Born on July 10, 1509, John Calvin was one of the most influential men of the Reformation movement. Calvin was raised and ordained in the Catholic Church in Noyon (northeast of Paris). He underwent a “sudden conversion” in approximately 1533 and dedicated the rest of his life to developing a deep and thorough explanation of Reformation beliefs. In 1536, he published The Institutes of the Christian Religion which was then, and is still today, considered the most comprehensive single volume written on Reform theology. He preached a strict adherence to sobriety, thrift and self-denial which caused many to regard him as dour and severe.

Calvin is credited with advancing the cause of the Reformation to such diverse locations as Geneva, America, Holland, Poland and Scotland. His teachings continue to strongly influence Protestant theology today. Read on to discover even more interesting facts about this influential Reformer’s life.

Click here to read a brief timeline of Calvin's life

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Calvin's Early Years

Calvin was born on July 10, 1509 in Noyon, France, the son of Gerard LeFranc Calvin, who was a registrar for the county with connections to the Cathedral. He had an older brother, Charles, and three younger brothers. His mother, Jeanne LeFranc Calvin, died while he was yet a child. His father remarried and added two daughters to the family. There is now a museum at the site of his birthplace. Back to top

Calvin’s Education

Calvin was educated in his home town while simultaneously being an ordained minister of the church (though he did no actual work at the church, as was a common practice). At the age of 14, he moved into his uncle’s home and began attending the College de La Marche, majoring in Latin. He received his B.A. in philosophy and Theology in early 1528 from College de Montainge. At his father’s urging, he began to pursue his law degree at the University of Orleans and added Greek to his studies at the University of Bourges. However, he abandoned his studies in late 1530 due to his father’s illness (his father died in May 1531). Back to top

Calvin’s Conversion

Calvin underwent a “sudden conversion” in 1533, at which time he began pursuing the things of God wholeheartedly and soon found himself leading his first group of Reformers in Paris. His new affiliation was not looked upon kindly and he spent the next year breaking with Rome and even being imprisoned for a time. Back to top

 

 

Calvin’s Influential Writing

In 1536, Calvin completed his first edition of The Institutes of the Christian Religion. Originally printed in Basel, the book laid out specifically the beliefs of the French Protestant movement. Calvin stated, in no uncertain terms, the movement’s rejection of papal rule, the belief in justification by faith in Jesus Christ alone and his most controversial belief—that of predestination. Calvin continued to add to and refine Institutes, and many of his other more popular works. A final copy of Institutes was published in 1559—it had grown from 111 pages to an impressive 544 pages. Back to top

Calvin and Geneva

In 1536, William Farel, Geneva’s leading Reformer at the time, convinced Calvin to join him in Geneva to help further the cause of the Reformation. Although the Genevans did declare allegiance to Reform teachings shortly after Calvin’s arrival, his stay was very controversial. The two men brought huge changes in very little time which perhaps was a bit too much for the citizens. After facing fierce opposition, Calvin & Farel were forced to leave in 1538. Back to top

Calvin's Marriage

Upon leaving Geneva, Calvin went to Strasburg, Germany under the urging of Martin Bucer. Calvin’s stay in Germany was very productive. He preached to French refuges, taught at Bucer’s school, finished his own post-graduate work and wrote much to clarify his “Calvinistic” teachings. Calvin was encouraged by his friends to marry, and thus took the widowed Idelette von Bure as his bride in 1540. She brought two children into their marriage and served the poor and sick faithfully. Their only child died as an infant in 1542 and Idelette died in 1549. To read more about Ideletter, see the Christian History Institute's Issue #170: A Love That Was Meant To Be: The Odd Romance of John and Idelette Calvin. (image courtesy of the Christian History Institute.)

Calvin Returns to Geneva

In 1541, Calvin was called to return to Geneva. He was greeted with much fanfare. This time Geneva was ready for him. Shortly after his return, he established a church-run government in the city, fully supported by the Council. Calvin was not an easy leader. He expected a lot from his sheep and the rest of the town and imposed many restrictions on the citizens. Among those “forbidden things” were: dancing, theatre going, card playing, cursing, swearing, obscene songs, drunkenness, luxurious living and luxurious dressing. This strict moral code did not win him broad popularity, causing some to complain that they left the tyranny of one leader (the Pope) only to be subjected to the oppression of another. Back to top

Calvin’s Accomplishments

In 1559, Calvin established to University of Geneva—a grade school, high school and college all in one. His students hailed from around the continent and brought his teachings back to their homes in Scotland, Poland, the Netherlands, France, England, and Hungary. Calvin continued to write extensively and published numerous commentaries, tracts, Reformation documents and much more. Back to top

 

Calvin’s Last Days

Calvin worked hard—probably too hard for his own health. He often pushed himself to the point of exhaustion and beyond. His bout with malarial fever combined with his exhaustive lifestyle and frail overall health, led to an early demise. He preached his last sermon in February of 1564, spent his dying days with his very dear friends and associates and died peacefully on May 27, 1564 after years of much intense suffering. He was buried in a nearly unmarked grave that has since been lost. Calvin is remembered for his amazing contributions to forming the direction, heart and soul of what is today known as the Protestant faith. Back to top

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Time Line of Calvin's Life