Idelette de Bure

Gentle Idelette de Bure was the wife of John Calvin. She was, “comely, kindly, and very intelligent.” In fact, she was the perfect wife for a busy Reformer. She provided a comfortable home and much happiness to the man who was often pressed on every side by friends and foe. Like other ministers at that time, he was overworked and underpaid. But he and Idelette had a very happy marriage in spite of poverty and persecution from those who did not like to hear Calvin’s call to people to actually live their lives in accordance with their beliefs.
John Calvin was actually Idelette’s second husband. Idelette and her first husband, John Storder had first heard Calvin preach in Strasburg, where Calvin was pastoring a French congregation. They had belonged to an Anabaptist group, but on hearing about Calvin’s clear and masterful Biblical teaching they decided to go and listen to him. They were struck, not only with his erudition, but also his obvious love for the Lord. They joined Calvin’s church and became good friends.
This friendship had been strong for about two years when tragedy struck. John Storder was a victim of the plague after a struggle of only three days. Suddenly, Idelette was a widow with young children. Her grief was tremendous. Calvin continued to be her friend and visit her home. He enjoyed her good meals and conversation.
In the meantime, friends had been urging him to get married. He put together a committee to help him find a wife. He wrote to a friend, “The only kind of beauty which can win my soul is a woman who is chaste, fastidious, economical, patient, and who is likely to interest herself in my health.’ (Calvin suffered with various ailments all of his life.) The committee’s attempts failed several times. Finally, someone asked him, “What about the gentle Idelette?” He decided to court her and in a few months they were married. The occasion called for a big celebration and much rejoicing. They probably set up their home in the Storder house.
Within a few months, Calvin was pressed by the councilors of Geneva to return and help them restore order to their town. They had seen some changes for the better when Calvin had lived and preached there before. Immoral men who did not like to hear about God’s Word were the cause of getting him kicked out of Geneva. He did not want to return. But many of the trouble-makers were gone. Also, Calvin’s friend and mentor, Bucer, convinced him that he had a duty to go back and try to help the people learn how to live a Christian life. The magistrates were willing to let Calvin come and preach and help them set up a government based on Godly principles. The Genevese people where glad to have him back. When he preached the Word of God, lives were changed and so the society was changed. There was less corruption and the town was more peaceful.
During this time, a baby boy was born to John and Idelette. This birth nearly brought Idelette to her death, but she recovered. The little boy died however. This caused them much heartache. But John and Idelette trusted God. “The Lord has certainly inflicted a severe and bitter wound by the death of our infant son. But He is himself a Father and knows what is necessary for his children.” Two years later, a little daughter was born. She too died. Then a third child was born, which was also taken away from them. Calvin’s enemies would taunt him about this. They loved to tell him that his childlessness was a disgrace. But he and Idelette knew that there was a reason. They also knew that God had given them “myriads of sons throughout the Christian world.”
During the next few years, Idelette would remain Calvin’s best companion and most faithful helper in his ministry. Sadly, their marriage would end after nine years of happiness together. Idelette had suffered from illness during the last few years, and she succumbed in April, 1549. Calvin would never remarry and would carry on his work for fifteen years without her.
Idelette had made a real difference in Calvin’s life. Many other Reformers thanked God for their Proverbs 31 wives. These great men said themselves that their ministries were more productive thanks to the support of their wives. Idelette’s gentleness had an effect on Calvin’s ministry. The grief he felt at her death made him more sympathetic to others. It was said of him that, “From what he suffered in his heart on this occasion he was touched with a tenderer sympathy than he had previously felt for his brethren when visited with the same kind of trial.”
Idelette could not know how much her husband’s ministry would change the lives of countless thousands in the coming centuries. She was faithful to her calling as she believed God wanted her to be. She lived a selfless life, ministering to others around her. As we think about the famous men who struggled to bring about reform in Christ’s church, let us not forget the great women who supported them.