Timeline of Key Events in the Life of John Calvin (1509-1564)
by Marcus Serven, May 1, 2009
HIS EARLY YEARS: BIRTH AND PREPARATION (1509-1531)
- 1509 — Born July 10, 1509 in Noyon, France (2nd of six children)
- 1513 — John’s mother, Jeanne, dies and his Father remarries (exact dates are uncertain)
- 1521 — On May 19 receives benefice from the altar of Gesine in the cathedral of Noyon
- 1523 — Sent by his Father in August to study at the University of Paris
- 1528 — Finishes Bachelor of Arts from the College de Montaigu early in 1528
- 1528 — Sent by his Father to the University of Orleans to study Law
- 1529 — Moves to the University of Bourges to study law under Alciat
- 1531 — On May 26 his Father dies, allowing him to return to Paris to study theology
IN PARIS: HIS THEOLOGICAL TURNING-POINT (1531-1533)
- 1531 — Student at College de France in Greek, Hebrew, and Theology
- 1532 — Returns briefly in May to Orleans and graduates with the Juris Doctorate
- 1532 — Possibly experiences a “sudden conversion” (the exact date is uncertain)
- 1533 — On November 1, Nicolas Cop preaches inaugural address as Rector & flees Paris
- 1533 — Following this Calvin is associated with the fugitive Cop and flees Paris
IN FLIGHT: ON THE ROAD AS A FUGITIVE (1534)
- 1534 — Calvin’s Wartburg: Louis du Tillet’s library in Angouleme — during the winter months he lays the foundations for the Institutes of the Christian Religion
- 1534 — On May 4 he returns to Noyon and resigns his benefices, formally breaking with Roman Catholicism (imprisoned for a short time?)
- 1534 — “Affair of the Placards”; on the night of October 17-18 with ensuing persecution
IN BASLE: WRITING THE IMMORTAL INSTITUTES (1535-1536)
- 1535 — In January he is safely dwelling in Protestant Basle with Oswald Myconius
- 1536 — Led by Guillame Farel, on March 21, Geneva decides for the Reformation
- 1536 — In March Calvin publishes Institutes of the Christian Religion in Basle
IN GENEVA: THE FIRST REFORMATION (1536-1538)
- 1536 — Calvin detours to Geneva in July; he plans to stay just one night, but is strongly persuaded by Guillame Farel to remain in Protestant Geneva as a co-worker
- 1536 — On September 5 he is hired as a “sacarum literarum doctor” by the City Council
- 1536 — On November 10 the Genevan Confession is adopted by the City Council
- 1537 — In January a Protestant Statement of Faith is presented to the City Council
- 1538 — After much dissension Calvin, Farel, and Coralt are banished on April 25
IN STRASBOURG: PASTOR, TEACHER, WRITER (1538-1541)
- 1538 — In the spring he flees through Berne, Zurich, and finally settles in Strasbourg
- 1539 — Replies to Bishop Jacopo Sadolet’s letter to Geneva in August
- 1540 — In March, he publishes Commentary on the Epistle of the Romans in Strasbourg
- 1540 — On August 6 he marries the widow Idelette de Bure
BACK TO GENEVA: THE YEARS OF STRUGGLE (1541-1548)
- 1541 — After many overtures, Calvin returns to Geneva on September 13
- 1541 — On November 20 the “Ordannances ecclesiastiques” are established in Geneva
- 1542 — Birth and death (July 28) of John and Idelette Calvin’s son, Jacques
- 1543 — The establishment of the “Libertines” (enfants de Geneve) in Geneva
- 1543 — Plague in Geneva; the City Council votes to spare Calvin from “plague duty”
- 1543 — In December a conflict with Sebastian Castellio erupts over his qualifications for ministry in Geneva — he was not accepted and leaves Geneva
- 1544 — On May 30 Sebastian Castellio returns and interrupts the Congregation (the weekly Pastor’s Bible study) over the question of ministerial qualifications
- 1545 — On April 8, Pierre Ameaux sentenced to public repentance for libeling Calvin
- 1546 — On January 24, publishes Commentary on the Epistle of 1 Corinthians in Geneva
- 1546 — In February Michael Servetus begins correspondence with John Calvin on a multitude of theological subjects — later printed in a heretical book (1553)
- 1546 — Problems with the wife of Ami Perrin over public dancing
- 1546 — On August 1 he publishes Commentary on the Epistle of 2 Corinthians in Geneva
- 1547 — On June 27 a threatening letter was found attached to the pulpit at St. Pierre
- 1547 — After a confession, the guilty author, Jacques Gruet, is beheaded on July 26
- 1548 — On February 1 publishes Commentary on the Epistles of Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, & Colossians in Geneva
- 1548 — On July 25 publishes Commentary on the Epistles of 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy
IN THE CRUCIBLE: SEVERE TRIALS IN GENEVA (1549-1555)
- 1549 — Ami Perrin, leader of the Libertines, is chosen as the first Syndic in February
- 1549 — On March 29 Calvin’s wife Idelette dies after a brief illness
- 1550 — Publishes Institutes of the Christian Religion (4th edition) in Geneva
- 1553 — In January Michael Servetus’s Christianismi restitutio is printed anonymously
- 1553 — Michael Servetus attends worship in Geneva on August 13 and is arrested
- 1553 — On September 3 a crisis at the Lord’s Supper is narrowly averted when Calvin steadfastly refuses to serve any who have been excommunicated
- 1553 — Michael Servetus is executed by burning at Geneva on October 27
- 1555 — On January 24 the City Council adopts the Ordannances ecclesiastiques
- 1555 — A public riot instigated by the “Libertines” on May 16 fails, and the key leaders are arrested or flee the city
IN GENEVA: THE YEARS OF TRIUMPH (1555-1564)
- 1555 — On August 1 publishes Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels in Geneva
- 1557 — On July 22 publishes Commentary on the Psalms in Geneva
- 1559 — Founding of the Genevan Academy, June 5, with Theodore Beza as Rector
- 1559 — On August 1 Calvin publishes Institutes of the Christian Religion (5th edition)
- 1560 — Publication of the Geneva Bible with notes written under Calvin’s supervision
- 1564 — February 6 Calvin’s last appearance in the pulpit of St. Pierre’s Cathedral
- 1564 — The death of John Calvin at Geneva, May 27
- 1564 — Theodore Beza writes Life of Calvin and posthumously publishes Calvin’s Commentary on Joshua
Copyright 2009: Rev. Marcus J. Serven, Th.M., The Genevan Foundation for Cultural Renewal. All Rights Reserved. Printed with Permission.
About the Author
Marcus Serven is the pastor of Covenant Family Church in Troy, Missouri. He and his wife Cheryl have nine children whom they home school.