Ten Things You Should Know About the Theology of John Calvin
Who was John Calvin, and why was he important for the Reformation? This article answers this question by highlighting ten things you should know about his theology.
Ten Things You Should Know about the Life of John Calvin
Who was John Calvin, and why was he important for the Reformation? This article explains by looking at ten things you need to know about his life and theology.
What Kind of Man Was Calvin?
Three Reformers Used by God
Calvin and Calvinism
Reforming Still? Calvin’s Writing on Reforming the Church
A Pastor’s Reflections: When Friends Turn on You
Why do friendships turn sour? This article looks at the friendship of John Calvin and Sebastian Castellio to answer this question.
Calvin and the Worship of God
How should Christians worship? One of the foci of John Calvin was worship. This article looks at Calvin's view on the importance of worship, the practice of worship, liturgy, principles of worship, and music for worship. Today's church can learn a lot from this.
Encouragement for Church Planting from John Calvin
Calvin on Law and Gospel
What is the place of the law of God in society? What is the relationship of the law to the gospel? What is the role of the law in the Christian life? This article gives John Calvin's answer based on his view of the three uses of the moral law.
Luther and Calvin on the Deaconry
Calvin on Piety: Practical Dimensions
Calvin on Piety: Ecclesiological Dimensions
Idelette De Bure: Beauty That Wins the Soul
Piety within Proper Bounds: John Calvin on Christian Worship
Ten Ways Modern Culture Is Different Because of John Calvin
Calvin and Justification
“A Sacrifice Well Pleasing to God”: John Calvin and the Missionary Endeavors of the Church
How the Reformation Recovered the Great Commission
Some have argued that the Reformers had a poorly developed missiology. This article responds by explaining that the Reformers in fact recovered the Great Commission. To show this, it reviews the missiology of John Calvin.
Questions You've Always Wanted to Ask about the Reformerrs
This article addresses several questions about the Reformers, such as how they viewed each other, did John Calvin and Martin Luther ever meet in person, and Luther's apparent anti-Semitism.
The Institution of Eldership and Its Task
Calvin at Five Hundred
Justified Only by an Assured Faith?
Three Things John Calvin Teaches Us about Writing
This article offers three principles of theological writing that pastors and theologians can glean from John Calvin: write with brevity, clarity, and a single purpose.
I Crave Freedom But I Pray for Providence...
Calvin's Science The Bible tells of what is Visible, not as a Science Manual
Roman Adventure Paul's Epistle Provides a Passageway to Profound Treasures
Union with Christ Be Instructed by Calvin This is no Empty Ritual or Vain Superstition
Calvin and the WCF Any Differences are Cultural and Historical rather than Theological
The Bold Legacy of Calvin's Co-Pastor
This article describes the friendship of William Farel and John Calvin, along with their reforming work in Geneva.
The Diaconal Care of Non-Poor Christians: The Example of Calvin’s Geneva: The Funds
Diaconal work is always associated with caring for the poor. This article argues that this should not be the case. Deacons are called to care for the non-poor also. If diaconal work is seen as Christ’s way of administering mercy, then the work should go beyond the poor. In this article the author looks at the example of John Calvin in Geneva, where there was the fund to care for other needs or people.
Calvin and Pastoral Care
This article highlights the pastoral care of John Calvin.
Calvin and Knox’s Relationship of Mutual Love and Esteem
This article examines the nature of the relationship between John Calvin and John Knox, showing how they viewed one another.
Reclaiming the Truth of the Image of God
What does it mean that God created man is his own image? John Calvin defining the image of God in man in both the narrower and broader sense. He also showed how the fall impacted the image of God in man. This article explains these concept from Calvin’s point of view.
Calvin’s View of Creation: Spectacle of God’s Glory
To John Calvin, creation is the theatre of the glory of God. Creation is the stage for the revelation of God’s program of salvation for his church.
