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John Calvin

Background Christianity St. Augustine The Reformation Five Solas Synod of Dort

Distinctives Five Points (TULIP) Covenant Theology Regulative principle

Documents Calvin's Institutes Confessions of faith Geneva Bible

Influences Theodore Beza John Knox Huldrych Zwingli Jonathan Edwards Princeton theologians

Churches Reformed Presbyterian Congregationalist Particular Baptist

Peoples Afrikaner Calvinists Huguenots Pilgrims Puritans Scots This box: view • talk • edit

Calvinism (sometimes called the Reformed tradition, the Reformed faith, or Reformed theology) is a theological system and an approach to the Christian life that emphasizes the rule of God over all things. John Calvin (or Jean Calvin) (10 July 1509 – 27 May 1564 was a French Protestant theologian during the Protestant Reformation and Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time The Five sola s are five Latin phrases (or slogans that emerged during the Protestant Reformation and summarize the Reformers' basic theological beliefs The Synod of Dort was a National Synod held in Dordrecht in 1618[[ 619|/19]] by the Dutch Reformed Church, in order to settle a serious controversy Calvinism (sometimes called the Reformed tradition, the Reformed faith, or Reformed theology) is a theological system and an approach to the Covenant theology (also known as Covenantalism or Federal theology or Federalism) is a conceptual overview and interpretive framework for The regulative principle of worship is a 20th century term used for a teaching shared by Calvinists and Anabaptists on how the second commandment and Institutes of the Christian Religion is John Calvin 's seminal work on Protestant Systematic theology. Reformed Christian confessions of faith are documents of the faith of various Reformed churches. The Geneva Bible was a Protestant translation of the Bible into English. Theodore Beza ( Théodore de Bèze or de Besze) ( June 24, 1519 &ndash October 13, 1605) was a French John Knox (c 1510 – 24 November 1572 was a Scottish clergyman and leader of the Protestant Reformation who is considered the founder of the Presbyterian Huldrych (or Ulrich) Zwingli (1 January 1484 &ndash 11 October 1531 was a leader of the Reformation in Switzerland. This article is about the theologian (b 1703 for other uses of Jonathan Edwards see Jonathan Edwards. The Princeton theology is a tradition of conservative Christian Reformed and Presbyterian theology at Princeton Theological Seminary, in Princeton The Reformed churches are a group of Christian Protestant Denominations formally characterized by a similar Calvinist system of doctrine historically Presbyterianism is a family of Christian denominations within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently Afrikaner Calvinism is according to theory a unique cultural development that combined the Calvinist religion with the political aspirations of the white Afrikaans speaking The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France (or French Calvinists) from the sixteenth to the eighteenth Pilgrims, or Pilgrim Fathers (or Pilgrim Mothers) is a name commonly applied to the early settlers of the Plymouth Colony in present-day Plymouth A Puritan of 16th and 17th century England was an associate of any number of religious groups advocating for more "purity" of Worship and Doctrine, Scotland is traditionally a Christian nation with around 65% claiming to be Christian at the 2001 census. Theology is the study of a god or the gods from a religious perspective A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth ^[1] It was developed by theologians such as Martin Bucer, Heinrich Bullinger, Peter Martyr Vermigli, and Huldrych Zwingli and influenced English reformers such as Thomas Cranmer and John Jewel, but it bears the name of the French reformer John Calvin because of his preeminent influence on it and because of his role in the confessional and ecclesiastical debates throughout the 16th century. Martin Bucer (or Butzer) ( 11 November 1491 – 28 February 1551) was a Protestant reformer whose principal ministry was Heinrich Bullinger ( July 18, 1504 - September 17, 1575) was a Swiss reformer, the successor of Huldrych Zwingli Pietro Martire Vermigli, sometimes simply Peter Martyr ( September 8 1499 &ndash November 12 1562) was an Italian Huldrych (or Ulrich) Zwingli (1 January 1484 &ndash 11 October 1531 was a leader of the Reformation in Switzerland. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland John Jewel (sometimes spelled Jewell) ( May 24, 1522 - September 23, 1571) was an English Bishop of Salisbury. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time John Calvin (or Jean Calvin) (10 July 1509 – 27 May 1564 was a French Protestant theologian during the Protestant Reformation and Today, this term also refers to the doctrines and practices of the Reformed churches of which Calvin was an early leader. The Reformed churches are a group of Christian Protestant Denominations formally characterized by a similar Calvinist system of doctrine historically Less commonly, it can refer to the individual teaching of Calvin himself. ^[2] The system is best known for its doctrines of predestination and total depravity. The Calvinistic doctrine of predestination is a Doctrine of Calvinism which deals with the question of the control God exercises over the world Total depravity (also called total inability and total corruption) is a theological Doctrine that derives from the Augustinian concepts

Historical background

Main article: History of Calvinism

John Calvin

John Calvin's international influence on the development of the doctrines of the Protestant Reformation began at the age of 25, when he started work on his first edition of the Institutes of the Christian Religion in 1534 (published 1536). Calvinism began as part of the Magisterial Reformation branch of the Protestant Reformation. John Calvin (or Jean Calvin) (10 July 1509 – 27 May 1564 was a French Protestant theologian during the Protestant Reformation and Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time Institutes of the Christian Religion is John Calvin 's seminal work on Protestant Systematic theology. This work underwent a number of revisions in his lifetime, including an impressive French vernacular translation. The Institutes together with Calvin's polemical and pastoral works, his contributions to confessional documents for use in churches, and his massive out-pouring of commentary on the Bible, Calvin had a direct personal influence on Protestantism. A Confession of Faith is a statement of Doctrine very similar to a Creed, but usually longer and polemical as well as didactic Exegesis (from the Greek 'to lead out' involves an extensive and critical interpretation of an authoritative text, especially of a Holy He is only one of many to influence the doctrines of the Reformed churches, though he eventually became the most prominent.

The rising importance of the Reformed churches, and of Calvin, belongs to the second phase of the Protestant Reformation, when evangelical churches began to form after Martin Luther was excommunicated from the Catholic Church. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time Martin Luther (November 10 1483 February 18 1546 was a German Monk, theologian, university professor Father of Protestantism, and church reformer Calvin was a French exile in Geneva. Geneva (Genève is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and is the most populous city of Romandy (the French -speaking He had signed the Lutheran Augsburg Confession as it was revised by Melancthon in 1540, but his influence was first felt in the Swiss Reformation, which was not Lutheran, but rather followed Huldrych Zwingli. The Augsburg Confession, also known as the "Augustana" from its Latin name Confessio Augustana is the primary confession of faith of the Lutheran Philipp Melanchthon (born Philipp Schwartzerd) ( February 16, 1497 &ndash April 19, 1560) was a German professor and theologian The Protestant Reformation in Switzerland was promoted initially by Huldrych Zwingli, who gained the support of the magistrate (Mark Reust and population of Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Huldrych (or Ulrich) Zwingli (1 January 1484 &ndash 11 October 1531 was a leader of the Reformation in Switzerland. It became evident early on that doctrine in the Reformed churches was developing in a direction independent of Luther's, under the influence of numerous writers and reformers, among whom Calvin eventually became pre-eminent. The Reformed churches are a group of Christian Protestant Denominations formally characterized by a similar Calvinist system of doctrine historically Martin Luther (November 10 1483 February 18 1546 was a German Monk, theologian, university professor Father of Protestantism, and church reformer Much later, when his fame was attached to the Reformed churches, their whole body of doctrine came to be called "Calvinism".

