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Calvin's Conception of the “Communio Sanctorum”

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2009

Ray C. Petry
Affiliation:
McPherson College, McPherson, Kansas

Extract

The year 1936 marks the four hundredth anniversary of the Institutes of the Christian Religion In that work is contained the mature expression of Calvin's religious thought. Attention may well be centered, at this time, upon one of the most procreative conceptions contained in the Institutes—a conception still rich in suggestions for our community of Christian life. The conception is that of the “societas fidelium” or the “communia sanctorum.” In the following study the “communia sanctorum” is considered in relation to its concept and to predestination, cult, discipline, and social service.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of Church History 1936

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References

1 For the discussion, of the Institutes, their various editions, their critical analysis and their comparative significance see especially: Ioannis Calvini Opera Quae Supersunt Omnia, ed. Baum, G., Cunitz, E., Reuss, E., Brunsvigae 1865, III, VIIXLVIIGoogle Scholar; Calvin, Jean, Institution de la Religion Chréstienne, ed. Lefrane, A., Chatelain, H., et Pannier, J., Paris, 1911, I, 157Google Scholar; Doumergue, E., Jean Calvin: les hommes et les choses de son temps; Lausanne, 1910, IV, 117Google Scholar. Foster, H. D., Collected Papers, p. 32.Google Scholar

2 Opera, I, 72Google Scholar—Credo sanctam ecclesiam catholicam, sanctorum communionem, remissionem peceatorum, carnis resurrectionem, vitam aeternam. Cf. Opera, I, 7778.Google Scholar

3 Opera, I, 72Google Scholar—Primum credimus sanctam ecclesiam catholicam, hoc est, universum electorum numerum, sive angeli sint, sive homines.…; ex hominibus, sive mortui, sive adhuc vivant; ex viventibus, quibuscunque in terris agant, a ut ubivis gentium dispersi sint; unam esse ecclesiam ac societatem et unum Dei populum cuius Christus, Dominus noster, dux sit et princeps, ac tanquam unius corporis caput; prout in ipso divina bonitate electi sunt, ante miundi constitutionem, ut in regnum Dei omnes aggregarentur, sq. Of. also Inst., IV 1, 2–3Google ScholarOpera, II 746–748Google Scholar; 1541 ed. pp. 265–266.

4 Opera, II, 7273Google Scholar—Haec autem societas catholica est, id est, universalis, quia non duas aut tres invenire liceat, verum electi Dei sic omnes in Christo uniuntur ac coadunantur, ut quemadmodum ab uno capite pendent, ita in unum velut corpus coalescant; … Inst., IV 1, 2Google ScholarOpera, II, 747Google Scholar reads: Quin sic electi Dei omnes in Christo sunt connexi, ut quemadmodum ab uno capite pendent, ita in unum velut corpus coalescant, ea inter se compage cohaerentes que eiusdem corporis membra; vere unum facti, qui una fide, spe, caritate, eodem Dei spiritu simul vivunt, non in eandem modo vitae aeternae haereditatem, sed in unius Dei ac Christi participationem etiam vocati. Cf. 1541 ed. p. 266.

5 Opera, I, 7778Google Scholar; Inst., IV 1, 2–3Google ScholarOpera, II, 747748Google Scholar: Atque ideo adiungitur sanctorum communicatio. Quae particula licet a veteribus fere praetermissa sit, non tamen negligenda est, quia ecclesiae qualitatem optime exprimit. Quasi dictum esset hae lege aggregari sanctos in soeietatem Christi, ut quaecunque in eos beneficia Deus confert, inter se mutuo communicent.

6 Inst., IV 1, 7Google ScholarOpera, II, 752753Google ScholarInst., IV 1, 2Google ScholarOpera, II, 747Google Scholar; Nisi enim sub capite nostro Christo coadunati simus reliquis omnibus membris, nulla nos manet spes haereditatis futurae.

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14 Inst., III XVI,18Google Scholar; Opera, II, 576Google Scholar: Sic fundata, erecta, stabilita conscientia operum quoque consideratione stabilitur; quatenus, scilicet testimonia sunt Dei in nobis habitantis ac regnantis.