When Conversion Is Joy and Death Victory: Historical Foundations of the Doctrine of Perseverance
How did the doctrine of the perseverence of the saints develop in the way it is understood and applied in the life of the church? This article gives an overview of the history of this doctrine, starting with the important contribution of Augustine. It continues with how Thomas Aquinas saw perseverance as a necessary gift of God, but believers cannot be certain it was given to them.
The Approach to Calvin
This article gives a general introduction into how to approach a study of John Calvin and his significance in the context of the sixteenth century Reformation.
Calvin's Interpretation of the Reformation
The purpose of this article is to give a better understanding of John Calvin and his work by examining his interpretation of the Reformation.
The Genevan Revolutionary
This article places the life and work of John Calvin within its historical context. Reid believes that to understand the sixteenth-century Reformation, one must always keep in mind the radical and revolutionary character of Calvin's teaching, which made the Reformation such a dynamic movement.
Despicable Me: Total Depravity – TULIP Part 1
This article begins by discussing the term "Calvinism." It offers a brief overview of the commitment of John Calvin to proclaim the glory of God, in the midst of a life of great suffering. Then it discusses the doctrine of total depravity.
The Once and Future Calvin
This article views Calvinism as a theology that faithfully represents the teaching of the Bible. Further, the author foresees the future of this teaching as one that will lead to a global revival of Christianity. The rest of the article explains in detail the reasons why this author is so positive about the future of the teaching of John Calvin.
But Spiritual Discernment Is Wholly Lost Until We Are Regenerated
This article, an excerpt from John Calvin's Institutes, reminds us that human beings are spiritually dead until they are regenerated by the Holy Spirit.
Calvin’s Liturgy
Convinced that God commands how he wants to be worshipped, John Calvin developed a liturgy that incorporated preaching of the word, prayer, administration of the sacraments, almsgiving, and singing.
The Nicodemites
This article documents the struggle of John Calvin with the Nicodemites.
Calvin and the Covenant: Unity and Continuity
Helm argues in this paper that John Calvin's theology and the covenant theology of the Westminster Confession of Faith are in essential doctrinal agreement. He describes what he understands covenant theology to be and what Calvin's conception was of the relationship between Adam and the human race, and compares that with Calvin's English successors.
The Incarnation and "Limited Atonement"
Does John Calvin differ from his successors on the matter of the extent of the atonement?
The Quest for the Historical Calvin
Did the Calvinists really understand well the teaching of John Calvin, or did they distort it? This article compares Calvin with his successors, especially the Reformed Orthodox of the seventeenth century, on the area of soteriology.
What Happens after Death (And before Resurrection)
This article addresses the notion of soul sleep after death, and what John Calvin had to say about it. He said that the soul is immortal, and after death waits consciously for the resurrection.
Brief Confession of Faith
This is a brief confession of faith by John Calvin. Some elements include confession of God as the creator of all things, his providence and sovereignty, the sinfulness of man, and total depravity.
The Church and the Truth
What is the importance of the relationship between the church and the truth? The article is based on the teaching of John Calvin that one of the marks of a true church is the faithful proclamation of the Word.
The Sum of the Christian Life: The Denial of Ourselves
This article is an excerpt from John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion, dealing with the Christian philosophy of self-denial.
Idelette de Bure, Wife of Calvin
This article is an account of the marriage of John Calvin to Idelette de Bure, a lady who had lost her first husband to a plague. The article details how she spent the rest of her life in the ministry with Calvin, noting her instrumentality in his ministry, in Strasburg and then later in Geneva.
John Calvin on the Role of the Pastor
This article presents John Calvin's understanding of the role of the pastor. It also points out that the pastor may not stand in the way of Christ alone having the dominion in his church.
The Piety of John Calvin
John Calvin succinctly defined Christian piety as "that reverence joined with love of God which the knowledge of his benefits induces." Included in his many discussions on piety are terms such as faith, fear, reverence, love, and knowledge. The central themes of Calvin's piety were the honouring of God and being thankful to him. This article surveys Calvin's writings on piety and seeks to understand his view on the topic.
Two Dispensations: One Salvation
This article gives some commentary by John Calvin on how Christ was revealed in the old dispensation and then in the new.