Spread

Although much of Calvin's practice was in Geneva, his publications spread his ideas of a correctly reformed church to many parts of Europe. Calvinism became the theological system of the majority in Scotland (see John Knox), the Netherlands, and parts of Germany (especially those adjacent to the Netherlands) and was influential in France, Hungary, then-independent Transylvania, and Poland. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. John Knox (c 1510 – 24 November 1572 was a Scottish clergyman and leader of the Protestant Reformation who is considered the founder of the Presbyterian The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic Transylvania (Ardeal or ro ''Transilvania'' Erdély, see also other denominations) is a Central European region located in the eastern half of the Carpathian Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Calvinism gained some popularity in Scandinavia, especially Sweden, but was rejected in favor of Lutheranism after the synod of Uppsala in 1593. Terminology and usage As a cultural term "Scandinavia" has no official definition and is subject to usage by those who identify with the culture in question as well "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Uppsala ˈɵpˌsɑːla (older spelling Upsala) is the capital of Uppsala County ( Uppsala län) and the fourth largest city of

Most settlers in the American Mid-Atlantic and New England were Calvinists, including the Puritans and French Huguenot and Dutch settlers of New Amsterdam (New York). The United States of America —commonly referred to as the History See also History of New England New England's earliest inhabitants were Algonquian -speaking Native Americans including the A Puritan of 16th and 17th century England was an associate of any number of religious groups advocating for more "purity" of Worship and Doctrine, The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France (or French Calvinists) from the sixteenth to the eighteenth Dutch Calvinist settlers were also the first successful European colonizers of South Africa, beginning in the 17th century, who became known as Boers or Afrikaners. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa As a means of recording the passage of Time, the 17th Century was that Century which lasted from 1601 - 1700 in the Gregorian calendar Boer (ˈbuːr in Dutch ˈbʊɚ/ /boʊɚ or /ˈbɔr/ in English is the Dutch word for Farmer which came to denote the descendants of the proto Afrikaans Afrikaner Calvinism is according to theory a unique cultural development that combined the Calvinist religion with the political aspirations of the white Afrikaans speaking

Sierra Leone was largely colonized by Calvinist settlers from Nova Scotia, who were largely Black Loyalists, blacks who had fought for the British during the American War of Independence. Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. Nova Scotia (ˌnəʊvəˈskəʊʃə ( Latin for New Scotland; Alba Nuadh Nouvelle-Écosse is a Canadian province located on Canada 's A Black Loyalist or African American Loyalist was a formerly enslaved African American or Free Negro who escaped to the British during the The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" John Marrant had organized a congregation there under the auspices of the Huntingdon Connection. John Marrant (born June 15 1755 - died April 15 1791) was one of the United States ' first black Preachers and missionaries The Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion is a small society of evangelical churches founded in 1783 by Selina Hastings as a result of the Evangelical

Some of the largest Calvinist communions were started by 19th and 20th century missionaries; especially large are those in Indonesia, Korea and Nigeria. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar The twentieth century of the Common Era began on A missionary is a member of a Religion who works to convert those who do not share the missionary's faith someone who proselytizes. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries a civilization and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. Nigeria, officially named the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal Constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal

Traditional Anglicanism (as expressed in the Thirty-Nine Articles) is Calvinistic in doctrine but eschews the Regulative Principle. Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion were established in 1563 and are the historic defining statements of Anglican doctrine in relation to the controversies of the The regulative principle of worship is a 20th century term used for a teaching shared by Calvinists and Anabaptists on how the second commandment and

General description

Calvinism has been known at times for its simple, unadorned churches and lifestyles, as depicted in this painting by Emmanuel de Witte where the 17th century congregation stands to hear a sermon. Emanuel de Witte (1617 &ndash 1691 was a Dutch perspective painter

Given that its present form has multiple main tributaries, the name "Calvinism" is somewhat misleading if taken to imply that every major feature of the doctrine of the "Calvinist churches", or of all Calvinist movements, can be found in the writings of Calvin. Others are often credited with as much of a final formative influence on what is now called "Calvinism" as Calvin himself is – for example Calvin's successor Theodore Beza, the Dutch theologian Franciscus Gomarus, the founder of the Presbyterian church, John Knox, and any number of later figures such as the English Baptist John Bunyan and the American preacher Jonathan Edwards. Theodore Beza ( Théodore de Bèze or de Besze) ( June 24, 1519 &ndash October 13, 1605) was a French Franciscus Gomarus ( January 30, 1563, Bruges - January 11, 1641, Groningen) was a Dutch theologian Presbyterianism is a family of Christian denominations within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity John Knox (c 1510 – 24 November 1572 was a Scottish clergyman and leader of the Protestant Reformation who is considered the founder of the Presbyterian John Bunyan (28 November 1628 &ndash 31 August 1688 a Christian writer and Preacher, was born at Harrowden (one mile south-east of Bedford This article is about the theologian (b 1703 for other uses of Jonathan Edwards see Jonathan Edwards.

Despite the various contributing streams of thought, a distinctive issue in Calvinist theology that is often used to represent the whole is the system's particular soteriology (doctrine of salvation), which emphasizes that humans are incapable of adding anything to obtain salvation and that God alone is the initiator at every stage of salvation, including the formation of faith and every decision to follow Christ. Soteriology is the branch of theology that deals with Salvation. In Theology, salvation can mean three related things being saved from or Liberation from something such as Suffering or the punishment of This doctrine was definitively formulated and codified during the Synod of Dort (1618-1619), which rejected an alternative system known as Arminianism. The Synod of Dort was a National Synod held in Dordrecht in 1618[[ 619|/19]] by the Dutch Reformed Church, in order to settle a serious controversy Arminianism is a school of soteriological thought within Protestant Christianity based on the theological ideas of the Dutch

Calvinism is sometimes identified with "Augustinianism" because the central issues of Calvinistic soteriology were articulated by St. Augustine in his dispute with the British monk Pelagius. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located MONK is a Monte Carlo software package for simulating nuclear processes particularly for the purpose of determining the neutron multiplication factor or k-effective Pelagius (ca 354 &ndash ca 420/440 was an ascetic monk who denied the doctrine of Original sin, later developed by Augustine of Hippo, and In contrast to the free-will position advocated by Charles Finney and other dissenters (often labeled Pelagians or Semipelagians), Calvinism places strong emphasis, not only on the abiding goodness of the original creation, but also on the total ruin of human accomplishments and the frustration of the whole creation caused by sin, and it therefore views salvation as a new work of creation by God rather than an achievement of those who are saved from sin and death. Charles Grandison Finney ( August 29, 1792 – August 16, 1875) was a minister of the gospel originally in upstate New York and grew to become Pelagianism is a theological theory named after Pelagius (ad 354 – ad Semi-Pelagianism is a Christian Theological understanding about Salvation; that is how humanity and God are restored to a right relationship

