Skip to main content
The Soulton Hall BlogThe Wonderful Tudor World of the Lodges and the Hills

The ‘Rouland Hall’ Press & Publishing Calvin’s Critique

By 9 September 2023September 10th, 2024No Comments

A Matter of Faith: The Veneration of Relics in Christianity

Recent blog posts have focused on the wider publishing activities of Sir Rowland Hill, exploring texts beyond the 1560 Geneva Bible.

This blog looks into a particularly sensitive text, A Treatise on Relics by John Calvin (1561), which addresses faith questions that continue to evoke strong opinions.

It is important to view what is said here as a comparative religious analysis of the mid-1500s in England, and the perspectives of some of the Churches. The post is concerned with understanding the context of the publication of this text of Calvin’s in 1561.

Our aim is to present a value-neutral perspective, reporting on the events and ideas without taking sides on the theological debates.

Relics: A Shared Tradition

Relics, the physical remains of saints or other holy figures, hold a significant place of reverence in both Catholicism and Orthodoxy. They are believed to possess spiritual power and serve as tangible connections to the divine.

The Anglican Church has a more cautious approach, although relics may still hold historical or religious significance within some Anglican communities.

Historical Context

The veneration of relics has deep roots in Christian history.

However, the Protestant Reformation, of which Anglicanisum is part, challenged this practice, leading to varying approaches within different Christian denominations.

Understanding the historical context helps us appreciate the diverse perspectives on relics today, and the moment in which A Treatise on Relics was published.

Practices and Beliefs concerning Relics within Catholicism and the Orthodox Church

  • Veneration: Relics are often venerated through prayer, prostration, and kissing. They are believed to offer healing, protection, and intercession.
  • Pilgrimage: Many undertake pilgrimages to sites where relics are located.
  • Church Devotion: Relics serve as focal points for prayer and community building.

Theological Perspectives

  • Catholicism and Orthodoxy: Relics are seen as sources of grace and blessings, connecting the faithful to the saints.
  • Anglicanism: While relics may be preserved as historical artifacts, their veneration is not central. The Anglican Church emphasizes Scripture and individual faith.

********

A Treatise on Relics was a crucial text in the Reformation movement, challenging the Catholic practice of venerating relics. You can find an on-line copy of this work on the Project Gutenberg website via this link.

Calvin argued that the veneration of relics was unsound, and diverted worship away from God and toward material objects. Calvin emphasized spiritual worship and the dangers of what he said might be superstition and false piety.

On the question of how to treat the mortal remains of holy figures Calvin said as follows:

Nothing, indeed, can be more deserving of our admiration than the conduct of the Christian martyrs… Their persecutors were often affected by seeing examples of an heroic fortitude… It has been justly said that the blood of the martyrs was the glory and the seed of the church… It was, therefore, very natural that the memory of those noble champions of Christianity should be held in great veneration by their brethren in the faith. The bodies of the martyrs, or their remnants, were always, whenever it was possible, purchased from their judges or executioners, and decently buried by the Christians. The day on which the martyr had suffered was generally marked in the registers of his church, in order to commemorate this glorious event on its anniversaries. These commemorations usually consisted in the eulogy of the martyr, delivered in an assembly of the church, for the edification of the faithful, the strengthening of the weak, and the stimulating of the lukewarm, by setting before them the noble example of the above-mentioned martyr. It was very natural that the objects of the commemoration received on such an occasion the greatest praises, not unfrequently expressed in the most exaggerated terms, but there was no question about invoking the aid or intercession of the confessors whose example was thus held out for the imitation of the church.

Later, he states:

Let us call to mind the practice of the early church. It is true that the first Christians were always anxious to get possession of the bodies of the martyrs, lest they might be devoured by beasts or birds of prey, and decently to bury them, as we read was the case with the bodies of St John the Baptist and St Stephen. This solicitude was shown, however, in order to inter them in their graves, and there to leave them until the day of the resurrection

********

This post aims to shed light on the intellectual landscape of the mid-1500s, a period marked by significant religious, political, and social changes. By examining the thinking technologies employed by various individuals and groups during this era, we can gain valuable insights into their motivations, perspectives, and the factors that shaped their actions.

We respect the diverse beliefs and values of all individuals and are committed to fostering open and respectful dialogue on these important topics. We approach these discussions with kindness and understanding, recognizing that past actions may have been influenced by the limitations of the time period.