Calvin on Electing Elders, Bishops etc.

In Calvin’s view a number clergy and the people to be served should be involved in candidates to the ministry.

In opposing the idea that Bishops (or even the Pope himself) have (or has) the sole and unilateral apostolic succession power of ordination, Calvin seemingly endorses the Early Church principle of having the people “elect” their elders (presbyter Pastor-teachers) in the sense that the magistrate and / or the people should usually have a veto on an appointment.

Calvin quotes Leo with approval:

Let him who is to preside over all be elected by all; for he who is appointed, while unknown and unexamined, must of necessity be violently intruded. (Ep. Xc)

Again:

Let regard be had to the attestation of honourable men, the approval of the clergy, and the consent of the magistracy and people. Reason permits no other mode of procedure. (Ep. Lxxxvii)

Calvin finds the same in Gregory and Cyprian.

(LCC, Calvin’s Theological Treatises, ‘Necessity of Reforming the Church’, p207)

This also has the practical advantage that the people are agreeing to follow and obey the godly teaching and example of the elder in approving him.

Calvin also explains the tradition that all the bishops of the provinces should assemble for an ordination, or if this cannot be conveniently done, “at least three… that no man might force an entrance by tumult, or creep in by stealth, or insinuate himself by surreptitious artifices. To the ordination of a presbyter, each bishop admitted a council of his own presbyters.” (p208)

Calvin is stinging, by the way, about Bishops who either through wickedness or fear keep good men out of the ministry and refuse to remove the unfaithful but rather try to unseat the godly Bible teaching ministers (p208f).

As Gregory said, Calvin says of Bishops: “those who abuse privilege deserve to lose privilege.” (p209). The Bishops must either change and appoint a different kind of man, Calvin says, or they cannot complain when they are despoiled of what is justice belonged to them. If they wish to be recognised as Bishops they must do their duty. Any man, whatever his title, who shows himself by his conduct to be an enemy of sound doctrine has lost all right to that title and office and authority. The ancient Canons of Church expressly forbid anyone to apply to a heretic so-called Bishop for ordination. Calvin is willing to face the charge that he has illegally made an incursion into the province of the Bishops (p209).