More broadly, "Calvinism" is virtually synonymous with "Reformed Protestantism", encompassing the whole body of doctrine taught by Reformed churches. The Reformed churches are a group of Christian Protestant Denominations formally characterized by a similar Calvinist system of doctrine historically The Reformers did not dwell on predestination as if it were a central dogma, but advocated the preaching of "the whole counsel of the Word of God. " In addition to maintaining a Calvinist soteriology, covenant theology is the architectural structure of the whole system incorporating all loci of doctrine. Covenant theology (also known as Covenantalism or Federal theology or Federalism) is a conceptual overview and interpretive framework for In piety and practice, a primary distinction is the regulative principle of worship, which rejects any form of worship not instituted for the church in the Bible and which sets Reformed theology apart from Lutheranism, which holds to the normative principle of worship. The regulative principle of worship is a 20th century term used for a teaching shared by Calvinists and Anabaptists on how the second commandment and Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther The Normative Principle of Worship is a Christian theological principle that teaches that worship in the Church can include those elements that are not

Distinctives

The distinctives of Calvinist theology may be stated in a number of ways. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Christ is the English term for the Greek ( Khristós) meaning "the anointed " The virgin birth of Jesus is a religious Tenet of Christianity and Islam which holds that Mary miraculously conceived Jesus while The crucifixion of Jesus is an event recorded in all four Gospels (;;) which takes place after his arrest and trial and includes his scourging Within the body of Christian beliefs the resurrection of Jesus is a core event on which much of Christian doctrine and theology depend Church (disambiguation Christian Church and the word church are used to denote both a Christian association of people and a Place of worship The term New Covenant (; Greek:, diathēkē kainē is used in the Bible (both in the Hebrew Bible and the Greek New Testament) to refer The Twelve Apostles (Greek apostolos, "someone sent out" e This article is about the canonical books of the New Testament The purpose of this timeline is to give a detailed account of Christianity from the beginning of the current era ( AD) to the present Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. Books of the Bible are listed differently in the canons of Jews and Catholic, Protestant, Greek Orthodox Slavonic Orthodox Georgian Armenian Apostolic A Biblical canon or canon of scripture is a list or Set of Biblical books considered to be authoritative as Scripture by a particular religious The biblical apocrypha (from the Greek word ἀπόκρυφος meaning hidden) are books published in an edition of the Bible whose canonicity Christian Theology is discourse concerning Christian faith Christian theologians use biblical Exegesis, rational analysis and argument SSC RF "Troitsk Institute of Innovative and Termonuclear Research" or TRINITY for shprt Троицкий Институт инновационных и термоядерных In many religions the supreme Deity ( God) is given the title and attributions of Father. Christian views of Jesus consist of the teachings and beliefs held by Christian groups about Jesus including his divinity humanity and earthly life In mainstream Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is one of the three entities of the Holy Trinity which make up the single substance This is an overview of the History of Christian Theology from the time of Christ to the present Christian Theology is discourse concerning Christian faith Christian theologians use biblical Exegesis, rational analysis and argument Christian apologetics is a field of Christian theology that aims to present a rational basis for the Christian faith, defend the faith against objections Christian tradition is a collection of Traditions of practice or belief associated with Christianity. Early Christianity is commonly defined as the Christianity of the three centuries between the Crucifixion of Jesus ( c This is a general introduction to ecumenical councils For the Roman Catholic councils, see Catholic Ecumenical Councils. A creed is a statement of Belief — usually Religious belief — or Faith often recited as part of a religious service See also Evangelism, Christianization A Christian mission has been widely defined since the Lausanne Congress of 1974 as that which The East-West Schism, or the Great Schism, divided medieval Christendom into Eastern (Greek and Western (Latin branches which later became known as the The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time Denominationalism|List of Christian denominations|Church (disambiguation A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name structure and doctrine within A sermon is an oration by a Prophet or member of the Clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, or religious topic Prayer is an important theme in Christianity, and there are several different forms of prayer Ecumenism (also oecumenism, œcumenism) refers to initiatives aimed at greater Religious unity or cooperation Christianity and other religions appear to share some elements Christian movements are theological, political or philosophical interpretations of Christianity that are not generally represented by a specific church Christian music is music that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life A Liturgy is a set form of ceremony or pattern of worship Christian liturgy is a pattern for worship used (whether recommended or prescribed by a Christian congregation or The liturgical year, also known as the Christian year, consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in Christian churches which determines when Christian symbolism is defined as the investing of outward things or actions with an inner meaning the expression of Christian ideas Christian art is Art produced in an attempt to illustrate supplement and portray in tangible form the principles of Christianity. Throughout the History of Christianity, a wide range of Christians and non-Christians alike have offered criticisms of Christianity, the Church, and Christians Perhaps the best known summary is contained in the five points of Calvinism, though these points identify some differences with other Christians on the doctrines of salvation rather than summarizing the system as a whole. Broadly speaking, Calvinism stresses the sovereignty or rule of God in all things — in salvation but also in all of life.

Sovereign grace

Calvinism stresses the complete ruin of humanity’s ethical nature against a backdrop of the sovereign grace of God in salvation. Total depravity (also called total inability and total corruption) is a theological Doctrine that derives from the Augustinian concepts In Christianity, divine Grace refers to the sovereign favour of God for humankind — especially in regard to Salvation — irrespective of actions In Theology, salvation can mean three related things being saved from or Liberation from something such as Suffering or the punishment of It teaches that fallen humanity is morally and spiritually unable to follow God or escape their condemnation before him and that only by divine intervention in which God must change their unwilling hearts can people be turned from rebellion to willing obedience. The Fall of Man, or simply the Fall, in Christian doctrine refers to the transition of the first humans from a state of innocent obedience to God, The heart (♥ has long been used as a Symbol to refer to the spiritual, Emotional moral, and in the past also intellectual core

In this view, all people are entirely at the mercy of God, who would be just in condemning all people for their sins but who has chosen to be merciful to some. Sin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral Rule, or the state of having committed such a violation One person is saved while another is condemned, not because of a foreseen willingness, faith, or any other virtue in the first person, but because God sovereignly chose to have mercy on them. Although the person must believe the gospel and respond to be saved, this obedience of faith is God's gift, and thus God completely and sovereignly accomplishes the salvation of sinners. Views of predestination to damnation (the doctrine of reprobation) are less uniform than is the view of predestination to salvation (the doctrine of election) among self-described Calvinists (see Supralapsarianism and Infralapsarianism). Dammit redirects here to see the Opeth album see Damnation (album. Predestination (Calvinism Reprobation, in Christian theology, is a corollary to the Calvinistic doctrine of Unconditional election which derives that some In Theology, salvation can mean three related things being saved from or Liberation from something such as Suffering or the punishment of An election is a Decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold formal office Lapsarianism is the set of Calvinist doctrines describing the theoretical order of God 's decree (in his mind before Creation in particular concerning the order

In practice, Calvinists teach sovereign grace primarily for the encouragement of the church because they believe the doctrine demonstrate the extent of God's love in saving those who could not and would not follow him, as well as squelching pride and self-reliance and emphasizing the Christian's total dependence on the grace of God. In the same way, sanctification in the Calvinist view requires a continual reliance on God to purge the Christian's depraved heart from the power of sin and to further the Christian's joy. The word sanctification (see -ification) refers to the act or Process ^[3]

Five points of Calvinism

Calvinist theology is sometimes identified with the five points of Calvinism, also called the doctrines of grace, which are a point-by-point response to the five points of the Arminian Remonstrance (see History of Calvinist-Arminian debate) and which serve as a summation of the judgments rendered by the Synod of Dort in 1619. Arminianism is a school of soteriological thought within Protestant Christianity based on the theological ideas of the Dutch Arminiusjpg|thumb|200px| Jacobus Arminius (1560-1609 who gave his name to Arminianism. The Synod of Dort was a National Synod held in Dordrecht in 1618[[ 619|/19]] by the Dutch Reformed Church, in order to settle a serious controversy Calvin himself never used such a model and never combated Arminianism directly.

