Luther and Calvin Compared

Martin Luther (1483-1546) and John Calvin (1509-1564) were mighty sinners. They both admitted this often. They also rejoiced that they were saved by a mighty God, with almighty, sovereign grace. They owed their entire existence, and eternal joy, to God and God alone. This God chose to use such vessels as tools in His hand to turn the world upside down during their lifetime, and indeed for all the centuries of history since. The legacy of the Protestant Reformation is a part of God's story in bringing His elect to salvation in this life so that they might serve Him in this world, and join Him in glory in the world to come.

While God used both Luther and Calvin in mighty ways, He did not use them in the same way. The purpose of this article is to explore how God used each man, and especially what was unique about the way God used John Calvin. Protestants of all stripes have long recognized that Martin Luther brought a moderate reform to the Christian Church, while John Calvin brought a more thorough reform. Luther kept more of the medieval customs and worship liturgy, while Calvin and the Calvinists made a clearer break with the previous centuries of Church practice, bringing back the early church practices of a simple worship, unadorned by images and rituals. A simple glance at the sanctuary of a typical Lutheran Church compared to a Reformed/Presbyterian Church illustrates this fact.