‘I repeat what I said at the commencement of this treatise, that it would be most important to abolish from amongst us Christians this pagan superstition of canonising relics.’
The Treatise on Relics is an important theological book questioning the authenticity of Christian relics during the 16th century and rejecting the practice of relic worship. This was a controversial view at the time and was in conflict with Catholic practices. Written during the Protestant Reformation, this treatise was part of the broader rejection of Catholic authority that took place in Europe during the 16th century. The book was deemed heretical by the Catholic Church and was included in the Index Librorum Prohibitorum.
John Calvin was a French theologian, pastor, and reformer. He was an important figure in the Protestant Reformation and his system of Christian theology eventually became Calvinism. He also founded the Academy of Geneva in 1559, which eventually became the University of Geneva.