Was John Calvin a Pacifist? And William of Orange a Revolutionary?

Prof. Hanko in The Standard Bearer of October 15, 2006, p. 40, leaves a question mark where both God’s Word and history reveal that the above mentioned men were law abiding citizens of both God’s kingdom and this world, and walked, by God’s grace, the narrow path of faithfulness and obedience. It is true that Calvin wanted to avoid the use of weapons. But when war was pressed upon them Calvin ordered the churches to raise the pay for the mercenaries. Listen to what Lawrence Penning writes in a recently republished book, "Calvin . . . rejected the aid of carnal weapons in a fight where God’s Word is the sword of Gideon, with which great deeds are done. His feelings were diametrically opposed to the aspirations of those men, who, with gloomy eyes and compressed lips, awaited the signal to avenge the blood of the martyrs on the cruel Church of Rome. Calvin thought such a deed a crime, which the Church, under the Cross, would one day repent of . . . Let Christianity march forth to conquest; all knees must bend to the name of Jesus Christ, the Lord of all. But in this march of conquest the weapons to be taken must not be guns or swords; the only weapons must be faith, an inward resolution, good works, and the patience of the saints. It is a spiritual strife. And when souls have been won for the cause of the great King, then the Government should form a magistracy corresponding to this condition. The Church under the Cross, that was Calvin’s ideal of the suffering and struggling community of Christ in France . . . But amid this rage De Coligny came forward from the solitude of his country-seat, and unconcerned for the consequences, publicly placed a petition for freedom of conscience and public worship at the foot of the throne on the opening of the meeting of notables. Calvin’s stern face lit up when he heard of this courageous act, and, full of admiration and restrained enthusiasm, he wrote to the Admiral: ‘We have every cause to praise God for the rare courage which has been given you, to proclaim His glory and to further the extension of the realm of Christ. Even if everyone were blind or ungrateful, even if all your labour should seem lost — be satisfied, in the conviction that God and the angels approve your deed!’ "

And what was the result? Listen further to what Penning writes. "It was a civil war which would decide the fate of the Guises and the Bourbons, but this war was at the same time a war of religion which would settle the dispute between the Roman Catholic and the Protestant faith. Thus the leaders understood the case. That was why Guise had applied to Spain; why Condé applied to Queen Elizabeth, while Calvin ordered the churches to raise the pay for the mercenaries. With the liveliest interest and a heart full of cares Calvin watched the foaming tide of the civil war. He had a keen eye for the great difficulties which the Reformation had to pass through, because in its course it crossed the tortuous paths of politics, but he was of opinion that the war had been pressed on them, and he followed the campaign with bated breath."¹

And in the footsteps of Calvin followed William of Orange. One has to understand that also kings are to abide by the law, first the law of God, and then the laws of the land. Jonathan was faithful to his father, King Saul, when he defended David (see 1 Sam. 20:32). And so was Joab when he resisted King David in counting the people (see 2 Sam. 24:3 and 1 Chron. 22:6). King Philip II of Spain was lord (not king) of The Netherlands. But he was treading under foot the laws and privileges of the free citizens of the country. William of Orange did not only have the right to defend his subjects but also the duty. He gave good counsel to the king. Listen to the word’s put into William’s mouth by a student of Calvin, Marnix of St. Aldegonde, and preserved in the Dutch National Anthem,

Unto God and His power

I do confession make

That ne'er at any hour

Ill of the king I spake.

But to the Lord, the greatest

Of majesties, I owe

Obedience first and latest,

For Justice wills it so.

But what did the king do? He put the death sentence on his most faithful councillor and when William fled he kidnaped William’s son. Yet King Philip did more. Listen to what Deborah Alcock said, "In the year 1568 a thing was done in Spain by the tribunal of the Inquisition which in these days can hardly be believed. What do you think was the greatest death sentence ever pronounced in the world? I have no doubt it was this one. The Inquisition actually doomed to death the whole population of the country — men, women, and children — numbering three million. Three million people doomed to death in three lines! Only a few exceptions were made, by name. Ten days later Philip confirmed by his royal authority this stupendous Death Sentence. And to show that it was no mere bravado, no threat to frighten the rebellious into submission, he sent an army, presumably to execute it. This army was under the command of the ferocious Duke of Alva, whose name is familiar to us all. For five terrible years his iron grip was on the nation’s throat, and the history of these years is ‘written within and without with mourning and lamentation and woe.’ Truly indeed was ‘the earth like a winepress trod.’ Horrible as had been the atrocities of the preceding years, these five outdid them all."²

In a time when Reformation and Revolution seem to become synonyms it is important to preserve a faithful account of history. If one studies the means God used to bring William of Orange to the Reformed faith he will meet William’s brother Lodewyk of Nassau, who also studied in Geneva, and gave his life for the freedom that we enjoy today in the western world. These godly sons of Juliana of Stolberg are among the best of role models for our children today and should not be covered under a cloud of suspicion as if they gave their life for a revolutionary cause.

Neerlandia, Alberta, Canada — Roelof A. Janssen

1 Lawrence Penning, John Calvin: Genius of Geneva, (Neerlandia, Inheritance Publications, 2006) pp. 216 -236.

2 Deborah Alcock, The Romance of Protestantism, (Neerlandia, Inheritance Publications, 1999) p. 103.

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Last modified: December 1, 2006