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16 1541 ed. pp. 490–491 ff. Opera, II, 716.Google Scholar

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19 Choisy, E., La théocratie à Genève am temps de Calvin, Genève, n. d., pp. 232 ff.Google Scholar

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22 The 1541 edition, p. 541 reads: Dont aussi il appert, que oraisons publiques ne se doivent faire ne en langage Grec entre les Latins: ne en latin entre Franeoys ou Anglois, (comme la coustume a esté par tout cy devant), mais en langaige commun du pays: qui se puisse entendre de toute l'assemblée. Cf. Inst., III, XX, 33Google Scholar; Opera, II, 659.Google Scholar

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24 Inst., III, XX, 38Google Scholar; Opera, II, 664Google Scholar: Neque solum quos tales ad praesens videt atque cognoseit, sed emnes qui super terrain agunt homines; de quibus quid statuent Deus, extra notitiam est; nisi quod illis optima optare et sperare non minus pium quam humanum est.

25 Inst., III, XX, 39, 47Google Scholar; Opera, II, 664, 675.Google Scholar

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33 Commentary on the Ephesians, , IV, 16Google Scholar, cited by McNeill, , Unitive Protestantism, pp. 3133.Google Scholar

34 Inst., III, VII, 5Google Scholar (Allen's tr.); Opera, II, 509Google Scholar, says: At scriptura ut eo nos manu ducat, praemonet, quidquid a Domino gratiarum obtinemus, esse nobis hac lege concreditum, nt in commune ecclesiae bonum conferatur. Ideoque legitimum gratiarum omnium usum esse, liberalem ae benignam cum aliis communieationem.

35 Inst., II, VIII, 39Google Scholar; Opera, II, 294.Google Scholar

36 Doumergue, , op. cit., V, 629–30Google Scholar; Opera, XXXIII, 308–309.

37 Inst., II, VIII, 55 (Beveridge tr.)Google Scholar; Opera, II, 306Google Scholar: Sed dico, universum hominum. genus, nulla exceptione, uno caritatis affectu esse amplexandum: … nullum hic esse discrimen barbari aut Graeci, digni vel indigni, ainici vel inimici; quoniam in Deo, non in se ipsis considerandi sunt.

38 Inst., III, XXIII, 14Google Scholar; Opera, II, 711.Google Scholar

39 Inst., III, VI, 4Google Scholar; Opera, II, 504Google Scholar: Nom enim linguae est doctrina, sed vitae.

40 Doumergue, , op. cit. V, 625633Google Scholar; Opera, I, 75.Google Scholar

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42 Troeltsch, , op. cit., pp. 120121.Google Scholar

43 Inst., III, VII, 7Google Scholar; Opera, II, 511512Google Scholar. Too often (cf. Opera, IV, 194)Google Scholar: “quand un homme riche a donné quelque chose du sien, il laisse là toutes les autres charges, et, s'en exempte comme si elles ne luy appartenoyent de rien.”

44 Doumergue, , op. cit., V, 631Google Scholar; McNeill, , Makers of Christianity, 193; McNeill, Unitive Protestantism, pp. 4956.Google Scholar

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46 Troeltsch, , op. cit., pp. 120121.Google Scholar

47 Foster, , op. cit., pp. 3076Google Scholar for “Calvin's Programme for a Puritan State.”

48 Cf. the Ordonnances ecclesiastiques, Opera, Xa, 15 ff.Google Scholar, 91 ff.; cf. Kidd, B., Documents, Oxford, 1911, 591603Google Scholar; Choisy, , op. cit., 231, 249250Google Scholar; Harkness, G., John Calvin, N. Y., 1931, pp. 26, 28, 221 ff.Google Scholar; Inst., IV. III, 9Google Scholar; Keyburn, , op. cit., pp. 335 ff.Google Scholar

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50 Foster, , op. cit., p. 73Google Scholar; ef. Doumergue, , op. cit., V, 233301Google Scholar for social character and the social services of Calvin and Calvinism. For a discussion of governmental theory cf. Inst., IV, XX; Foster, , op. cit., pp. 36, 3843Google Scholar; Harkness, , op. cit., pp. 221237.Google Scholar

51 Troeltseh, , op. cit., pp. 117118.Google Scholar

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