How the Papacy Overturned the Ancient Church Order | John Calvin

Deep Dive into Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin - The Ancient Form of Government Was Completely Overthrown by the Tyranny of the PapacyJohn Calvin argues that the papal hierarchy has not merely altered but completely overthrown the ancient form of church governance, replacing a system of spiritual service with one of tyranny and greed. This corruption begins with the disenfranchisement of the laity. While the ancient church required the people's consent to elect a bishop, this right was usurped by the canons and later seized by secular princes. Consequently, church offices are no longer awarded based on merit or holiness but are treated as political spoils, sold through simony, or bestowed upon unqualified candidates—including uneducated lawyers, children, and men of notoriously dissolute character.The corruption extends to the fundamental definitions of ecclesiastical offices. Calvin contends that the papal system has severed the connection between the "title" of an office and its actual duty. The ancient presbyter was ordained to rule and feed the flock through preaching and doctrine. In contrast, the Roman hierarchy ordains priests solely to "perform sacrifices" in the Mass, a function Calvin rejects as a distortion of Christ’s institution. Furthermore, the system fosters rampant absenteeism; bishops and canons view benefices merely as sources of income, often holding multiple titles simultaneously while delegating their duties to hired vicars.Finally, the hierarchy has dismantled the diaconate, which was originally established to steward alms for the poor. In the current system, deacons perform only ceremonial roles at the altar, while the church’s wealth is misappropriated by the clergy. Funds meant for charity are consumed by bishops who rival princes in opulence, effectively robbing the poor to fund their own luxury. Calvin concludes that this hierarchy retains only a theatrical "mask" of the church, having gutted its internal reality to create a "robbers' den" of idleness and theft.Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologianhttps://buymeacoffee.com/edi2730