Two Presbyterians Named John

Paul tells us in Chapter 12 of First Corinthians that the Body of Christ is made up of many diverse parts, each performing a vital role to form one body. The history of the Presbyterian Church clearly bears out Paul's writing. Martin Luther set in motion in 1517 a reaction against midieval Catholicism that formed the basis for reconstruction of the church. John Calvin, a brillant French Catholic, converted to Protestantism at age twenty-five, became a major spokesman for the Protestant cause. Persecution for his beliefs in Catholic France forced him to go to Geneva, Switzerland where he built upon Luther's theses and became, in effect, the brains behind the Reformed tradition of our church. Others of diverse skills and abilities built upon Calvin's views.

One such person was John Knox, a fiery, radical reformer in Scotland who fought with great skill to spread Calvinism in his native land. Others advanced the principals of Calvanism on the continent of Europe, but the legacy for American Presbyterianism came from John Knox and the Scots. Knox's life was not easy. At one point in his career, he was captured by French soldiers supporting Scottish Catholics and made a slave on a galley ship plying the waters between France and Scotland. The English government obtained his release, but he subsequently fled to Geneva, Switzerland to escape death at the hands of Bloody Mary, whose goal was establishment of Catholicism as the primary religion of England. While there, he was exposed to the thinking of John Calvin.

In 1559, Knox returned to Scotland and revived the Reformation work that he had started earlier laying the groundwork for establishment of a presbyterian form of government. In 1560, the Scottish parliament officially renounced Roman Catholicism and adopted the Reformed faith for Scotland. Knox and five other men were directed to prepare a confession of faith for the nation, which they accomplished in only four days and presented to the parliament. It was to be known by the latter generations as the Scots' Confession of 1560, and essential milestone in the theological tradition of the Church of Scotland. This confession, rendered into Modern English, is a part of The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA), and is contained in our Book of Confessions. The first General Assembly for the Scottish church was organized under Knox. They developed a Book of Descipline setting forth, among other things, principals of ethics, morality, clean living, good works, government, educational requirements, etc.

How fortunate the colonies were to have Presbyterians of the Reformed tradition come to America to help build a nation, influence the affairs of government, build educational systems, and instill a strong work ethic. The heritage of John Calvin, communicated to the Scots through John Knox, greatly affected emigrants that played a vital role in this effort. Calvin's ideas and Knox's good works provided the basic structure for American civilization. Interestingly, the German historian, Leopold von Ranke, asserted that John Calvin was the virtual founder of America. John Knox played a vital role.

The above has been extracted from an book written by Walter Lingle and John Kuykendall entitled Presbyterians, Their History and Beliefs, John Knox Press, Atlanta.

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