Calvin's Institutes. 4.7.17: Romanism a Political Construct

Calvin’s Institutes, IV.7. 7.17-18: “Rome’s jurisdiction through relations with the usurpers Phocas and Pepin, and thereafter established to the injury of the church”

IV.4.7.17: The eventual establishment of the papal supremacy

Observations:

1. Calvin mentions Phocas granted to Boniface 111 what Gregory 1 had never sought, to wit, that Rome should be the head of all the churches. What Gregory denied, Boniface 111 affirmed.

2. Gaul reverenced Rome but “only insofar as it pleased.”

3. After Pepin took the kingdom, Rome was “reduced to subjection.”

4. Zacharias, bp. of Rome, helped Pepin (714-768). Zacharias was hard-pressed by the Lombards.

5. Pepin was the King of the Franks (751-768) and the father of Charlemagne. The reward was Rome’s “jurisdiction over the churches of Gaul.”

6. Here’s Calvin’s summary of the Zacharias-Pepin deal: “As robbers are accustomed to divide up the common spoil, so these good gentlemen arranged between themselves that Pepin should be allowed the earthly and civil lordship after the true king had been deprived, while Zacharias should become the head of all the bishops and hold spiritual power.”

7. The pope’s authority thereafter was weak. However, this authority was strengthened with Charlemagne “for almost the same reason: he also was behold to the Roman pontiff because he came to the imperial rank by the Pope’s efforts.”

8. Calvin refers to extant notes in the Court of Paris for substantiation of this new era of Papal temporal power, something distinct from the period of Gregory 1.

Interpretation:

Petrine Supremacy is a political, not theological construct.