3. What Really Caused the Great Divide?
What were the causes of the Reformation? What were its basic concerns and theology as presented by John Calvin? Since Calvin was the most talented of the second-generation Reformers, his perspective on the key issues of the Reformation is especially helpful. In three separate treatises, Calvin explains and defends the Reformation.
In “The Reply to Sadoleto” (1539), Calvin gives a personal defense of the reform. “The Necessity of Reforming the Church” (1544) is Calvin’s most comprehensive examination of the issues that divided Rome from the Protestants. “The True Method of Reforming the Church and Healing Her Divisions” (1549) is a passionate defense of the reform in the face of serious military defeats. Taken together these three treatises reveal Calvin’s understanding of what was at stake in the Reformation.