Theology

John Calvin was on his way to Strasburg in 1536, and accidentally arrived in Geneva.   Guillaume Farel a protestant preacher, who “burned with a marvelous zeal for the advancement of the gospel,” visited Calvin as he passed through the town.   He presented Calvin with several reasons why his presence was needed in Geneva (Gonzalez, pg. 81). He threatened Calvin with God's judgment if he ignored God's leading in the matter.   Calvin reluctantly agreed to stay.   As soon as the two pastors began insisting that the decision to reform the church be taken seriously, many of the bourgeoisie who had encourage the break with Rome began demurring, while they circulated rumors in other Protestant cities regarding the supposed errors of the Genevan reformers.   Calvin believed in church discipline -- there were certain marks that a Christian should have, and those who flagrantly violate these should be excommunicated. The conflict finally came to a head on the matter of church discipline and the right to excommunicate.   Calvin insisted that, if religious life was to conform to the principles of reformation, it was necessary to excommunicate unrepentant sinners (Gonzalez, pg. 82).   Calvin proposed new moral guidelines that would be the basis of the cities laws.   People would learn to behave themselves or go to jail.   The government, then in the hands of the bourgeoisie, refused to allow this, claiming that it was unwarranted rigorism and a usurpation of government authority (Gonzalez, pg. 82).   The city council said, “Thanks, but no thanks.”   Both men were forced to leave town in 1538, after two years of work.

In September 13, 1541 Calvin was asked to returned back to Geneva, and
his residence was in Geneva for the rest of his life.   Calvin agreed to return, but this
time he was in charge.   His first concerns was the preparation of a series of ecclesiastical
Ordinances that the government approved with some modifications (Gonzalez, pg.82).
The government church in...