Following the episode of the placard in 1534, which was a significant event of religious protest against Catholicism in France, John Calvin found himself in a perilous situation. The placard incident occurred when anti-Catholic posters, known as "placards," were posted in prominent places across Paris and other French cities. These placards openly criticized the Catholic Church, particularly its practice of the Eucharist, which was one of the central doctrinal disputes between Protestants and Catholics at the time. The government, which was firmly aligned with the Catholic Church, responded with fierce persecution of Protestants, leading to arrests, executions, and widespread fear among those who sympathized with the Reformation.
Calvin, having already been sympathetic to the Reformation movement and a critic of Catholic doctrine, found himself in increasing danger. Given the severity of the backlash, he was forced to flee France, like many other Protestant refugees who sought safety from the government’s crackdown on heresy. However, despite the risks, Calvin was unwilling to stray too far from his beloved homeland of France. His deep connection to his French roots, coupled with his desire to contribute to the Reformation in his own country, kept him relatively close to the borders of France, even as he sought refuge in Protestant-friendly regions.
Calvin’s first stop after fleeing France was Strasbourg, a city that had become a significant center of Protestant thought and practice. Strasbourg, located in the Holy Roman Empire, was a relatively safe haven for Protestant reformers at the time. It had become a stronghold for those seeking refuge from religious persecution, particularly after the city had embraced Protestantism. Here, Calvin joined other exiled Protestants, including figures such as Martin Bucer, a prominent German reformer. In Strasbourg, Calvin was able to engage more deeply with theological issues and refine his ideas in a relatively protected environment.
However, despite finding some comfort in Strasbourg, Calvin’s desire to remain close to France led him to move on to Basel, a city in Switzerland that had also become an important hub for Protestant thinkers and scholars. Basel was known for its liberal approach to religious matters and its tolerance of Reformation ideas. It was in Basel that Calvin continued his scholarly work and began to gain recognition as an influential Protestant thinker. Basel was home to several prominent printers and intellectuals, and Calvin was able to publish some of his earliest writings, including parts of his Institutes of the Christian Religion, which would go on to become his most important theological work.
While Calvin’s time in Strasbourg and Basel was marked by relative safety, it was also a period of intense intellectual activity. These cities offered Calvin the opportunity to further develop his theological ideas and expand his influence within the broader Reformation movement. His experiences during this time shaped his views on church governance, the relationship between church and state, and the centrality of Scripture in Christian life. Ultimately, though he was far from his homeland, Calvin’s exile during this period would prove to be instrumental in shaping his legacy as one of the most important figures in Protestant theology.
