John Calvin’s Followers (438)

John Calvin

Born

in Noyon, France

January 12, 1509

Died

March 28, 1564

Genre

Religion, Christian, Classics

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John Calvin, né Jehan Cauvin, re-translated from Latin Iohannes Calvinus into Jean Calvin in modern French, 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 Calv John Calvin, né Jehan Cauvin, re-translated from Latin Iohannes Calvinus into Jean Calvin in modern French, 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. ...more

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John Calvin’s books

Average rating: 4.21 · 18,566 ratings · 1,533 reviews · 1,375 distinct works • Similar authors

	Institutes of the Christian Religion, 2 Vols by John Calvin, Ford Lewis Battles (translator), John Thomas McNeill (Editor), John Allen 4.12 avg rating — 11,316 ratings — published 1536 — 364 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Little Book on the Christian Life by John Calvin, Aaron Clay Denlinger (Translator), Burk Parsons (Translator ) 4.54 avg rating — 2,819 ratings — published 1975 — 67 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Commentaries, 22 Vols 4.47 avg rating — 397 ratings — published 1958 — 11 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Reformation Debate: John Calvin and Jacopo Sadoleto by John Calvin, Jacopo Sadoleto, John C. Olin (Editor) 3.88 avg rating — 304 ratings — published 1539 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Truth for All Time: A Brief Outline of the Christian Faith 4.29 avg rating — 199 ratings — published 1537 — 21 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Necessity of Reforming the Church 4.39 avg rating — 179 ratings — published 1544 — 49 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Institutes of the Christian religion Volume v.1 4.26 avg rating — 149 ratings — published 1536 — 107 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Heart Aflame: Daily Readings from Calvin on the Psalms by John Calvin, Sinclair B. Ferguson (Foreword) 4.45 avg rating — 87 ratings — published 1999 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Guide To Christian Living by John Calvin, Robert White (Editor) 4.58 avg rating — 83 ratings — published 2009 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Commentary on Romans by John Calvin, Jean Calvin, Jehan Cauvin 4.40 avg rating — 65 ratings — published 1540 — 65 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by John Calvin…

Series by John Calvin

The Crossway Classic Commentaries (22 books)
by

John Calvin,

Alister McGrath (Series Editor),

J.I. Packer (Introduction),

Paul the Apostle

4.35 avg rating — 2,080 ratings

Praying through the Prophets (8 books)
by

John Calvin,

Berenice Aguilera (Goodreads Author)

3.69 avg rating — 58 ratings

Calvin's Complete Commentary On The Bible (6 books)
by

John Calvin

4.71 avg rating — 7 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

237 likes

“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

227 likes

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

123 likes

See all John Calvin's quotes »

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John Calvin’s Followers (438)

John Calvin

Combine EditionsJohn Calvin’s books

Series by John Calvin

Topics Mentioning This Author

Combine Editions
John Calvin’s books