1.

Introduction
Calvin, as we all know, did not start the Reformation. However, his name has become
synonymous with the reformation due to the extent of his influence on the course of history.
Calvin’s influence on both the theological climate of that time and peers has no equal in
the early generations of the Reformation— the truth of this is attested by the fact that
Calvin’s name eventually became synonymous with subsequent developments within
Reformed thinking.
Calvin was a relative latecomer to the reformation - so much so that many do consider him
as a second generation reformer. Calvin joined the Reformation in 1536 (nineteen years
after Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the door of a Catholic church in Germany),
after his conversion in 1533 1 after reading some of Martin Luther's works, he was inspired
to abandon the Catholic church, and become a reformer himself, and by this time - the
Reformation had been going on for ten years led by Zwingli and Bullinger (in Zurich).
Forefathers of the Protestant Reformation such as Wyclif, Hus, and Tyndale focused more
on having a Bible in the vernacular and combatting ecclesiastical abuse than theological
matters such as Sola Scriptura (needed because the papal infallibility proved to be very
fallible) or the nature of the Eucharist. However, in a theocratic world based on the total
authority of the popes and church councils, dissension from the Catholic interpretation of
Scripture was tantamount to treason. The climate was somewhat chaotic with Rome trying
to wrest control back from various factions who championed autonomy of rule and religion,
promoted adherence to the Scriptures, and tried to prevent the church from taking their
money. John Calvin’s contribution was to organize and consolidate the theological and
biblical reasons for rejecting the Roman Church, and he brilliantly developed his concepts
into a complete theological viewpoint.

2. John Calvin’s influence

As Martin Luther's successor as the preeminent Protestant theologian, Calvin was known
for an intellectual, unemotional approach to faith that provided Protestantism's theological
underpinnings, whereas Luther brought passion and populism to his religious cause.

2.1. Theology
In 1536, 27 year old Calvin wrote the monumental Institutes of the Christian Religion, in
an early attempt to consolidate the theories of Protestantism. It was intended as an basic
manual for people who wanted to know something about the evangelical faith—"the
whole sum of godliness and whatever it is necessary to know about saving doctrine."
Calvin’s intention was not to trigger the Reformation but rather to build on the early
achievements of Luther and Zwingli. Having read the work of the two early Reformers,
Calvin felt that their approach was too incohesive and as a result unclear. “The Institutes”
was written as an attempt to pull together the fragments of Protestantism within a single

1
Precisely when Calvin’s conversion took place cannot now be ascertained. The energy that has been spent and the
ingenuity exercised on this point have been more or less fruitless, because the events of his life between 1528 and
1533, the period of his first Christian activity, have never been precisely recorded. Calvin himself mentions no
particular calendar month or year, and we must resist the temptation to play the game of date-fixing.

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 systematic framework. Calvin later wrote, "I labored at the task especially for our own
Frenchmen, for I saw that many were hungering and thirsting after Christ and yet that
only a very few had any real knowledge of him." 2
In The Institutes, Calvin outlined his views on the church, the sacraments, justification,
Christian liberty, and political government. His unique and overarching theme is God's
sovereignty. He taught that original sin eradicated free will in people. Only by God's
initiative can anyone begin to have faith and thus experience assurance of salvation.
Calvin's religious teachings emphasized the sovereignty of the scriptures and divine
predestination—a doctrine holding that God chooses those who will enter Heaven based
His omnipotence and grace.
In this and later editions, Calvin developed the doctrines of predestination, or election.
More importantly, he argued for the indefectability of grace—that is, grace will never be
withdrawn from the elect. This was Calvin's pastoral attempt to comfort new believers. In
medieval Catholicism, believers remained anxious about their spiritual destinies and were
required to perform more and more good works to guarantee their salvation. Calvin taught
that once a believer understands he is chosen by Christ to eternal life, he will never have
to suffer doubt again about salvation: "He will obtain an unwavering hope of final
perseverance (as it is called), if he reckons himself a member of him who is beyond hazard
of falling away."3
Book III of the Institutes has received much attention. In considering the Holy Spirit,
Calvin examined the doctrine of regeneration-that is, how are we saved? He claimed that
salvation is only possible through the grace of God. Even before creation, God chose some
people to be saved. This is the bone most people choke on: predestination. Curiously, it
isn't particularly a Calvinist idea. Augustine taught it centuries earlier, and Luther believed
it, as did most of the other Reformers. Yet Calvin stated it so forcefully that the teaching is
forever identified with him. Calvin said it was clearly taught in the Bible. Calvin’s work
was not to create the Reformation but rather to build on the early achievements of Luther
and Zwingli.

2.2. Political
Calvin lived in Geneva briefly, until anti-Protestant authorities in 1538 forced him to leave.
He was invited back again in 1541, and upon his return from Germany, where he had been
living, he became an important spiritual and political leader. Calvin used Protestant
principles to establish a religious government; and in 1555, he was given absolute
supremacy as leader in Geneva.
While instituting many positive policies, Calvin's government also punished "impiety" and
dissent against his particularly spare vision of Christianity with execution. In the first five
years of his rule in Geneva, 58 people were executed and 76 exiled for their religious
beliefs. Calvin allowed no art other than music, and even that could not involve

2
"John Calvin - Journalist, Theologian - Biography." Web. 30 Jul. 2018 <https://www.biography.com/people/john-
calvin-9235788>.
3
John Calvin...... | Christian History. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/theologians/john-calvin.html

