Acts of the Council of Trent with the Antidote

by John Calvin, Henry Beveridge (translator)

"Acts of the Council of Trent with the Antidote" by John Calvin is a critique of the Council of Trent, a significant 16th-century ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. Calvin, a central figure in the Reformation, presents a vigorous theological argument against the Council's decrees and canons, asserting that they do not align with scriptural teachings and principles of Christian faith. He meticulously dissects the proceedings and decisions of the Council, arguing that they were influenced more by political and personal interests than by genuine spiritual guidance or biblical truth.



Calvin's work is notable for its rigorous analysis and its foundational role in Reformed theology. He challenges the authority of the Council by advocating for the supremacy of the Scriptures in guiding Christian doctrine and practice. By doing so, Calvin reinforces the Reformation's core tenets, including the doctrine of sola scriptura (Scripture alone) and the priesthood of all believers, emphasizing a return to the original and unadulterated teachings of Christianity as presented in the Bible.

Genres: Theology

208 pages, Paperback

First published June 6, 2013

About the author

French-Swiss theologian John Calvin broke with the Roman Catholic Church in 1533 and as Protestant set forth his tenets, known today, in Institutes of the Christian Religion (1536).

The religious doctrines of John Calvin emphasize the omnipotence of God, whose grace alone saves the elect.

* Jehan Cauvin
* Iohannes Calvinus (Latin)
* Jean Calvin (French)

Originally trained as a humanist lawyer around 1530, he went on to serve as a principal figure in the Reformation. He developed the system later called Calvinism.

After tensions provoked a violent uprising, Calvin fled to Basel and published the first edition of his seminal work. In that year of 1536, William Farel invited Calvin to help reform in Geneva. The city council resisted the implementation of ideas of Calvin and Farel and expelled both men. At the invitation of Martin Bucer, Calvin proceeded to Strasbourg as the minister of refugees. He continued to support the reform movement in Geneva, and people eventually invited him back to lead. Following return, he introduced new forms of government and liturgy. Following an influx of supportive refugees, new elections to the city council forced out opponents of Calvin. Calvin spent his final years, promoting the Reformation in Geneva and throughout Europe.

Calvin tirelessly wrote polemics and apologia. He also exchanged cordial and supportive letters with many reformers, including Philipp Melanchthon and Heinrich Bullinger. In addition, he wrote commentaries on most books of the Bible as well as treatises and confessional documents and regularly gave sermons throughout the week in Geneva. The Augustinian tradition influenced and led Calvin to expound the doctrine of predestination and the absolute sovereignty of God in salvation.

Calvin's writing and preaching provided the seeds for the branch of Protestantism that bears his name. His views live on chiefly in Presbyterian and Reformed denominations, which have spread throughout the world. Calvin's thought exerted considerable influence over major figures and entire movements, such as Puritanism, and some scholars argue that his ideas contributed to the rise of capitalism, individualism, and representative democracy in the west.

Reviews

[Zach de Walsingham]

What Calvin says about Baptism is a must for any modern Reformed person, otherwise I will pass on the rest of the commentary for now.

Council of Trent Session 5 first Decree says:
“Whosoever asserts that this sin of Adam, which is one by origin, and which transfused, by propagation, not by imitation, is proper to each individual, is taken away either by the power of human nature or by some other remedy than the merit of one Mediator, our Lord Jesus Christ, who reconciled God to us in his own blood, being made unto us righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption; or denies that this merit of Christ Jesus is applied to infants as well as adults by the Sacrament of Baptism duly conferred after the form of the Church, let him be anathema.”

Calvin responds: “We assert that the whole guilt of sin is taken away in baptism, so that the remains of sin still existing are not imputed. That this may be more clear, let my readers call to mind that there is a twofold grace in baptism, for therein both remission of sins and regeneration are offered to us. We teach that full remission is made, but that regeneration is only begun and goes on making progress during the whole of life. Accordingly, sin truly remains in us, and is not instantly in one day extinguished by baptism, but as the guilt is effaced it is null in regard to imputation.”

[Aaron Irlbacher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must-read for anyone trying to understand the “boots on the ground” perspective of a Protestant who lived during the time of Trent. Calvin is a first-rate exegete, but this is not the book in which he often demonstrates that gift. Instead, Calvin comments on Trent's statements with a kind eye toward the people more easily frightened by Trent’s manipulative use of “anathema.” The Genevan Reformer often responds to Trent’s claims through quotations of church fathers as a helpful way to combat the silly assertions of “unanimous teaching of the Fathers.” Calvin’s high respect for the church fathers comes through these pages and his pastoral heart for people in danger of being misled through Trent’s false statements, anachronistically attributing each of their perspectives to some ambiguous group called “fathers.” Wherever Trent would assert its teachings to be biblical, Calvin quickly reveals the error and explains the truth of the passage in question.

[Geoffrey S Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still Pertinent

Still a great work that ably interacts with Roman Catholic teaching. Only one problem with this edition. When Calvin critiques the canons of Trent the canons aren't reiterated in the text, so you have to infer what they are from Calvin's response.