The points therefore function as a summary of the differences between Calvinism and Arminianism but not as a complete summation of Calvin's writings or of the theology of the Reformed churches in general. In English, the points are sometimes referred to by the acronym TULIP (see below), though this puts the points in a different order than the Canons of Dort. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Acronyms, initialisms, and alphabetisms are Abbreviations that are formed using the initial components in a phrase or name The Canons of Dort, or Canons of Dordrecht, formally titled The Decision of the Synod of Dort on the Five Main Points of Doctrine in Dispute in the

The central assertion of these canons is that God is able to save every person upon whom he has mercy and that his efforts are not frustrated by the unrighteousness or the inability of humans.

Total depravity

Main article: Total depravity

The doctrine of total depravity (also called "total inability") asserts that, as a consequence of the fall of humanity into sin, every person born into the world is enslaved to the service of sin. Total depravity (also called total inability and total corruption) is a theological Doctrine that derives from the Augustinian concepts The Fall of Man, or simply the Fall, in Christian doctrine refers to the transition of the first humans from a state of innocent obedience to God, Sin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral Rule, or the state of having committed such a violation People are not by nature inclined to love God with their whole heart, mind, or strength, but rather all are inclined to serve their own interests over those of their neighbor and to reject the rule of God. Thus, all people by their own faculties are morally unable to choose to follow God and be saved because they are unwilling to do so out of the necessity of their own natures. (The term "total" in this context refers to sin affecting every part of a person, not that every person is as evil as possible. )

Jacob Arminius himself and some of his later followers, such as John Wesley, also affirmed total depravity. Jacobus Arminius, the Latinized name of the Dutch Reformed theologian Jakob Harmenszoon (also known by the Anglicized John Wesley (ˈwɛslɪ ( – March 2, 1791) was an Anglican cleric and Christian theologian who was the founder of the (Evangelical Even so, the Remonstrants whose views were rejected at Dort opposed it.

Unconditional election

Main article: Unconditional election

The doctrine of unconditional election asserts that God's choice from eternity of those whom he will bring to himself is not based on foreseen virtue, merit, or faith in those people. Unconditional election is the Calvinist teaching that before God created the world he chose to save some people according to his own purposes and apart from any conditions While in the popular mind eternity often simply means existing for a limitless amount of Time, many have used it to refer to a timeless existence altogether outside of Rather, it is unconditionally grounded in God's mercy alone.

The doctrine of unconditional election is sometimes made to stand for all Reformed doctrine, sometimes even by its adherents, as the chief article of Reformed Christianity. However, according to the doctrinal statements of these churches, it is not a balanced view to single out this doctrine to stand on its own as representative of all that is taught. Unconditional election, and its corollary in the doctrine of predestination are never properly taught, according to Calvinists, except as an assurance to those who seek forgiveness and salvation through Christ, that their faith is not in vain, because God is able to bring to completion all whom He intends to save. Predestination (also linked with Foreknowledge) is a religious concept which involves the relationship between God and His creation Nevertheless, non-Calvinists object that these doctrines discourage the world from seeking salvation.

Limited atonement

Main article: Limited atonement

Also called "particular redemption" or "definite atonement", the doctrine of limited atonement is the teaching that Jesus' substitutionary atonement was definite and certain in its design and accomplishment. Limited atonement (or definite atonement or particular redemption) is a Doctrine in Christian theology which is particularly associated with Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Substitutionary atonement is a Doctrine in Christian theology which states that Jesus of Nazareth died &ndash intentionally and willingly &ndash The doctrine is driven by the concept of the sovereignty of God in salvation and the Calvinistic understanding of the nature of the atonement. Namely, Calvinists view the atonement as a penal substitution (that is, Jesus was punished in the place of sinners), and since, Calvinists argue, it would be unjust for God to pay the penalty for some people's sins and then still condemn them for those sins, all those whose sins were atoned for must necessarily be saved. Penal substitution is a theory of the Atonement within Christian theology, especially associated with the Reformed tradition

Moreover, since in this scheme God knows precisely who the elect are and since only the elect will be saved, there is no requirement that Christ atone for sins in general, only for those of the elect. Calvinists do not believe, however, that the atonement is limited in its value or power (in other words, God could have elected everyone and used it to atone for them all), but rather that the atonement is limited in the sense that it is designed for some and not all.

Irresistible grace

Main article: Irresistible grace

The doctrine of irresistible grace (also called "efficacious grace") asserts that the saving grace of God is effectually applied to those whom he has determined to save (that is, the elect) and, in God's timing, overcomes their resistance to obeying the call of the gospel, bringing them to a saving faith. Irresistible Grace (or efficacious grace) is a Doctrine in Christian theology particularly associated with Calvinism, which teaches that the

The doctrine does not hold that every influence of God's Holy Spirit cannot be resisted but that the Holy Spirit is able to overcome all resistance and make his influence irresistible and effective. In mainstream Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is one of the three entities of the Holy Trinity which make up the single substance Thus, when God sovereignly purposes to save someone, that individual certainly will be saved.

Perseverance of the saints

Main article: Perseverance of the saints

Perseverance (or preservation) of the saints is also known as "eternal security. Perseverance of the saints is a controversial Christian teaching that none who are truly saved can be condemned for their Sins or finally fall away from the faith " The word saints is used in the Biblical sense to refer to all who are set apart by God, not in the technical sense of one who is exceptionally holy, canonized, or in heaven (see Saint). SACRED was a Cubesat built by the Student Satellite Program of the University of Arizona. Canonization is the act by which a particular Christian church declares a deceased person to be a Saint and is included in the canon or list of recognized saints Heaven may refer to the physical heavens the sky or the seemingly endless expanse of the Universe beyond A saint (from the Latin sanctus) is a human being to whom has been attributed (and who has generally demonstrated a high level of Holiness and Sanctity The doctrine asserts that, since God is sovereign and his will cannot be frustrated by humans or anything else, those whom God has called into communion with himself will continue in faith until the end. Those who apparently fall away either never had true faith to begin with or will return.