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 instruments. Under his rule, Geneva became the center of Protestantism, and sent out
pastors to the rest of Europe, creating Presbyterianism in Scotland, the Puritan Movement
in England and the Reformed Church in the Netherlands.
He spent the rest of his life trying to help establish a theocratic society. Calvin believed
the church should faithfully mirror the principles laid down in Holy Scripture.
He was in no way the ruler or dictator of Geneva. He was appointed by the city council
and paid by them. He could at any time have been dismissed by them (as he had been in
1538). He was a foreigner in Geneva, not even a naturalized citizen, until near the end of
his life. His was a moral authority, stemming from his belief that, because he proclaimed
the message of the Bible, he was God's ambassador, with divine authority behind him. As
such, he was involved in much that went on in Geneva, from the city constitution to
drains and heating appliances.
Geneva became a powerful moral magnet, attracting Protestant exiles from all over
Europe. The Scot, John Knox, described Geneva as "the most perfect school of Christ
since the days of the apostles." Through his moral authority, Calvin truly reformed
Geneva. And through his French and Latin writings - the Institutes in particular - he gave
Protestantism amazing vigor.

2.3. Sociology4
In his Ecclesiastical Ordinances he argued that the New Testament taught four orders of
ministry: pastors, doctors, elders, and deacons. Around these, the city was organized.
Pastors conducted the services, preached, administered the Sacraments, and cared for the
spiritual welfare of parishioners. In each of the three parish churches, two Sunday services
and a catechism class were offered. Every other weekday, a service was held—later on,
every day. The Lord's Supper was celebrated quarterly.

The doctors, or teachers, lectured in Latin on the Old and New Testaments usually on
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The audience consisted mainly of the older
schoolboys and ministers, but anyone could attend.

In every district, elders kept an eye on spiritual affairs. If they saw that so-and-so was
frequently the worse for drink, or that Mr. X beat his wife, or that Mr. Y and Mrs. Z were
seeing too much of each other, they admonished them in a brotherly manner. If the behavior
didn't cease, they reported the matter to the Consistory, the church's governing body, which
would summon the offender. Excommunication was a last resort and would remain in force
until the offender repented.

Finally, social welfare was the charge of the deacons. They were the hospital management
board, social security executives, and alms-house supervisors. The deacons were so
effective, Geneva had no beggars. The system worked so well for so many years that when

4
John Calvin...... | Christian History. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/theologians/john-calvin.html

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 John Knox visited Geneva in 1554, he wrote a friend that the city "is the most perfect
school of Christ that ever was in the earth since the days of the apostles."

2.4. Education5
Calvin firmly believed that Christian influence touched all areas of life. Since Calvin
believed that faith and education belonged together, he drew up a catechism for parents to
teach their children while receiving a secular education. Calvin also added departments
of law and medicine to his college, making it the first liberal arts college since it also
taught Hebrew, Greek, and the Arts. Historians have noted that “Calvin’s Academy
became the standard bearer for education in all major fields” (Hall, 63). The Academy
educated the masses, trained pastors, and provided an excellence in education for
international students. Overall, the University of Geneva was one of Calvin’s greatest
contributions to society.
Calvin greatly influenced the society of his day for the better. One of his students
returned to England to establish the Bodleian Library, a famous research facility (Hall,
64). His Academy also trained missionaries to reach the countries bordering Switzerland.
John Knox took Calvin’s training back to native Scotland where he championed the
Protestant cause. Calvin’s spiritual emphasis on education was unparalleled during his
lifetime. Sadly, his college abandoned its spiritual foundation just a few generations after
his death.

3. Evaluation
Despite Calvin's influence, other reformers, particularly an individual named Jacobus
Arminius, introduced less strict, more "user friendly" versions of Christian theology that
caused strict Calvinism to fall into obscurity. That is, until the late 19th century, when
pastors like Charles Spurgeon re-introduced Calvinism to the mainstream. With a fiery
evangelical touch, these pastors encouraged adherence to Calvinist doctrine, and they
influenced many across Europe and the US. However, it fell into obscurity again soon after.
Countless volumes have been written about Calvin's influence, some applauding the man,
others regard him as a puritanical fiend. But it is safe to say that few Christians have been
more brilliant, more energetic, more sincere, more moral, more dedicated to the church's
purity.
Calvin's theology imported better than many other brands of Protestantism. It found a home
in places as far apart as Scotland, Poland, Holland, and America. His spiritual descendants
make up the World Alliance of Reformed Churches based in Calvin's Geneva. This
worldwide alliance consists of 178 denominations with over 50 million adherents in more
than 80 countries.

5
Hall, D. The legacy of John Calvin: his influence on the modern world (Phillipsburg, NJ: P &
R Publishing, 2008)

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 Calvin greatly influenced the society of his day for the better. One of his students
returned to England to establish the Bodleian Library, a famous research facility (Hall,
64). His Academy also trained missionaries to reach the countries bordering Switzerland.
John Knox took Calvin’s training back to native Scotland where he championed the
Protestant cause. Calvin’s spiritual emphasis on education was unparalleled during his
lifetime. Sadly, his college abandoned its spiritual foundation just a few generations after
his death.6

4. Conclusion

There is no doubt that John Calvin has had a huge impact on the world. He was a
dedicated teacher of God’s Word and labored very diligently to preach and teach the
Word of God in a way that would give men understanding and lead them to live holy
lives. In the eyes of this writer, it is sad that so many who name the name of Christ
would be so harsh (and hateful) to one who gave so much for the cause of Christ.
Without a doubt, John Calvin had his sinful faults, just like every other sinner.
Nevertheless, he certainly served Christ as a faithful teacher and persevered to the end
with diligence, leaving us all a noble example to follow both as an exegete and
theologian, and most of all, a man of God.

6
John Calvin Leads Geneva Reform - Christianity.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1-300/john-calvin-le

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