John Calvin

John Calvin was a religious leader and writer during the 16th century. He was born in 1509 in Noyon, a town in France. This period is called the Reformation, which was a time when many Christians questioned the authority and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. Calvin became one of the most important figures in this movement.

Calvin studied law and the humanities, which means subjects such as language, history, and philosophy. He was well educated and wrote clearly. Around the 1530s, he began to support Protestant ideas. Protestants were Christians who separated from the Roman Catholic Church. Because of religious conflict in France, Calvin left his home country and traveled across Europe.

Calvin is best known for his book Institutes of the Christian Religion. This book explained Protestant beliefs in an organized way. It discussed topics such as God, faith, and the Bible. The book was widely read and translated into several languages. It helped spread Calvin’s ideas across Europe.

Calvin later settled in the city of Geneva in present-day Switzerland. There, he helped organize church life and city rules. Geneva became an important center for Protestant thought. Calvin worked with local leaders to shape laws that followed religious teachings. Church services, education, and daily life were closely connected.

One idea often linked to Calvin is predestination. This word means the belief that God has already decided what will happen to each person. Calvin taught that salvation, or being saved, depended on God rather than human actions. This idea was debated by many people at the time and remains a key part of churches influenced by Calvin.

John Calvin died in 1564 in Geneva. After his death, his ideas continued to spread. Churches influenced by his teachings are often called Reformed or Calvinist churches. His writings shaped religious life in parts of Switzerland, France, the Netherlands, Scotland, and later in North America.