This doctrine is slightly different from the Free Grace or "once saved, always saved" view advocated by some evangelicals in which, despite apostasy or unrepentant and habitual sin, the individual is truly saved if they accepted Christ at any point in the past; in traditional Calvinist teaching, apostasy by such a person may prove that they were never saved. Free Grace theology refers to a distinct view of Christian topics such as faith repentance assurance of salvation and perseverance that is tied to Dispensationalism Evangelicalism is a theological movement tradition and system of beliefs most closely associated with Protestant Christianity, which identifies with the Gospel

The five points and the nature of the atonement

An additional point of disagreement with Arminianism implicit in the five points is the Calvinist understanding of the doctrine of Jesus' substitutionary atonement as a punishment for the sins of the elect, which was developed by St. Augustine and especially St. Anselm and Calvin himself. Substitutionary atonement is a Doctrine in Christian theology which states that Jesus of Nazareth died &ndash intentionally and willingly &ndash Saint Anselm of Canterbury (1033 &ndash April 21, 1109) was an Italian medieval Philosopher, theologian, and church official Calvinists argue that if Christ takes the punishment in the place of a particular sinner, that person must be saved since it would be unjust for him then to be condemned for the same sins. The definitive and binding nature of this satisfaction model has strong implications for each of the five points, and it has led Arminians to subscribe instead to the governmental theory of the atonement in which no particular sins or sinners are in view. The satisfaction view of the Atonement is a Doctrine in Christian theology related to the meaning and effect of the death of Jesus Christ The governmental view of the Atonement (also known as the moral government theory) is a doctrine in Christian theology concerning the meaning and effect

Covenant theology

Main article: Covenant theology

Although the doctrines of grace have generally received the greater focus in contemporary Calvinism, covenant theology is the historic superstructure that unifies the entire system of doctrine. Covenant theology (also known as Covenantalism or Federal theology or Federalism) is a conceptual overview and interpretive framework for ^[4]

Calvinists take God's transcendence to mean that the relationship between God and his creation must be by voluntary condescension on God's part. In Religion, transcendence is a condition or state of being that surpasses physical existence and in one form is also independent of it This relationship he establishes is covenantal: the terms of the relationship are unchangeably decreed by God alone. A covenant, in its most general sense is a solemn promise to engage in or refrain from a specified action ^[5]

Reformed writings commonly refer to an intra-Trinitarian covenant of redemption. SSC RF "Troitsk Institute of Innovative and Termonuclear Research" or TRINITY for shprt Троицкий Институт инновационных и термоядерных The greater focus is the relationship between God and man, which in historic Calvinism is seen as bi-covenantal, reflecting the early Reformation distinction between Law and Gospel. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time The relationship between God's Law and the Gospel is a major topic in Lutheran and Reformed theology The covenant of works encompasses the moral and natural law, dictating the terms of creation. Natural law or the law of nature ( Latin: lex naturalis) is a theory that posits the existence of a law whose content is set by Nature and that By its terms, man would enjoy eternal life and blessedness based on his continued personal and perfect righteousness. With the fall of man, this covenant continues to operate, but only to condemn sinful man. The Fall of Man, or simply the Fall, in Christian doctrine refers to the transition of the first humans from a state of innocent obedience to God, ^[6] The covenant of grace is instituted at the fall, and administered through successive historic covenants seen in Scripture for the purpose of redemption. Covenant theology (also known as Covenantalism or Federal theology or Federalism) is a conceptual overview and interpretive framework for By its terms, salvation comes not by any personal performance, but by promise. Peace with God comes only through a mediator, the fulfillment of which is found in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Christ is seen as the federal head of his elect people, and thus the covenant is the basis of the doctrines of the substitutionary atonement and the imputation of the active obedience of Christ. Federal headship refers to the representation of a group united under a federation or covenant Substitutionary atonement is a Doctrine in Christian theology which states that Jesus of Nazareth died &ndash intentionally and willingly &ndash Imputed righteousness is a concept in Christian theology which proposes that righteousness of Jesus Christ satisfies all criteria necessary to share in God's The active obedience of Jesus Christ (sometimes called his preceptive obedience comprises the totality of his actions which Christians believe ^[7]

Life is religion

The practical theories of church, family, and political life, all ambiguously called "Calvinism," are the outgrowth of a religious consciousness convinced of the sovereignty of God in both his creational and salvific covenants. Thus the goodness and power of God have a free, unlimited range of activity, and this works out as a conviction that God is at work in all realms of existence, including the spiritual, physical, and intellectual realms, whether secular or sacred, public or private, on earth or in heaven. In common usage existence is the world of which we are aware through our senses but in Philosophy the word has a more specialized meaning and is often contrasted with Spirituality, in a narrow sense concerns itself with matters of the Spirit, a concept closely tied to religious belief and Faith, a transcendent reality Nature, in the broadest sense is equivalent to the natural world, physical universe, material world or material universe. An intellectual (from the adjective meaning "involving thought and reason" is a person who tries to use his or her Intelligence and analytical thinking, Secularity ( adjective form secular) is the state of being separate from Religion. SACRED was a Cubesat built by the Student Satellite Program of the University of Arizona. EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001 Heaven may refer to the physical heavens the sky or the seemingly endless expanse of the Universe beyond

According to this viewpoint, the plan of God is worked out in every event. God as Creator sovereignly rules over all things, and as Redeemer over those he has saved. The utter dependence on Christ is not limited to the sacred (merely in the church or explicit acts of piety such as prayer), but also to every mundane task and secular vocation. Prayer is the act of attempting to communicate with a Deity or spirit For the Calvinist, while Christ's redemptive kingdom in the church remains distinct from areas of common activity with those who are not Christian, no part of life is truly autonomous from the lordship of Christ.

Worship regulated by God

Main article: Regulative principle of worship

The regulative principle regarding worship, which distinguishes the Calvinist approach to the public worship of God from other views, is that only those elements that are instituted or appointed by command or example in the New Testament are permissible in worship. The regulative principle of worship is a 20th century term used for a teaching shared by Calvinists and Anabaptists on how the second commandment and In Christianity, worship has been considered by most Christians to be the central act of Christian identity throughout history as the personal act of In other words, the regulative principle maintains that God institutes in the scriptures what he requires for worship in the church, and everything else is prohibited. As the regulative principle is reflected in Calvin's own thought, it is driven by his evident antipathy toward the Roman Catholic Church and her worship, and it associates musical instruments with icons, which he considered violations of the Ten Commandments' prohibition of graven images. An icon (from Greek εἰκών eikōn, "image" is a religious work of art most commonly a painting from Eastern Christianity. The Ten Commandments, or Decalogue, are a list of religious and moral imperatives that according to Judeo-Christian tradition were authored by God and given ^[8]

On this basis, many early Calvinists also eschewed musical instruments and advocated exclusive psalmody in worship,^[9] though Calvin himself allowed other scriptural songs as well as psalms,^[8] and this practice typified presbyterian worship and the worship of other Reformed churches for some time. A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. Exclusive psalmody is the particular worship practice of several small Protestant denominations worldwide which use a metrical version of the Book of Psalms from the Presbyterian worship documents worship practices in Presbyterian churches in this case the practises of the many churches descended from the Scottish Presbyterian church at While music is the central issue in worship debates, other matters have been contentious as well, including doxologies, benedictions, corporate confession of sin, prayer and the readings of creeds or portions of scripture. A doxology (from the Greek doxa, glory + Logos, word or speaking is a short Hymn of praise to God in various Christian A benediction ( Latin: bene, well + dicere, to speak is a short Invocation for divine help Blessing and guidance usually at the The confession of one's Sins is a religious practice important to many faiths e Sin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral Rule, or the state of having committed such a violation Prayer is the act of attempting to communicate with a Deity or spirit A creed is a statement of Belief — usually Religious belief — or Faith often recited as part of a religious service The presence of any one of these, their order and priority have ranged over various denominations.

