John Calvin

Author profile

born

June 30, 1509 in Noyon, France

died

May 17, 1564

gender

male

website

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Calvin

genre

Theology, Reformation, Calvinism

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John Calvin (10 July 1509 – 27 May 1564), né Jean Cauvin, was an influential French theologian and pastor during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of Christian theology later called Calvinism. Originally trained as a humanist lawyer, he broke from the Roman Catholic Church around 1530. After religious tensions provoked a violent uprising against Protestants in France, Calvin fled to Basel, Switzerland, where in 1536 he published the first edition of his seminal work Institutes of the Christian Religion.

In that year, Calvin was invited by William Farel to help reform the church in Geneva. The city council resisted the implementation of Calvin and Farel's ideas, and both men were expelled....more John Calvin (10 July 1509 – 27 May 1564), né Jean Cauvin, was an influential French theologian and pastor during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of Christian theology later called Calvinism. Originally trained as a humanist lawyer, he broke from the Roman Catholic Church around 1530. After religious tensions provoked a violent uprising against Protestants in France, Calvin fled to Basel, Switzerland, where in 1536 he published the first edition of his seminal work Institutes of the Christian Religion.

In that year, Calvin was invited by William Farel to help reform the church in Geneva. The city council resisted the implementation of Calvin and Farel's ideas, and both men were expelled. At the invitation of Martin Bucer, Calvin proceeded to Strasbourg, where he became the minister of a church of French refugees. He continued to support the reform movement in Geneva, and was eventually invited back to lead its church. Following his return, he introduced new forms of church government and liturgy. Following an influx of supportive refugees and new elections to the city council, Calvin's opponents were forced out. Calvin spent his final years promoting the Reformation both in Geneva and throughout Europe.

Calvin was a tireless polemic and apologetic writer. He also exchanged cordial and supportive letters with many reformers including Philipp Melanchthon and Heinrich Bullinger. In addition to the Institutes, he wrote commentaries on most books of the Bible as well as theological treatises and confessional documents, and he regularly gave sermons throughout the week in Geneva. Calvin was influenced by the Augustinian tradition, which led him to expound the doctrine of predestination and the absolute sovereignty of God in salvation.

Calvin's writing and preaching provided the seeds for the branch of theology that bears his name. The Presbyterian and other Reformed churches, which look to Calvin as a chief expositor of their beliefs, have spread throughout the world. Calvin's thought exerted considerable influence over major religious figures and entire religious movements, such as Puritanism, and some have argued that his ideas have contributed to the rise of capitalism, individualism, and representative democracy in the West.(less)

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Books by John Calvin

Average rating: 4.18 · 1,765 ratings · 182 reviews · 266 distinct works

	Institutes of the Christian Religion (2 Volume Set) by John Calvin, John Thomas McNeill (Editor) 4.21 avg rating — 1,307 ratings — published 1905 — 58 editions	My rating:
	Calvin's Commentaries (22 Vols.) 4.57 avg rating — 76 ratings — published 1958 — 4 editions	My rating:
	Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life by John Calvin, Henry J. Van Andel (Translator) 4.00 avg rating — 83 ratings — published 1975 — 5 editions	My rating:
	A Reformation Debate by John Calvin (Editor), Jacopo Sadoleto, John C. Olin (Editor) 3.90 avg rating — 41 ratings — published 1967	My rating:
	The Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin, Henry Beveridge 4.40 avg rating — 20 ratings — published 2009 — 3 editions	My rating:
	Truth for All Time: A Brief Outline of the Christian Faith 4.17 avg rating — 18 ratings — published 1998	My rating:
	Treatises on the Sacraments: Catechism of the Church of Geneva, Forms of Prayer, and Confessions of Faith 4.31 avg rating — 13 ratings — published 2003	My rating:
	John by John Calvin, Alister E. McGrath (Editor), J.I. Packer (Editor) 4.00 avg rating — 12 ratings — published 1975	My rating:
	Institutes of the Christian Religion, Vol. 1 of 2 3.93 avg rating — 14 ratings — published 1957 — 6 editions	My rating:
	Concerning the Eternal Predestination of God 3.75 avg rating — 12 ratings — published 1997 — 2 editions	My rating:

More books by John Calvin…

Series by John Calvin

The Crossway Classic Commentaries (25 books)
by John Calvin, Matthew Henry

4.12 avg rating — 187 ratings

Quotes by John Calvin

“We should ask God to increase our hope when it is small, awaken it when it is dormant, confirm it when it is wavering, strengthen it when it is weak, and raise it up when it is overthrown.”
― John Calvin

tags: hope , pray , strength , weak

41 people liked it

“There is no worse screen to block out the Spirit than confidence in our own intelligence.”
― John Calvin

31 people liked it

“There is not one blade of grass, there is no color in this world that is not intended to make us rejoice.”
― John Calvin

tags: calvinism , creation , joy , rejoice , splendor-of-creation , theology

30 people liked it

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Topics Mentioning This Author

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Reformed Readers: * Institutes of the Christian Religion discussion - will contain spoilers	11	16	Feb 14, 2011 02:45pm