Geneva celebrates John Calvin’s 500th birthday

About 500 worshipers yesterday attended the opening convocations for Calvin 500, the international Quincentenary celebration of the 500th anniversary of John Calvin’s birth (July 10, 1509), at St. Pierre Cathedral in the old town of Geneva, reports Michael Ireland, chief correspondent, ASSIST News Service.

Beginning with a welcome by Mr. Guillaume Taylor from the St. Pierre Parish Council, the opening convocations, featured morning worship from Calvin’s time and a sermon on Philippians 3:8-12 by Dr. Sinclair Ferguson of the First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, South Carolina.

The evening services featured Ugandan Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi, much psalm singing, and a sermon by Dr. Bryan Chapell, President of Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri.

“Calvin is one of the most important thinkers in history,” said Calvin500 Executive Director Rev. David Hall, who also is pastor of Midway Presbyterian Church in America located in Powder Springs, GA, according to a media release.

“His ministry and writings left an indelible impression on the modern world, and especially Western culture. It would be hard to find a figure from history more worthy of remembering, if lasting impact for good is the standard,” said Hall.

“St. Pierre’s Cathedral in Geneva as unusually full for a morning worship service on July 5th, but admittedly a congregation that includes at least one archbishop, six seminary professors, twenty-four seminary professors, approximately 100 Reformed pastors from around the world and the author of over 300 books on Calvinist themes do not make up an ordinary congregation,'” said one attendee on a blog at the celebration website.

The writer stated: “As Dr. Ferguson noted, ‘Calvin would be surprised to see us here, and I am not sure he would have approved,’ however hopefully he would approved of the text.”

Another writer commented: “The evening was brought to a close with a truly wonderful exposition of Ephesians 1:3-6 by Bryan Chapell, a sermon which he called ‘In praise of predestination.’ With some memorable illustrations from Calvin and elsewhere, he carefully took us through the text urging us to see Paul’s commitment in showing us more of God’s Fatherhood than his sovereignty. God, he told us, is shouting: ‘I’ve been in love with you longer than the stars have been in sky or the fish have been in the sea.'”

Throughout the coming week, scholars and ministers will present lectures and sermons in these historic environs to celebrate the contributions of the Genevan reformer. The public is invited.

Report from the Christian Telegraph 

MUSEUM IN GENEVA ‘REINTRODUCES’ JOHN CALVIN TO A NEW GENERATION

Geneva’s International Museum of the Reformation this year celebrates the 500th anniversary of John Calvin’s birth with “A Day in the Life of John Calvin” — a temporary exhibition which features contextualized 3-D simulations of the Reformer’s life, reports Michael Ireland, chief correspondent, ASSIST News Service.

The year 2009 marks the 500th anniversary of the birth of John Calvin (1509-2009), one of the founding fathers of the Reformation, and the International Museum of the Reformation (IMR), in Geneva, Switzerland, has announced an exceptional temporary exhibition and series of events in honor of his contributions.

The IMR, which opened in 2005 and was the recipient of the 2007 Council of Europe Museum Prize, will ‘reintroduce’ John Calvin to visitors from around the world with an exhibition entitled: “A Day in the Life of John Calvin,” which will run April 24-Oct. 31, 2009.

 

A unique 3-D exhibition

Visitors to the museum exhibit will have the opportunity to follow a day in the reformer’s life in three dimensions.

This innovative exhibit features virtual representations of Calvin’s Reformation-era world. Three-D simulations of Calvin in his familiar surroundings and activities will help foster a better understanding of his life and actions, in the manner of a documentary film.

Surrounded by historically accurate sets, the 3-D animated figure of Calvin ‘speaks’ directly to visitors using simulation technologies developed by MIRALab laboratory at the University of Geneva, Switzerland.

Several 16th century engravings, objects and books will also be featured in the exhibition.

The museum’s world-class exhibit falls during 2009, the Year of Faith Tourism, designated by the World Religious Travel Association (WRTA) as a year set aside for the promotion of, and participation in, travel by people of faith.

One-third of visitors to the museum are from abroad, chiefly from France and the United States.

