ruin. Nonetheless, God has provided by His providence that there should remain some residue therein, to prevent the Church as a whole from perishing."

The Church is organized; it has a form.

"Churches are maintained by proper order, and by disorder are dissipated."

Calvin liked order; the Calvinist (Presbyterian) tradition does too.

Yet this order and organization are the work of mankind.

Such things "must not be thought necessary to salvation, nor lay the conscience under a religious obligation. They must not be compared to the worship of God, nor substituted for piety."

Thus certain traditions are not necessary to salvation.

A distinction must be made between the levels of faith -- faith in God, faith in the Church. This is something we'll come back to.

The Church is organized into several different ministerial offices, through which God builds up and instructs His community.

In Calvin's vision, there are four such offices:

the pastors, the scholars (or teachers), the elders and the deacons.

Four ministries, then (or offices).

The episcopal office, that of the bishop, is represented not by an individual, but by a body, a group.

For Calvin, the ordination of ministers is virtually a sacrament in itself.

It is accomplished by way of a visible gesture, the laying on of hands, which symbolizes an invisible sign, or promise.

So, as is the case with Calvin's conception of the Lord's Supper, we find here a similar duality: an external, material sign -- in this case, the laying on of hands -- that points to (or symbolizes) a hidden, spiritual promise.

Yet ultimately, Calvin stops short of calling the ordination process a sacrament, on the grounds that it applies only to certain members of the Christian community. For Calvin, indeed, availability to all members of the community is one of the criteria for what constitutes a sacrament.

Calvin makes a rather subtle distinction -- one that originates in the Apostles' Creed -- when he writes: "One does not believe in the Church so much as one believes the Church," according to the original confessions of faith of Christianity.

What is the meaning of this distinction between "believing in the Church" and "believing the Church" (in Latin, "credo in ecclesiam" as opposed to "credo ecclesiam")?

Calvin writes: "We declare that we believe in God, both because our mind reclines upon Him as true, and our confidence is fully satisfied in Him. This cannot be said of the Church, just as it cannot be said of the forgiveness of sins, or the resurrection of the body."

Thus the faith that is placed in God cannot be transferred to something else, such as the Church.

The faith we have in God is different from the faith we place in the Church.

Hence the distinction between "believing in the Church" and "believing the Church."

Thus the ecclesial community, the Church, consists in those believers who come together to hear the Word -- through which the community is built up --, to administer the sacraments, and who live together under a common faith.

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