The Long Reformation: Reformed (Penny Roberts) III: The Reformed 'International'
- Created by: Alasdair
- Created on: 17-05-18 15:38
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- The Long Reformation: Reformed (Penny Roberts) III: The Reformed 'International'
- Reformed Protestantism was more successful geographically and numerically than Lutheranism
- This was due to Reformed Protestantism not requiring goodwill of established authorities
- Spread of Lutheranism
- Scandinavia and some German territories
- Spread of Reformed Church
- Outside some German territories and Scandinavia, Reformed Church had more widespread appeal that Lutheran, even if it was only among a minoirty of people
- Places that drew inspiration from both Geneva and Zurich
- England
- Scotland
- France
- Netherlands
- Coreligionists in Central and Eastern Europe
- Hungary
- Transylvania
- Poland
- In many areas, Reformers were building on already established Lutheran base
- e.g.
- Hungary
- Absorbed 'proto-Protestants' such as Hussites of Bohemia and Waldensians of France
- e.g.
- Nobility was specifically targeted and their response was vital to success of Reformed cause
- Historians, like Pettegree, Scriberner, Benedict and Ryrie
- have begun to emphasise national or even local character of Churches which emerged
- Provided more 'multinational' and 'pluralistic' picture
- Contrary to traditional views presented Reformed cause as international
- have begun to emphasise national or even local character of Churches which emerged
- According to Todd
- Despite usual association, of Calvinism in particular, with sophisticated urban centres with high rates of literacy
- Did not inhibit its spread into rural highlands of Scotland with its predominantly oral culture and persistence of popular beliefs
- Despite usual association, of Calvinism in particular, with sophisticated urban centres with high rates of literacy
- Areas of compromise for Reformed Church
- Areas where Reformers were minority and marginalised group
- Huguenots in France
- Where it was closely allied to the state
- Northern Netherlands and Scotland
- Compromise was price of success
- Netherlands
- Fate of Reform was tied in with political circumstances
- Desire to break away from dominance of Catholic Spain
- Ministers of Calvinist minority were reliant on secular authorities to establish its position as dominant religion
- Dutch Church's ability to influence matters of policy was limited
- Fate of Reform was tied in with political circumstances
- Scotland
- Reform was shaped by politics and it was nobility which decided its progress
- also in France (despite ultimate failure) and Empire, where Calvinsim was not officially recognised until 1648
- Reform was shaped by politics and it was nobility which decided its progress
- In most cases, Reformed Church could be modified to local conditions
- England
- Retention of bishops
- Transylvania
- pluralistic settlement recognised three Protestant Churhes spit largely along ethnic lines
- Lutheran
- Reformed
- Anti-Trinitarian
- pluralistic settlement recognised three Protestant Churhes spit largely along ethnic lines
- England
- Areas where Reformers were minority and marginalised group
- Tensions between relative conservatism of Reformed leadership and more provocative behaviour of its popular base
- e.g. carrying out act of iconoclasm
- In some of most divisive conflicts of period, Dutch Revolt and French Wars of Religion
- Reformed doctrine became associated with rebellion and resistance
- Despite vehement declarations of need to obey constituted authority, Theodore Beza, Calvin's successor in Geneva was:
- one of most prominent figures to develop systematic theory of right to resistance by 'lesser magistrates', including nobles and princes as well as high ranking officials
- For Dutch Rebels seeking to overthrow Spanish domination, and Huguenot, Scottish and Hungarian nobles fighting against royal forces
- theories of right to resistance provided legitimacy for their cause
- In England
- Puritans enthusiastically opposed royal supremacy
- People who fled their native country because of persecution that we find truly international aspect of movement
- Not so much in their integrating with host countries,
- Since they tended to establish their own communities and churches, known as 'stranger churches'
- Seen through contacts with home countries and other refugees
- Calvin himself and his fellow ministers were religious exiles and this inevitably informed their attitude to movement they had spawned
- Strasbourg, Geneva and other francophone centres like Lausanne
- Magnets principally for French refugees
- Emden in N. Germany
- Favoured by Dutch refugees
- England
- Hosted French and Dutch Churches
- Scottish Protestants and Marian exiles
- sought refuge in a variety of European centres at times of adversity
- Exile involved:
- Giving up established ties, property and sometimes status
- But offered freedom of conscience and a haven from persecution and even death
- Calvin viewed exile as only respectable alternative to martyrdom
- He condemned those who maintained outward conformity with Catholicism (Nicodemites)
- Greatest exception to influence of established authorities leading to conflict with Church emerged where both Church and state were newly established, as in New England
- Here religious refugees decided way that society should be structured and organised without having to battle with existing interests
- those unable to move elsewhere had to find strategies to survive as best they could in face of social hostility and political exclusion
- Those best suited or adaptable to exile were those with transferable skills
- such as printers, merchants and artisans and those who wished to train for ministry
- Not so much in their integrating with host countries,
- Protestant education networks
- vital to international connections of Reformed movement
- Protestant universities were established at:
- Leiden in Netherlands
- Genevan Academy
- Heidelberg in Empire in 1570s
- Academies at Sedan and Saumur in France at end of C16th and early C17th
- International links
- Important printing centres developed
- Geneva
- Emden
- Distributed Reformed literature to rest of Europe
- Trading links and economy
- A principal channel for communication of ideas
- Influx of skilled workers could give boost to local and national economies
- Netherlandish cloth workers and French silversmiths did in England
- Refugees from francophone southern provinces
- Brought skills and wealth to Dutch economy
- also imported Calvinist beliefs
- Military or financial assistance could be sought and given by one Protestant state to another
- E.g. England and German Protestant princes to Dutch and French Calvinists whose fortunes in Europe were closely allied
- Most important according to Roberts, Geneva and other training centres:
- sent out ministers to serve newly established Churches abroad
- Gave advice to those setting Churches up via vast network of correspondence
- Resolved Church's disputes and provided them with funds
- Another measure of movement's success, if also its limits
- Demand for properly trained ministers soon far outstripped supply
- Important printing centres developed
- Reformed Protestantism was more successful geographically and numerically than Lutheranism
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