Since the 1800s, however, most of the Reformed churches have modified their understanding of the regulative principle and make use of musical instruments, believing that Calvin and his early followers went beyond the biblical requirements^[8] and that such things are circumstances of worship requiring biblically rooted wisdom, rather than an explicit command. Despite the protestations of those few who hold to a strict view of the regulative principle, today hymns and musical instruments are in common use, as are contemporary worship music styles and worship bands. A hymn is a type of Song, usually religious specifically written for the purpose of praise adoration or Prayer, and typically addressed to a deity/deities Contemporary worship music is a loosely defined style of music used in a variety of Christian churches The term contemporary worship generally refers to a form of Christian worship that emerged within western Evangelical Protestantism towards the end ^[10]

Variants

Many efforts have been undertaken to reform or expand on Calvinism, and these variations appear to a greater or lesser degree throughout the history of Calvinism.

Lapsarianism

Main article: Supralapsarianism and infralapsarianism

Within scholastic Calvinist theology, there are two schools of thought over when and whom God predestined: supralapsarianism (from the Latin: supra, "before" + lapsare, "to fall") and infralapsarianism (from the Latin: infra, "after"). Lapsarianism is the set of Calvinist doctrines describing the theoretical order of God 's decree (in his mind before Creation in particular concerning the order Scholasticism was the dominant form of theology and philosophy in the Latin West in the Middle Ages, particularly in the 12th 13th and 14th centuries Lapsarianism is the set of Calvinist doctrines describing the theoretical order of God 's decree (in his mind before Creation in particular concerning the order Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Lapsarianism is the set of Calvinist doctrines describing the theoretical order of God 's decree (in his mind before Creation in particular concerning the order The former view, sometimes called "high Calvinism," argues that the Fall occurred partly to facilitate God's purpose to choose some individuals for salvation and some for damnation. The Fall of Man, or simply the Fall, in Christian doctrine refers to the transition of the first humans from a state of innocent obedience to God, Infralapsarianism, sometimes called "low Calvinism," is the position that, while the Fall was indeed planned, it was not planned with reference to who would be saved.

Supralapsarians believe that God chose which individuals to save before he decided to allow the race to fall and that the Fall serves as the means of realization of that prior decision to send some individuals to hell and others to heaven (that is, it provides the grounds of condemnation in the reprobate and the need for salvation in the elect). Hell, according to many Religious beliefs, is a location in the Afterlife, which may be described as a place of suffering Heaven may refer to the physical heavens the sky or the seemingly endless expanse of the Universe beyond Predestination (Calvinism Reprobation, in Christian theology, is a corollary to the Calvinistic doctrine of Unconditional election which derives that some In Theology, salvation can mean three related things being saved from or Liberation from something such as Suffering or the punishment of In contrast, infralapsarians hold that God planned the race to fall logically prior to the decision to save or damn any individuals because, it is argued, in order to be "saved," one must first need to be saved from something and therefore the decree of the Fall must precede predestination to salvation or damnation.

These two views vied with each other at the Synod of Dort (1618), an international body representing Calvinist Christian churches from around Europe, and the judgments that came out of that council sided with infralapsarianism (Canons of Dort, First Point of Doctrine, Article 7). The Canons of Dort, or Canons of Dordrecht, formally titled The Decision of the Synod of Dort on the Five Main Points of Doctrine in Dispute in the The influential Westminster Confession of Faith also teaches the infralapsarian^[11] view but is sensitive to those holding to supralapsarianism. The Westminster Confession of Faith is a Reformed Confession of faith, in the Calvinist theological tradition ^[12] The Lapsarian controversy has a few vocal proponents on each side today, but overall it does not receive much attention among modern Calvinists.

Arminianism

Main article: Arminianism

See also: History of Calvinist-Arminian debate

A theological and political movement which grew in opposition to Calvinism, now called "Arminianism", was founded by Dutch theologian Jacob Arminius and revised and pursued by the Remonstrants. Arminianism is a school of soteriological thought within Protestant Christianity based on the theological ideas of the Dutch Arminiusjpg|thumb|200px| Jacobus Arminius (1560-1609 who gave his name to Arminianism. Arminianism is a school of soteriological thought within Protestant Christianity based on the theological ideas of the Dutch Jacobus Arminius, the Latinized name of the Dutch Reformed theologian Jakob Harmenszoon (also known by the Anglicized Remonstrants, the name given to those Dutch Protestants who after the death of Arminius, maintained the views associated with his name and in 1610 presented to the Arminius rejected several tenets of the Calvinist doctrines of salvation — namely, the latter four of what would later be known as the five points of Calvinism — while the Remonstrants also rejected one other point, namely, total depravity. The term "Arminianism" today often serves as an umbrella term for both Arminius's doctrine and the Remonstrants', but Arminius's followers sometimes distinguish themselves as "Reformed Arminians. "

The Remonstrants' doctrine was condemned at the Protestant Synod of Dort held in Dordrecht, Holland, in 1618/1619, and followers of either Arminius or the Remonstrants are not generally considered "Reformed" by most Calvinists. The Synod of Dort was a National Synod held in Dordrecht in 1618[[ 619|/19]] by the Dutch Reformed Church, in order to settle a serious controversy Dordrecht (population 119649 in 2004 or in English (and locally colloquially Dordt, is a city and municipality in the Dutch province of South Holland is a region in the western part of the Netherlands. A maritime and economic power in the 17th century Holland today consists of the Dutch provinces of Many Evangelical Christians adopted the position advocated by the Remonstrants, and Arminius's system was revived by evangelist John Wesley and is common today, particularly in Methodism. Evangelicalism is a theological movement tradition and system of beliefs most closely associated with Protestant Christianity, which identifies with the Gospel John Wesley (ˈwɛslɪ ( – March 2, 1791) was an Anglican cleric and Christian theologian who was the founder of the (Evangelical Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations

Four-point Calvinism

Main article: Amyraldism

See also: Moderate Calvinism

Another revision of Calvinism is called "Amyraldism", "hypothetical universalism", or "four-point Calvinism", which drops the limited atonement in favor of an unlimited atonement saying that God has provided Christ's atonement for all alike, but seeing that none would believe on their own, he then elects those whom he will bring to faith in Christ, thereby preserving the Calvinist doctrine of unconditional election. Amyraldism (or sometimes Amyraldianism, the School of Saumur, hypothetical universalism, or Post Redemptionism) also known as "hypothetical Moderate Calvinism (or moderate Arminianism) is sometimes called the "non-traditional view" of Calvinism. Amyraldism (or sometimes Amyraldianism, the School of Saumur, hypothetical universalism, or Post Redemptionism) also known as "hypothetical Universalism can be classified as a Religion, Theology and Philosophy that generally holds all persons and creatures are related to God or the Divine and Unlimited atonement (sometimes called general atonement or universal atonement) is the majority doctrine in Protestant Christianity that is normally Unconditional election is the Calvinist teaching that before God created the world he chose to save some people according to his own purposes and apart from any conditions

