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In 1538 Calvin was exiled to Strasbourg on account of his sacramental teaching being unacceptable to the elders of Geneva. He became pastor of Strasbourg's French congregation and oversaw the production of a liturgy and a Psalm Book that he would later use when invited back to Geneva in 1541. His prayer books carried the message, "the customs of the ancient church'.
On his return to Geneva he was not able to celebrate communion as often as he wished and also had to make some changes to the Liturgy he had instituted at Strasbourg.
CALVIN'S LITURGY AT STRASBOURG AND GENEVA
Strasbourg 1540 Geneva 1542
The Ministry of the Word
Scripture Sentence (Ps.124:8). Scripture Sentence (Ps,124:8)
Confession of sins. Confession of sins
Scriptural words of Pardon Prayer for pardon
Absolution.
Metrical Decalogue Metrical Psalm.
Prayer for Illumination. Prayer for Illumination.
Reading of Scripture. Reading of Scripture.
Sermon Sermon
The Ministry of the Upper Room
Collection of Alms Collection of Alms
Intercessions Intercessions
Apostles' Creed (Sung) Apostles' Creed (Sung)
*while elements were prepared. *while elements were prepared
Consecration Prayer.
Lord's Prayer.
Words of Institution Words of Institution.
Exhortation. Exhortation
Consecration Prayer
Fraction. Fraction.
Communion Communion
(While psalm sung). (While psalm or Scriptures Read).
Post-communion prayer. Post-communion prayer.
Nunc dimittis (sung).
The Blessing. The Blessing.
+ On Sundays when the Lord's Supper was not administered the service followed the above pattern up to the Apostles' Creed and ended with the Blessing.
+ Metrical Psalms would be sung throughout the service
He took a different attitude to music than Luther, his misgivings due to the association of music with singing and dancing, or worse still, the Roman Church. A Calvinist church would be devoid of pictures, vestments, candles or images of any kind. Music, as with everything else, had to be kept on a tight rein.
He suggested that the New Testament only recognized Psalms as suitable for Christian Song. "...simple and pure singing of the divine praises, forasmuch as where there is no meaning there is no edification. Let them come from heart and mouth, and in the vulgar tongue. Instrumental music was only tolerated in the time of the Law because of the peoples infancy". Singing in harmony and the use of instruments of any kind was forbidden.
Calvin's Genevan Psalter had a profound influence through it's simplicity and the directness of its tunes. Calvin recognized that music had the capacity to 'inflame the heart of humanity' The music in the Psalter was not for leading the singing of the church, but for the glorifying of God.
Calvinistic churches have been critisized for having a negative atitiude to the arts. Calvin insisted that simplicity was itself aesthetic and an expression of mans condition.
The Theology of Calvins Liturgy
1) His main emphasis was upon the Glory and Sovreignty of God. That was why man exsiated… to bring glory to God. Such was mans chief end. "To God alone be the Glory. Church worship was a response to Divine Glory.
2) A secondary emphasis was upon the inherent sinfulness of man. Man approaches God with nothing to offer except the love and longing of his heart. The "Prayer of Confession" was an essential part of opening worship.
3) His Ecclesiology. The church was a community brought into being in order to glorify God. "The Elect Community". The marks of a true church were that the Word was faithfully preached, the sacraments rightly administered and godly discipline exercised.
4) The Word of God. God's Word was the true channel of God's grace. In the Word, God is revealed, known and encountered. Reading and Preaching were therefore central concerns of worship. Sacraments were of an equal importance as 'visible signs of the Word'. 'The Word' though was not the bible, but the Incarnate Word, Jesus Christ, known through scripture/preaching and the sacraments the Word mediated through words and signs.
5) The Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit's action the Word could not be received nor the sacraments truly celebrated. Worship was dependant upon the gracious action of God. In relation to the Scriptures Calvin compared the work of the Holy Spirit to that of spectacles through which a person could only see clearly that which God required.
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