Calvin the Preacher
Preaching characterized most of John Calvin’s work in Geneva. This article looks at his style and view of preaching.
The Reform of Geneva
This article explains the role John Calvin played in the Reformation in Geneva.
Calvin on Justification
Why did John Calvin once say that justification is the hinge on which religion turns? This article explain Calvin’s view on justification in contrast to the Roman Catholic’s teaching.
Life of John Calvin, Pastor and Teacher
This article is a biography on John Calvin with focus on his pastoral and teaching ministry.
In Defense of Proof-Texting
This article is an argument in defence of proof-texting. Historically, it has served a useful function as a sign of disciplinary symbiosis among theology and exegesis. The authors believe that a renewed practice of proof-texting may serve as a sign of lively interaction between biblical commentary and Christian doctrine.
John Calvin's Movement from the Bible to Theology and Practice
How do we move from the Bible to formulating theology? This article believes that a study of good examples may help to prevent the exercise from becoming purely theoretical. The author uses John Calvin to present an example of how one person made such a move. In particular he uses Calvin’s implicit approach to church leadership and in particular church government. This article wants to understand how Calvin moved from the Bible to practice and then compares it to contemporary models.
John Calvin in the Valley of the Shadow of Death
This article discusses the suffering of John Calvin, and what Calvin himself had to say about suffering.
Calvin and Servetus
This article, a chapter from an early 20th century book on John Calvin, gives an explanation for Calvin's involvement in the trial and execution of Michael Servetus.
An Outline of the Life of John Calvin
This article provides a biography of the life of John Calvin.
To the Ends of the Earth – "For God So Loved the World": John Calvin's Missional Exegesis
In this chapter Haykin reveals John Calvin's approach to Scripture and theology that was clearly pro-missions and pro-evangelism. While Calvin was concerned more directly with purifying the church than initiating a worldwide missions movement, his interpretation of the Bible was consistent with a free proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of the lost.
Is R. C. Sproul Wrong about Martin Luther? An Analysis of R. C. Sproul's Faith Alone: The Evangelical Doctrine of Justification with respect to Augustine, Luther, Calvin, and Catholic Luther Scholarship
This essay is concerned with R. C. Sproul's rendering of the positions of Martin Luther and John Calvin against Roman Catholic opponents. It reflects on Sproul's use of their exposition of justification by faith. The author believes that Sproul's usage is lacking.
Calvin and Culture – 1929 and All That, or What Does Calvinism Say to Historians Searching for Meaning
Chapter 1 is a study of the significance of John Calvin’s understanding of the doctrine of providence. In the second part of the chapter, Hart considers the implications for a Christian approach to history, and the limits in seeking meaning in history.
The Law Is Not of Faith – Calvin and Witsius on the Mosaic Covenant
This chapter is an exploration of the significance of the Mosaic covenant. Chapter 1 is a historical-theological comparison of two important Reformed theologians, John Calvin and Herman Witsius. Witsius is known for his Economy of the Covenants between God and Man (1677).
Calvin’s Doctrine of the Lord’s Supper
The article discusses John Calvin's teaching on the Lord's Supper, comparing it to the doctrines of other institutions and theologians such as that of the Roman Catholic, Luther, and Zwingli. The main issue of contention discussed concerns the presence of the body of Christ in the bread and wine.
The French Reformed Churches
John Calvin: His Person
John Calvin: His Life
The Westminster Assembly – Perspectives on Westminster
Did the theological heirs of John Calvin deviate from their heritage? Was Calvin’s dynamic biblical theology lost by his successors? Was the philosophical methodology of Aristotle introduced into Reformed theology by Theodore Beza and Zacharias Ursinus? This chapter considers these criticisms as they were applied in particular to the tradition of the Westminster Standards. T. F.
Tributes to John Calvin – Calvin's Children
The concern of Chapter 1 is the spread of John Calvin’s theology in the world. It provides a survey of Calvin’s and his successors’ influence on the development of modern culture.
