„…Glaubensgerechtigkeit“ Calvins Begründung der Reformation

“… Justification by faith” Calvin’s grounds for the Reformation ABSTRACT In 1539, at the young age of 30, Calvin wrote a letter to Cardinal Jacopo Sadoleto, an eminent scholar and proponent of the Roman Church, in answer to the latter’s letter earlier that year to Geneva. This answer of Calvin, as requested urgently by the City of Geneva, is very well-known for the way how Calvin refuted Sadoleto’s arguments against the Reformation and thus took up the cudgels for the very city that banned him only a year before. This Calvin did by justifying the quintessence of and necessity for the Reformation. Since then, this text has not only been known as one of the most famous defences of the principles of the Reformation of the six-teenth century but even has been described as probably the most powerful and sys-tematic successful apologetic Reformation writing of that age as such. In this article, Calvin’s analysis of the core of the Reformation is discussed against the background of his relation to Martin Luther and their appreciation for each other. According to Calvin the “heart” of the Reformation was justification by grace alone. Ultimately it is only a matter of faith in Christ alone. For his explanation of justification by grace and faith alone, Calvin refers consistently to Scripture as the Word of God. In this Chris-tological approach – for which Luther according to a witness expressed his apprecia-tion – Calvin and Luther are very close to each other indeed. Key concepts: Luther, Calvin, Sadoleto, justification, Reformation, grace alone, faith alone “… regverdigmaking deur die geloof” Calvyn se begronding van die Reformasie Opsomming Op die jong ouderdom van 30 skryf Calvyn in 1539 ’n brief aan Kardinaal Jacopo Sadoletus, beroemde geleerde en verteenwoordiger van die Roomse Kerk. Hierdie brief van Calvyn wat hy op die dringende smeekversoek van die stadsraad van Genève geskryf het, het hom baie roem laat inoes. Calvyn weerlê met hierdie skrywe Sadoletus se aanklagte teen die Reformasie en tree daarmee in die bresse vir die stad wat hom die jaar vantevore verban het. Daarby begrond hy die kern van die Reformasie en die noodsaak daarvoor. Sedertdien staan hierdie brief nie slegs bekend as een van die mees befaamde apologetiese geskrifte van die Reformasie nie maar is dit selfs beskryf as die mees kragtige en teologies suksesvolle verdediging daarvan in die sestiende eeu. In hierdie artikel word Calvyn se verklaring van die kern van die Reformasie bespreek teen die agtergrond van sy verhouding met Martin Luther en beide van hulle se respek vir mekaar. Volgens Calvyn is die hart van die Reformasie die regverdigmaking deur genade alleen. Dit gaan ten volle oor geloof in Christus alleen. Vir sy verklaring van die regverdigmaking deur genade en geloof alleen beroep Calvyn hom konsekwent op die Skrif as Woord van God. In hierdie Christologiese benadering – waarvoor Luther volgens ’n getuie waardering uitgespreek het – staan Calvyn en Luther dig bymekaar. Kernbegrippe: Luther, Calvyn, Sadoletus, regverdigmaking, Reformasie, genade alleen, geloof alleen