Abstract
Calvinist reformers announced their desire to free individuals and communities from the tyranny of Rome so that they could live under the authority of Christ. Free Christians would be dependent only upon God, the true Church and God’s appointed magistrates on earth. Reformers looked to those magistrates to help bring about necessary reforms in the Church, and to challenge the false claims to spiritual and secular power of the Pope and Catholic hierarchy. Calvinists’ search for godly rulers who would lead societies to embrace true religion found some heroes including Jeanne d’Albret in Béarn, Frederick III in the Palatinate, Edward VI and Elizabeth I in England, James VI in Scotland and Johann Sigismund in Brandenburg. Jeanne d’Albret was repeatedly encouraged during the 1560s to establish Reformed religion in Béarn. Calvin wrote to the queen in 1563 warning of
arguments advanced to prove that princes should not force their subjects to lead a Christian life… but, all kingdoms which do not serve that of Jesus Christ are ruined, so judge for yourself.
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Notes
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© 2004 Graeme Murdock
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Murdock, G. (2004). Politics and Rebellion. In: Beyond Calvin. European History in Perspective. Palgrave, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-230-21259-6_4
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