Theological Guide to Calvin's Institutes – Justification and Union with Christ
Gaffin reflects in Chapter 11 on John Calvin’s view of justification and union with Christ in Book 3 of his Institutes of the Christian Religion. Gaffin gives a brief overview of the treatment of justification in successive editions of the Institutes from 1536 to 1559. Next, he considers what Calvin mean by the “double grace” (duplex gratia) that believers receive by union with Christ.
Calvin and Commerce – Introduction
In the Introduction John Calvin is considered as one who made one of his most enduring contributions as he paved the way for modern, market-based business practices. The authors argue that Calvin both witnessed and contributed to a change in the world’s economy.
Calvin and Commerce – Creation
For John Calvin the subjects of money, wealth, and business are all created entities. Money is a creation, and as such it should not be worshipped, overemphasized, or ignored. Like the rest of creation, it has a place and is useful. In the section of Chapter 1 presented here, the creaturely character of the economy is considered.
Calvin for Today – Twelve Reasons Calvin Is Important Today
Why is John Calvin important today? What did he teach and does that encourage remembrance in the church of Jesus Christ? Beeke identifies twelve roles of Calvin that make him relevant for the church today: his role as educator, socio-theologian, evangelist, pastor, pietist, commentator, churchman, trinitarian, preacher, Christian, theologian, and exegete.
Piety's Wisdom – Calvin's Institute in Context
In Chapter 1 the author wants to provide insight into the historical and theological context of John Calvin’s Institutes. Beach reflects on Calvin’s prefatory address to King Francis I of France and his defence of the Protestant faith against cardinal Jacopo Sadoleto, Bishop of Carpentras in southern France. He also provides a sketch of Calvin’s life and the nature of the Institutes.
Evangelism, Missions, and Calvinism
Is believing in predestination a hindrance to evangelism? Because he taught and believed in predestination, John Calvin has been accused of lack of enthusiasm for evangelism and mission work. To answer this accusation this article looks at Calvin's teaching on evangelism and mission work and how they relate to predestination
John Calvin and Inerrancy
How did John Calvin understand the authority of Scripture? Can he be included in modern views on inerrancy? After giving a short description of Calvin's view of the inspiration of Scripture, the author gives a bibliography on literature that is helpful for further research in this area.
Reasons for Faith – Reasons of Faith
What is the relation between faith and reason? Through giving an answer to this and other questions, Oliphint wants to provide a biblical foundation for apologetics. A discussion of John Calvin’s understanding of the twofold knowledge of God (Lat. duplex cognitio Dei) and awareness of divinity (Lat.
Calvin and the Spiritual Gifts
This paper is an examination of John Calvin's understanding of spiritual gifts, in the light of the impact of Pentecostalism and the Charismatic Movement.
Thy Word Is Still Truth – Sola Scriptura: The Reformers' Rediscovery of the Written Word of God
This volume is an anthology of writings representing a high view of Scripture and reflecting the historic Reformed theological and confessional tradition. It offers a selection of texts on the doctrine of Scripture.
Martin Luther and the Mission of the Church
What was the practice of the Reformers with regard to the mission of the church in the world? Is it true that Martin Luther and John Calvin had no concern for the mission of the church? Gustav Warneck speaks of a "strange silence" of the Reformers in this regard. It is the view of Chaney that Luther was not blind to the missionary call of the church. Read the article for more.
Calvin's Doctrine of Scripture
Did John Calvin uphold the doctrine of inerrancy? To answer this question this article turns to Calvin's exposition of 2 Timothy 3:16 and 2 Peter 1:20. Then it comes to summarize Calvin's view on inerrancy.
Idelette de Bure: Wife of Calvin
This article gives the biography of Idelette de Bure, the wife of John Calvin.
Was Geneva a Theocracy?
Was Geneva a theocracy and was John Calvin its pope? To answer this question this article looks at the involvement of John Calvin in Geneva and in the execution of Servetus.
John Calvin and Inerrancy
Nicole presents a discussion of John Calvin's doctrine of Scripture. The larger part of the essay is a bibliographical appendix.