Luther and Calvin - a Comparison

Luther and Calvin/A Comparison

The Protestant Reformation engulfed the medieval world in the early sixteenth century, breaking apart the familiar paradigms and recasting both the religious and political map of Europe. It was, without a doubt, a decisive moment in the history of the Western church. Energies that flowed from the Reformation would eventually affect the character of the spread of Christianity to other "continents while fundamentally shaping the culture of much of Europe and North America" (Wogaman, 1993, p. 109).

The principle thinkers and motivators in regards to this revolutionary movement, the Protestant Reformation, were Martin Luther and John Calvin. According to Wogaman, the majority of Luther's theological agenda was anticipated by Augustine (and also by the apostle Paul), and also that most of the program of reform suggested by Luther was preceded by the writings and activities of Wycliffe and Hus (1993, p. 110). However, by the time of Luther (1483-1546), unlike the time of Wycliffe or Hus, the world was ripe for "revolutionary change" (Wogaman, 1993, p. 110).

When Luther posted the Ninety-five Theses, it was an invitation to the public to debate the abuses of papal indulgences and all of the related issues. While this was not an everyday event in the Middle Ages, Wogaman argues that no one could have anticipated the sweeping changes that this event set into motion. The writings of Luther that followed his posting of the Ninety-five Theses gave voice to the deeper implications of his challenge to the papal system of indulgences while simultaneously responding to some of the practical consequences that the theses implied (Wogaman, 1993, p. 110).

A close examination of Luther's beliefs relative to Christian faith, followed by a similar examination of Calvin's, will reveal that the conclusions of Calvin were a logical extension of the philosophy formulated by Luther and that the two Reformers thought along very similar lines. Additionally, such a comparison will reveal how the thoughts and faith of these two Protestant Reformers profoundly changed the Christian church of the Middle Ages and directed the course of the future development of Christian thought.

The Religious Beliefs of Martin Luther and Their Ramifications

In his classic treatise "Concerning Christian Liberty," Luther explained his belief that the Christian is free from the objective "constraints of life based upon external 'works' " (Burns, 1969, p. 466). In 1520, Martin Luther, as a conciliatory gesture to atone for his criticisms against the medieval church, dedicated this pamphlet on Christian freedom to the pontiff. The principles that Luther set down in this pamphlet described the relationship of faith and good works to salvation.

Luther felt that the Christian