Calvin 2009, 500th anniversary of his birth

Italian Protestants are preparing for the celebrations in observance of the 500th anniversary of John Calvin's birth, the French humanist who became a reformer in the city of Geneva, Switzerland. "This initiative could be given the provocative title of "Rehabilitating Calvin" - explained Pastor Giorgio Tourn - because, although the reformer of Geneva is a fundamental figure in the birth of modern Europe, in Italy he is commonly given negative notoriety. This is due essentially to two equivocal questions: first of all for the burning at the stake of the doctor and anti-trinitarian theologian Michael Severeto, condemned by the Geneva authorities with a sentence that was erroneously attributed to Calvin himself; and secondly, for the controversial doctrine of predestination". Concerning this second point, Tourn explained that Calvin took "a biblical doctrine to explain how, as believers, we are 'elected', that is, called by God to a vocation that is realized through a Christian way of living in the world. In a positive way, Calvin moved the Christian vocation from the convent to a calling that is realized in work and service within society".

Pastor Pawel Gajewski of the organizing committee "Calvin 2009", nominated by the Tavola Valdese, said: "Our first goal is to offer to the Italian public the publication by the Claudiana Press of some of the works of the Reformer to bring the reader directly to the source. Then three gatherings are being planned on a national level: one will be held in March 2009 in Rome at the Waldensian Faculty of Theology, the second in Torino and a concluding one in Torre Pellice, organized by the Society for Waldensian Studies. There will be many more meetings and conferences organized at a more local level. The spirit with which we are organizing these events is that of looking toward the future. Calvin's thought has had a strong social impact, creating not only a new model of the Church, but also of society. For this reason it is right that we listen to him, considering what his thoughts and his experiences can say to us today about our faith and our society."

From press service NEV - Notizie evangeliche, 30 September 2008