Isabelle Graesslé, Director of the International Museum of the Reformation, has been the first female moderator of the Pastors Company, founded in 1541 with John Calvin as its first moderator, in almost 500 years. Since 2005, she has been the Director of the International Museum of the Reformation.

Graessle, who is a leading expert on John Calvin, said she was thrilled to announce this special event.

“John Calvin’s influence can still be felt in the world today. During a much harder period, Calvin clearly paved the way to the future democratization of society through education, widening self-consciousness and spreading his new ideas,” said Graessle in a media release from Christine Moore at Epiphany Media.

The International Museum of the Reformation: a forum for free speech

The International Museum of the Reformation’s goal is to present the history of the Reformation, the religious movement started by Martin Luther in 1517 and pursed by Calvin in Geneva in 1536, in a lively and engaging manner.

It also provides a forum to encourage dialogue among different faiths and Christian traditions: a place in which to discuss the role of religion in the contemporary world from a cultural perspective.

The IMR is located in the heart of Geneva’s old town, in a beautiful 18th-century style mansion, the Maison Mallet.

State-of-the-art technology is seamlessly integrated into the classical, grand structure. An underground passage connects the IMR to the archaeological site under Saint-Pierre Cathedral. The “Espace Saint-Pierre,” comprising these two museums and the visit of the Cathedral Towers, represents one of Geneva’s latest cultural and tourist attractions.

Report from the Christian Telegraph

IRAQI BELIEVERS TARGETED FOR REMOVAL BY EXTREMISTS

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom recommends Iraq as a “country of particular concern” (CPC). This comes in light of the abuses of religious freedom and the Iraqi government’s toleration of these abuses, particularly against religious minorities, reports MNN.

Since 2004, thousands of Iraqi Christians have fled to Syria, Jordan and to the West for refuge and a new start. Many were forced to leave family behind, which means there is a remnant church in Iraq.

Carl Moeller with Open Doors explains that, sadly, “Christians in Mosul over the last few months have been particularly targeted for extermination by the remnants of Al Qaeda in Iraq. This Christmas is one of great stress and difficulty for these believers.”

According to Open Doors, Christmas observances traditionally would include a ceremony in the courtyard of the home on Christmas Eve.

One of the children in the family would read the story of the Nativity from the Bible, and the other family members would hold lighted candles. When the story was read, a bonfire would be lit in one of the corners of the courtyard. On Christmas Day a similar bonfire would be built on the church compound.

While the fire burned, the men of the fellowship would sing a hymn, and a procession would take place in which the officials of the church would march behind the bishop who carried an image of baby Jesus. The service would end with the blessing of the people.

Bonfires are not held in Iraq any more since any bonfire attracts suspicious persons; perhaps Muslim terrorists. Fires are now linked with explosions and attacks.

The way the West celebrates Christmas had also affected the Church in Iraq… by copying the traditions of a Christmas tree, presents and songs. At present, it is too dangerous to be open about Christmas in cities like Baghdad and Mosul.

Moeller says, despite difficult circumstances, “It doesn’t stop the work that Open Doors is doing. We realize that when faith costs the most, we need to be the ones representing the larger body of Christ, stepping in that gap, and encouraging and strengthening the believers in those situations.”

Report from the Christian Telegraph

SINGING ANIMALS AT CHRISTMAS

I’m not huge on celebrating Christmas – it’s not that I’m a scrooge, it’s just that I don’t see Christmas as a Biblically sanctioned event or celebration in a Christian sense. The Bible does not say that we should be celebrating a festival that was originally called something else and represented something else in order to con people into becoming Christians or make Christianity anymore acceptable to them because we kept their festival – albeit with a different name.

Having said that, I no longer make it a mission of mine to come down hard on anyone who celebrates ‘Christmas (not that I probably did that too much anyhow).’ I see it in a Christian Liberty context these days, though I refuse to acknowledge ‘Christmas’ as a biblically required event or festival, and nor do I accept that it is a Christian festival regardless of the fact that most Christians celebrate it.

Anyhow, I came across this YouTube video that I thought some people might like, so here it is – it may give you a little chuckle or two: