272. God's Sudden Subduing: John Calvin's Unlikely Rise

What drives a brilliant 27-year-old humanist scholar to abandon his promising legal career and pen one of history's most influential theological works? Join Dr. Alan Strange as he unravels the early life of John Calvin and explores the unexpected twists that led from French nobility's secretarial service to revolutionary religious thought.

We'll learn how a father's excommunication, a sudden conversion, and a chance encounter in Geneva shaped the man whose theology would "exalt God and abase man" like no other system before it. From his humanist education alongside future Jesuits to his reluctant partnership with the fiery reformer Guillaume Farel, this episode reveals the human story behind the formidable intellect.

Dr. Strange also addresses the question: Why does Calvinism provoke such strong reactions? His answer might surprise you. Plus, learn about the political intrigue of the Placard Affair that forced Calvin's dramatic flight from France, setting the stage for his world-changing work in Geneva.