John Calvin was born in Noyon, France, on July 10, 1509 to an upper middle class family in France. His name actually is Jean Cauvin which is Latinized to John Calvin. John Calvin was preparing for the priesthood in Paris when his father encouraged him to study law. This made him come face to face with the humanism of the period, which emphasized the centrality of man and his superiority over the rest of the creation. His training as a lawyer gave him a keen logical approach to problems which is reflected in his theological works . Exposed to the Reformist writings he leaned towards it even during his student life. On November 1 of 1533 he delivered a speech calling for reformation and attacking the institutionalized church. This produced a wave of anti-protestant sentiment in his home and he was forced to flee from France in 1535. He fled from city to city notably in Basel, Switzerland. Calvin published the first edition of his INSTITUTES OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION, which was received by the reformation with enthusiasm. He was invited by Guillaume Farel, to come to Geneva. But the political opinions of Farel and Calvin were met with resistance at the city government level and they were asked to leave the city. Calvin moved to Strasbourg, where he met and married Idelette de Bure. Their son, died in infancy, and his wife died in 1549. Calvin remained single all the rest of his life. In 1541 pro-protestant forces took over Geneva and Genevans requested him to return to Geneva and lead the reformation there.. When he returned he organized a parallel government, which became powerful enough to control the secular government. Geneva became the Reformist’s Theocratic State and Calvin the driving force of it. Rome called it the Rome of the Reformers and Calvin its Pope. As man of authority and power he provided refuge for reformers fleeing from other states. At the same time he tacitly unleashed a system of inquisition against those who opposed him. The trial and execution of Geneva became the standard even for Roman Inquisition. (see His Ashes Cry Out Against John Calvin - by Dan Corner) With severe asthma, he died on May 27, 1564, and was buried in an unmarked grave in Geneva

His system of theology came to be known as Calvinism and has been accepted by many Reformers. It has been the main teaching of the Reformed Churches of West. Eastern Churches however mostly remained unaffected by his theology.

The Swiss city of Geneva, under Calvin's influence as pastor and reformer, became a refuge to which fugitives might flee from persecution, and a training-school in which missionaries and reformers might be equipped and sent forth for heroic service. It was truly the nerve-center of the Reformation. The threat of Geneva was so great that Emperor Philip II, son of Charles V, wrote the following offer to the King of France:

"This city is the source of all mischief for France and the most formidable enemy of Rome. At any time I am ready to assist, with all the power of my realm, to overthrow it."

The French government threatened to destroy the city if it did not stop sending evangelist into France. But the flow remained uninterrupted.

Geneva was the capital of the Reform Movement. The Reformed churches of Switzerland founded by Zwingli, Hesse, Bremen, and the Palatinate joined with the Calvinistic group to produce a formidable force in Europe. From there it spread into France to produce the Huguenots and to England to produce the great Puritan Movement and to Scotland as the Kirk of Scotland. Church of England was also predominantly Calvinistic until Charles II. Church of England were predominantly Calvinistic also, until the reign of King Charles II.

John Calvin Resources on the Internet

Institutes of the Christian Religion
Calvinism/Soteriology Page
John Calvin: Free Will and Predestination
Of Prayer
Christian Life
Calvin's Damascus
 

Calvin's Bible Commentaries

Calvin's Commentaries Project
Calvin on Genesis Part1
Calvin on Genesis Part2
Calvin on Genesis 1-23
Calvin on Hosea
Calvin on Joel
Calvin on Obadiah
Calvin on Obadiah
Calvin on Jonah
Calvin on Zephaniah
Calvin on Malachi
Calvin on Hebrews

The Five Points of Calvinism by R.L. Dabney
The Sovereignty of God by Prof. John Murray
A Defense of Calvinism by C.H. Spurgeon
Attractively Formatted Version

Arminian Errors by Rev. William MacLean, M.A.

Are There Two Wills in God? Divine Election and God's Desire for All to be Saved by John Piper
For Whom Did Christ Die? by John Owen
A Brief and Untechnical Statement of the Reformed Faith by B. B. Warfield
The Stone Lectures on Calvinism(Offsite)by: Dr Abraham Kuyper
Infant Salvation