This doctrine was most thoroughly systematized by the French Reformed theologian at the University of Saumur, Moses Amyraut, for whom it is named. Saumur is a town and commune in the Maine-et-Loire département of France on the Loire River at, with an approximate Moses Amyraut (September 1596 &ndash January 8, 1664) also known as Amyraldus, was a French Protestant Theologian His formulation was an attempt to bring Calvinism more nearly alongside the Lutheran view. It was popularized in England by the Reformed pastor Richard Baxter and gained strong adherence among the Congregationalists and some Presbyterians in the American colonies, during the 17th and 18th centuries. Richard Baxter ( November 12, 1615 - December 8, 1691) was an English Puritan church leader theologian and Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently Presbyterianism is a family of Christian denominations within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity As a means of recording the passage of Time, the 17th Century was that Century which lasted from 1601 - 1700 in the Gregorian calendar The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system

Amyraldism can be found among various evangelical groups in the United States and within the Anglican Diocese of Sydney. Evangelicalism is a theological movement tradition and system of beliefs most closely associated with Protestant Christianity, which identifies with the Gospel The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Diocese of Sydney, in the Anglican Church of Australia, is unusual in that the majority of the diocese is Evangelical and Low church in tradition and "Five point" Calvinism is prevalent in conservative and moderate groups among Presbyterian churches, Reformed churches, Reformed Baptists and some non-denominational churches. Presbyterianism is a family of Christian denominations within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity The Reformed churches are a group of Christian Protestant Denominations formally characterized by a similar Calvinist system of doctrine historically The name Reformed Baptist refers both to a distinct Christian denomination, and to a description of theological leaning In Christianity, the term non-denominational refers to those churches that have not formally aligned themselves with an established denomination, or remain otherwise

Hyper-Calvinism

Main article: Hyper-Calvinism

Hyper-Calvinism first referred to an eccentric view that appeared among the early English Particular Baptists in the 1700s. Hyper-Calvinism is a Pejorative for a theological position which holds that it is wrong to tell unbelievers to repent and believe the gospel England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Their system denied that the call of the gospel to "repent and believe" is directed to every single person and that it is the duty of every person to trust in Christ for salvation. Repentance is a change of thought and action to correct a wrong and gain Forgiveness from the one wronged While this doctrine has always been a minority view, it has not been relegated to the past and may still be found in some small denominations and church communities today. The term also occasionally appears in both theological and secular controversial contexts, where it usually connotes a negative opinion about some variety of theological determinism, predestination, or a version of Evangelical Christianity or Calvinism that is deemed by the critic to be unenlightened, harsh, or extreme. Theology is the study of a god or the gods from a religious perspective Secularity ( adjective form secular) is the state of being separate from Religion. Theological determinism is the religious view that all events in the world were pre-ordained by God. Predestination (also linked with Foreknowledge) is a religious concept which involves the relationship between God and His creation

Neo-orthodoxy

Main article: Neo-orthodoxy

In the mainline Reformed churches, Calvinism has undergone expansion and revision through the influence of Karl Barth and neo-orthodox theology. Neo-Orthodoxy can also refer to a form of Orthodox Judaism following the philosophy of " Torah im Derech Eretz " and can additionally refer to the Karl Barth ( May 10, 1886 &ndash December 10, 1968) (pronounced "bart" a Swiss Reformed theologian was one Neo-Orthodoxy can also refer to a form of Orthodox Judaism following the philosophy of " Torah im Derech Eretz " and can additionally refer to the Barth was an important Swiss Reformed theologian who began writing early in the 20th century, whose chief accomplishment was to counter-act the influence of the Enlightenment in the churches, especially as this had led to the toleration of Nazism in Germany. The Age of Enlightenment or The Enlightenment is a term used to describe a phase in Western philosophy and cultural life centered upon the eighteenth century Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German The Barmen declaration is an expression of the Barthian reform of Calvinism. The Barmen Declaration or The Theological Declaration of Barmen 1934 is a statement of the Confessing Church opposing the Nazi-supported "German-Christian" Conservative Calvinists (as well as some liberal reformers) regard it as confusing to use the name "Calvinism" to refer to neo-orthodoxy or other liberal revisions stemming from Calvinist churches due to their differing theological views.

Neo-Calvinism

Main article: Neo-Calvinism

Besides the traditional movements within the conservative Reformed churches, several trends have arisen through the attempt to provide a contemporary, but theologically conservative approach to the world. Neo-Calvinism, a form of Dutch Calvinism, is the movement initiated by the theologian and former Dutch prime minister Abraham Kuyper.

A version of Calvinism that has been adopted by both theological conservatives and liberals gained influence in the Dutch Reformed churches, late in the 19th century, dubbed "neo-Calvinism", which developed along lines of the theories of Dutch theologian, statesman and journalist, Abraham Kuyper. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands A journalist (also called a newspaperman) is a person who practices Journalism, the gathering and dissemination of information about current events trends Abraham Kuijper ( Maassluis, 29 October 1837 Den Haag, 8 November 1920 generally known as Abraham Kuyper, was a Dutch Politician More traditional Calvinist critics of the movement characterize it as a revision of Calvinism, although a conservative one in comparison to modernist Christianity or neo-orthodoxy. Neo-Calvinism, "calvinianism", or the "reformational movement", is a response to the influences of the Enlightenment, but generally speaking it does not touch directly on the articles of salvation. The Age of Enlightenment or The Enlightenment is a term used to describe a phase in Western philosophy and cultural life centered upon the eighteenth century Neo-Calvinists intend their work to be understood as an update of the Calvinist worldview in response to modern circumstances, which is an extension of the Calvinist understanding of salvation to scientific, social and political issues. A comprehensive world view (or worldview) is a term Calqued from the German word Weltanschauung ( Welt is the German Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning " Knowledge " or "knowing" is the effort to discover, and increase human understanding A society is a Population of Humans characterized by patterns of relationships between individuals that share a distinctive Culture and Institutions Politics Politics is the process by which groups of people make decisions To show their consistency with the historic Reformed movement, supporters may cite Calvin's Institutes, book 1, chapters 1-3, and other works. Institutes of the Christian Religion is John Calvin 's seminal work on Protestant Systematic theology. In the United States, Kuyperian neo-Calvinism is represented among others, by the Center for Public Justice, a faith-based political think-tank headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Neo-Calvinism branched off in more theologically conservative movements in the United States. A think tank (also called a policy institute) is an organization institute corporation or group that conducts Research and engages in advocacy in areas such Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D The first of these to rise to prominence became apparent through the writings of Francis Schaeffer, who had gathered around himself a group of scholars, and propagated their ideas in writing and through L'Abri, a Calvinist study center in Switzerland. Francis August Schaeffer ( 30 January 1912 &ndash 15 May 1984) a forerunner of the Presbyterian Church in America. L'Abri ( French for "the Shelter" is an evangelical Christian organization founded by Francis Schaeffer and his wife Edith in This movement generated a reawakened social consciousness among Evangelicals. Evangelicalism is a theological movement tradition and system of beliefs most closely associated with Protestant Christianity, which identifies with the Gospel

