36 - Calvin and the Swiss and South German Evangelicals

Summary

With his flight from Paris to Strassburg and arrival in Basel in January 1535, Calvin entered the sphere of the Swiss and South German Reformation.¹ Geographically, the Reformed towns of the Swiss Confederation lay within this area: Zurich, Bern (with its strong influence reaching west to Lausanne and Geneva), Biel, Basel, Schaffhausen, and St. Gallen, joined by a number of South German towns such as Mülhausen, Strassburg, and Constance. These towns all experienced the Reformation as an urban Reformation, introduced by elected town councilors.² The guilds often had significant influence. The town councilors believed themselves responsible for the construction of a Christian church in accord with the Word of God within the area covered by their political authority. Communications networks on various levels linked the towns with each other. Thus, variously constituted gatherings met regularly or as needed and, additionally, information was exchanged, the position of other towns on important questions was ascertained, and letters of recommendation for urban reformers or scholars were supplied. While the towns were conscious of their confessional bonds, each retained its full autonomy and went its own way when it came to the implementation and organization of the Reformation. The Zurich urban reformation served as a model, but as a source of inspiration not a type to be copied wholesale. Disputations often preceded the introduction of the Reformation in these towns, as had been the case in Zurich, with various Reformers from the Swiss and South German network participating.³ The Reformers’ role was to suggest how the reformation of the Christian community might be accomplished, but the political authorities rarely followed such suggestions without reservation, and discussion and conflict were the order of the day. However much they supported a reformation of Christendom, the political authorities were always concerned to retain decision-making rights, including in church affairs, in their own hands.