Correspondence from Calvin (not Institutes): An Excerpt from his 'Reply to Cardinal Sadoleto'

[Papa Smurf]

This is a short excerpt from one of Calvin's most famous (and perhaps most important) pieces of correspondence (which is saying something because he managed to write far more in his short lifetime than most people are capable of reading). It is truly one of Calvin's little gems. Enjoy

We are assailed by two sects, which seem to differ most widely from each other. For what similitude is there in appearance between the Pope and the Anabaptists? And yet, that you may see that Satan never transforms himself so cunningly, as not in some measure to betray himself, the principal weapon with which they both assail us is the same. For when they boast extravagantly of the Spirit, the tendency certainly is to sink and bury the Word of God, that they may make room for their own falsehoods.​

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~John Calvin, Reply to Sadoleto (1539)​

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Thoughts?

--Papa Smurf
p.s. - if anyone is interested in reading Calvin's letter in its entirety, you can find Cardinal Sadoleto's letter and Calvin's famous reply to it, here.

 

[Josheb]

This is a short excerpt from one of Calvin's most famous (and perhaps most important) pieces of correspondence (which is saying something because he managed to write far more in his short lifetime than most people are capable of reading). It is truly one of Calvin's little gems. Enjoy

We are assailed by two sects, which seem to differ most widely from each other. For what similitude is there in appearance between the Pope and the Anabaptists? And yet, that you may see that Satan never transforms himself so cunningly, as not in some measure to betray himself, the principal weapon with which they both assail us is the same. For when they boast extravagantly of the Spirit, the tendency certainly is to sink and bury the Word of God, that they may make room for their own falsehoods.​

​

~John Calvin, Reply to Sadoleto (1539)​

​

Thoughts?

--Papa Smurf
p.s. - if anyone is interested in reading Calvin's letter in its entirety, you can find Cardinal Sadoleto's letter and Calvin's famous reply to it, here.

Profound words but I will respectfully suggest those words are best understood as political and social commentary specific to the circumstances Calvin (and the other would-be reformers) experienced and sought to address in their day. Because our day is different Calvin would have written differently were he alive today. God appoints each person the land and time in which he (or she) lives and He does so with Ephesians 2:10 in mind.

I would also suggest Calvin is writing with some degree of irony, or satire, or hyperbole because "boasting extravagantly" in the Spirit is a bit of an oxymoron. Aside from "Let him who boasts boast in the LORD," boasting is frowned upon and if Calvin were posting in the internet I suspect he'd have stuck an emoji in there to communicate the paradox because the Spirit does not bury the Word or make room for falsehood.

Lastly, there's another seeming irony to the letter because while Calvin is openly acknowledging the abuses in the RCC he is exhorting his readers to return to the RCC.

Remember also that there was another enemy beside the Pope and the Anabaptists with whom the Reformers combatted: the humanists. Erasmus (and those among his ilk ) was very influential during the early Reformation. Humanism has healthy forms and fleshly, depraved forms and those elevating humanity above God err greatly, and their words are often persuasive and lead to deadly hubris. Calvin did not set out to leave the RCC or start a new denomination, and he they not tried to kill the man he probably never would have left.