John Calvin and sacraments.
Introduction
Reformation took place in 16th century by Martin Luther by challenging the authority of
church by nailing 95 Thesis on the door of church which mentioned about the false practices
of Church’s teachings, especially on salvation, indulgences, and church corruption, which not
only brought social change in secular world but also contributed significantly in the Christian
world as it marked the beginning of the second largest denomination in Christianity
Protestantism, which brought a drastic change in understanding of God, scripture, sacraments
and church as we are well aware that Catholicism dominated church by putting their own
interpretation over the biblical understanding and had totally drifted away from actual
understanding of Christian life. Martin Luther, John Calvin and various reformers challenged
the papacy and church to reveal the biblical understanding of Christian life, which also
impacted the understanding of sacraments which was different from Roman Catholic Church.
Calvins reformation regarding the understanding of Sacraments does not only contain the
sacraments but also Liturgy, at the time of Calvin there were two main elements in church
one sacraments and word of God. The worship of God was fundamental to Calvins theology,
so the Sunday worship service was obviously central to all else, while the basic structure and
some elements of the mass were retained in simplified form for Calvin, therefore he added
“Sacraments” as the fourth chapter in his book of catechism with law, faith, prayer and
sacraments.1 According to Calvin there are only two important sacraments which are Baptism
and Lord’s Supper, his ideas about the sacraments were highly inspired by Martin Luther and
Ulrich Zwingli.
1
H. Reeling Brouwer, ed., The structure of sacred Doctrine in Calvin’s Theology (Cambridge, U.K: Wm. B.
Eerdmans Publishing co, 2010), 46-49.
C. Spiritual Presence of Christ in the Lord Supper.
During the late 1530s, Calvin was a leading figure arguing for and against the Lord's Supper
with Roman Catholics and among themselves. Calvin's teaching on the Supper is preoccupied
with the character of Christ's presence in the sacraments as signs, with the signs and signified
things being differentiated without discrimination. He opposes the doctrine that the
sacramental signs are only signs and that the signs are translated into the things signified.
According to Calvin, when Christ says, "This is my body," the name of the signified ("body")
is given to the sign (bread). Calvin reasons that communion is caused by the Holy Spirit,
whereby believers are enabled to receive the sacraments without descending. The Holy Spirit
is the tie of the believer's union with Christ, and believers who share in faith are also
sustained by the body and blood of Christ through the working of the Holy Spirit.2
Calvin's Supper theology was influenced more by Luther, though Augustine, Philip
Melanchthon, Martin Bucer, and Peter Martyr Vermigli also contributed to his treatment of
the subject.
A sacrament, Calvin taught, was a visible sign of a holy thing or a "visible word" of God,
inescapably intertwined with the Word. Sacraments seal the promises of the Word, that is the
Lord's Supper, taught Calvin. This sacrament ensures that anyone who receives in faith really
receives the body and blood of Christ, affirming the believer's ongoing union with Christ.
This union is similar to baptism, which is connected with initiation into union with Christ.
Calvin viewed the Lord's Supper as a bond of love, fostering mutual love among believers
and inspiring thanksgiving. As a central aspect of Christian worship, it should be observed at
least once a week, free from superstition and rooted in biblical simplicity. Calvin believed the
Lord's Supper was a divine gift from Christ to strengthen faith, and should be celebrated
frequently and joyfully.3
D. Frequency of the lord supper
Lords’ supper according to medieval Catholic practice was only administrated on the Easter
Mass and possibly once or twice more during the rest of the year, otherwise, the daily ‘low
Mass’ was something said and done by the priest, often without any congregation or lay
2
John W De Gruchy, John Calvin. Christian Humanist and Evangelical Reformer (U.S.A, Eugene, Oregon:
Cascade books, 2013), 177-186.
3
Calvin's Doctrine of the Lord's Supper, https://learn.ligonier.org/articles/calvins-doctrine-lords-supper
(accessed on 21st June, 2025.)
participation, as they believe that the conversion of the substance of the Eucharistic
elements into the body and blood of Christ at consecration, only the appearances of bread and
wine still remaining (Transubstantiation), (which differed from the protestant understanding
which is Consubstantiation).4
Calvin's thought, implies that Ministry of Word is not the important element of worship but it
also has lord’s supper. The Lord's Supper is a divine gift and not merely the remembrance of
a gift; The Lord's Supper is a communal meal with Christ and his members, a
commemorative meal, and a confessional meal. Its gift-character precedes its commemorative
and ecclesiological-ethical aspects. The celebration of the Lord's Supper as frequently as
possible-strengthens faith and serves the unification with Christ.5
Calvin challenged those practices and wrote in his Article Concerning the organization of the
church and of worship at Geneva (1537) that communion of the Holy Supper of Jesus Christ
should as a rule (be held) every Sunday. His ideal was always "to restore the Eucharist in its
apostolic simplicity and completeness as the weekly worship of the Church"? He retained this
hope right through to the end his life. In the final edition of his Institutes, he declares that it
would be best "if it (the Eucharist) were set before the church very often, and at least once a
week" Ironically, this reform first occurred within the Catholic Church which was later
followed by the Protestantism.6
Celebration of the Supper was refashioned as an act of obedience, a confession of faith and a
means to its strengthening, rather than being something necessary for salvation. As such, it
remained integral to the life of the Christian community,
Referred Books for assignment
4
John W De Gruchy, John Calvin. Christian Humanist and Evangelical Reformer (U.S.A, Eugene, Oregon:
Cascade books, 2013), 177-186
5
Herman J. Selderhuis, ed., The Calvin Handbook, translated by Henry J. Baron, Judith J. Guder, Randi H.
Lundell and Gerrit W. Sheeres (Cambridge, U.K: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing co, 2009), 346-355.
6
John W De Gruchy, John Calvin. Christian Humanist and Evangelical Reformer (U.S.A, Eugene, Oregon:
Cascade books, 2013), 177-186
John Dillenberger and Claude Welch, Protestant Christianity, Interpreted through its
development. (United state of America, New York: Charles Scribner’s sons, 1954) 48-
52.
Francois Wendel, Calvin. Origin and development of his religious though, translated
by Philip Mairet (United state of America, New York: Baker books,1963) 312-355.
