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John Calvin

John Calvin

John Calvin (1509 - 1584)

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 he published the first edition of his seminal work The Institutes of the Christian Religion in 1536.

Calvin's writing and preachings provided the seeds for the branch of theology that bears his name. The Reformed, Congregational, and Presbyterian churches, which look to Calvin as the chief expositor of their beliefs, have spread throughout the world.


John Calvin 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.

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.

      Founder of Calvinism. John Calvin, a French scholar who became a leading preacher and dominant force in the Reformation of the 16th Century, studied at the University of Paris and at the University of Orleans. He became dissatisfied with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and allied himself with the cause of the Protestant Reformation in 1532.

      When the king of France decided to settle the religious question in his country in favor of the Catholics, Calvin fled to Geneva, Switzerland, where his writings and lectures made Geneva the Rome of Protestantism. His institutes of the Christian religion became the basis for the Presbyterian way of thought and church life. Calvinism is the main doctrine of the Presbyterian and Reformed Churches.

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John Calvin

Genesis 20:1-18

1. And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar. 1. Postea profectus est inde Abraham ad terram Meridianam, et habitavit inter Cades et Sur, peregrinatusque est in Gerar. 2. And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my siste... Read More
John Calvin

Genesis 21:1-34

1. And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken. 1. Porro Jehova visitavit Sarah, quemadmodum dixit: et fecit Jehova ipsi Sarah, quemadmodum loquutus erat. 2. For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoke... Read More
John Calvin

Genesis 22:1-24

1. And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am 1. Et fuit, posthaec Deus tentavit Abraham, et dixit ad eum, Abraham: qui dixit, Ecce ego. 2. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and g... Read More
John Calvin

Genesis 23:1-20

1. And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah. 1. Fuit autem vita Sarah centum anni et viginti anni et septem anni: anni vitae Sarah. 2. And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sara... Read More
John Calvin

Genesis 24:1-67

1. And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. 1. Abraham autem senex venit in dies, et Iehova benedixerat Abraham in omnibus. 2. And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand unde... Read More
John Calvin

Genesis 25:1-34

1. Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. 1. Et addidit Abraham, et accepit uxorem, cujus nomen erat Cetura. 2. And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. 2. Et peperit ei Zimram, et Iocsan, et Medan, et Midian, et Isbah, et Suah 3. And Jok... Read More
John Calvin

Genesis 26:1-35

1. And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar. 1. Deinde fuit fames in terra praeter famem superiorem, quae fuerat in diebus Abraham: et profectus est Ishac ad Abimelech regem Pelisthim... Read More
John Calvin

Genesis 27:1-46

1. And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I. 1. Fuit autem quum senuisset Ishac, et caligassent oculi ejus ita ut non videret, vocavit Esau filium s... Read More
John Calvin

Genesis 2:1-25

1. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 1. Perfecti fuerunt igitur coeli et terra, et omnis exercitus eorum. 2. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 2. Perfeceratque Deus ... Read More
John Calvin

Genesis 3:1-24

1. Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 1. Porro serpens erat callidior omni bestia agri, quam fecerat Jehova Deus: et dixit ad mulierem, Etiamne dixit De... Read More
John Calvin

Genesis 4:1-26

1. And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. 1. Et Adam cognovit Hava uxorem suam: quae concepit, et peperit Cain: et dixit, Acquisivi virum a Jehova. 2. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was... Read More
John Calvin

Genesis 5:1-32

1. This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; 1. Iste est liber generationum Adam: in die qua creavit Deus hominem, ad similitudinem Dei fecit illum. 2. Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Ada... Read More
John Calvin

Genesis 6:1-22

1. And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 1. Et fuit, quum coepis sent homines multiplicari in superficie terrae, filiaeque natae essent eis: 2. That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them... Read More
John Calvin

Genesis 7:1-24

1. And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. 1. Et dixit Jehova ad Noah, Ingredere tu, et omnis domus tua arcam: quia to vidi justum coram me in aetate ista. 2. Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by s... Read More
John Calvin

Genesis 8:1-22

1. And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged; 1. Recordatus est autem Deus Noah, et omnis bestiae, et omnis animalis quae erant cum eo in arca: et transire fecit Deus ventum su... Read More
John Calvin

Genesis 9:1-29

1. And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. 1. Et benedixit Deus Noah, et filiis ejus: et dixit ad eos, Crescite, et multiplicamini, et replete terram. 2. And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth... Read More
John Calvin

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. —John 15:13 "Greater love hath no man than this." Christ sometimes proclaims the greatness of his love to us, that he may more fully confirm our confidence in our salvation; but now he proceeds further, in order to inf... Read More
John Calvin

How to Use the Present Life, and the Comforts of It

The divisions of this chapter are,—I. The necessity and usefulness of this doctrine. Extremes to be avoided, if we would rightly use the present life and its comforts, sec. 1, 2. II. One of these extremes, viz, the intemperance of the flesh, to be carefully avoided. Four methods of doing so describe... Read More
John Calvin

I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him

I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. —Luke 11:8 In our supplications, let us have a real and permanent sense of our need, and seriously considering our necessity of all that we ... Read More
John Calvin

I the Lord have called thee in righteousness

I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; —Isaiah 42:6 "For a light of the Gentiles." We have here another clear proof of the calling of the Gentiles, since he expressly states ... Read More

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