Christian Reconstructionism

Main article: Christian Reconstructionism

A neo-Calvinist movement called "Christian Reconstructionism" is much smaller, more radical, and theocratic, but by some believed to be widely influential in American family and political life. Christian Reconstructionism is a religious and theological movement within Protestant Christianity that calls for Christians to put their faith into action in all Christian Reconstructionism is a religious and theological movement within Protestant Christianity that calls for Christians to put their faith into action in all Theocracy is a form of government in which a god or deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler Reconstructionism is a distinct revision of Kuyper's approach, which sharply departs from that root influence through the complete rejection of pluralism, and by formulating suggested applications of the sanctions of Biblical Law for modern civil governments. Religious pluralism (rel Comparative religion) is a loosely defined expression concerning acceptance of different Religions and is used in a number of related These distinctives are the least influential aspects of the movement. Its intellectual founder, the late Rousas J. Rushdoony, based much of his understanding on the apologetical insights of Cornelius Van Til, father of presuppositionalism and professor at Westminster Theological Seminary (although Van Til himself did not hold to such a view). Rousas John Rushdoony ( 25 April 1916 &ndash 8 February 2001) was a Calvinist philosopher Presuppositional apologetics is a school of Christian apologetics, a field of Christian theology that aims to (1 present a rational basis for the Christian Cornelius Van Til ( May 3, 1895 &ndash April 17, 1987) born in Grootegast, the Netherlands, was a Christian Presuppositional apologetics is a school of Christian apologetics, a field of Christian theology that aims to (1 present a rational basis for the Christian The meaning of the word professor ( Latin: professor, person who professes to be an expert in some art or science teacher of highest rank) varies Westminster Theological Seminary is a Presbyterian and Reformed Christian graduate educational institution with campuses located in Glenside It has some influence in the conservative Reformed churches in which it was born, and in Calvinistic Baptist and Charismatic churches mostly in the United States, Canada, and to a lesser extent in the UK

Reconstructionism aims toward the complete rebuilding of the structures of society on Christian and Biblical presuppositions, not, according to its promoters, in terms of "top down" structural changes, but through the steady advance of the Gospel of Christ as men and women are converted, who then live out their obedience to God in the areas for which they are responsible. The term charismatic movement describes the adoption from the early twentieth century onwards of certain beliefs typical of those held by Pentecostal Christians — specifically In keeping with the Theonomic Principle, it seeks to establish laws and structures that will best instantiate the ethical principles of the Bible, including the Old Testament as expounded in the case laws and summarized in the Decalogue. The word theonomy derives from the Greek words “theos” God, and “nomos” Law. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. Not a political movement, strictly speaking, Reconstructionism has nonetheless been influential in the development of aspects of the Christian Right that some critics have called "Dominionism. The Christian right is a term used predominantly in the United States to describe a spectrum of right-wing Christian political and social movements and Dominionism describes in several distinct ways a tendency among some conservative politically-active Christians, especially in the United States " Reconstructionism assumes that God institutes in the Scriptures everything he requires for the ordering of self and society, extending the regulative principle of worship to all areas of life. The regulative principle of worship is a 20th century term used for a teaching shared by Calvinists and Anabaptists on how the second commandment and

Usury and capitalism

One school of thought attributes Calvinism with setting the stage for the later development of capitalism in northern Europe. Capitalism is the Economic system in which the Means of production are owned by private Persons and operated for Profit and where In this view, elements of Calvinism represented a revolt against the medieval condemnation of usury and, implicitly, of profit in general. Usury (ˈjuːʒəri comes from the Medieval Latin usuria, "interest" or "excessive interest" from the Latin usura "interest" Such a connection was advanced in influential works by R. H. Tawney (1880 - 1962) and by Max Weber (1864–1920). Richard Henry Tawney (1880 - 1962 was an English writer Economist, historian social critic and university professor and a leading advocate of Christian Socialism Maximilian Carl Emil Weber (maks 'veːbɐ (21 April 1864 &ndash 14 June 1920 was a German political economist and sociologist who was considered

Calvin expressed himself on usury in a letter to a friend, Oecolampadius, in which he criticized the use of certain passages of scripture invoked by people opposed to the charging of interest. Johannes Œcolampadius or Œkolampad ( 1482 - November 24 1531) was a German religious reformer whose real name was Hussgen He reinterpreted some of these passages, and suggested that others of them had been rendered irrelevant by changed conditions. He also dismissed the argument (based upon the writings of Aristotle) that it is wrong to charge interest for money because money itself is barren. Aristotle (Greek Aristotélēs) (384 BC – 322 BC was a Greek philosopher a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. He said that the walls and the roof of a house are barren, too, but it is permissible to charge someone for allowing him to use them. In the same way, money can be made fruitful.

He qualified his view, however, by saying that money should be lent to people in dire need without hope of interest.

People

The World Alliance of Reformed Churches has 75 million believers. The World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC is a fellowship of more than 200 churches with roots in the 16th-century Reformation, and particularly in the theology of [1]

Notes

See also

• List of Calvinist educational institutions

History

• Crypto-Calvinism: German Protestants accused of Calvinist leanings within the Lutheran church in the late 16th century
• Jansenism: a group within the Catholic church with doctrinal distinctives very similar to Calvinism
• Welsh Methodist revival, 1904-1905 Welsh Revival
• Max Weber, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism

Doctrine

• Common grace and free offer of the Gospel
• Monergism, as opposed to synergism

People groups

• Category:Calvinists
• Huguenots: followers of Calvinism in France, the 16th and 17th century. This list describes educational institutions that explicitly associate themselves with Calvinism. Crypto-Calvinism is a term for Calvinist influence in the Lutheran Church during the decades just after the death of Martin Luther (1546 Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Jansenism was a branch of Catholic Gallican thought which arose in the frame of the Counter-Reformation and the aftermath of the Council of Trent The Welsh Methodist revival of the 18th century was one of the most significant religious and social movements in the history of Wales. The Welsh Revival (1904–1905 was the largest full scale Christian Revival of Wales of the 20th century. Maximilian Carl Emil Weber (maks 'veːbɐ (21 April 1864 &ndash 14 June 1920 was a German political economist and sociologist who was considered The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism is a Book written by Max Weber, a German Economist and Sociologist in Common Grace is a theological concept in Protestant Christianity, primarily in Reformed and Calvinistic circles referring to the grace The free offer of the Gospel refers to the offer of salvation in Jesus Christ to all people Monergism is the name for the belief held by some in Christian theology that through the preaching of the word the Holy Spirit alone can act to effectually bring about Synergism, in general may be defined as two or more agents working together to produce a result not obtainable by any of the agents independently The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France (or French Calvinists) from the sixteenth to the eighteenth As a means of recording the passage of Time, the 17th Century was that Century which lasted from 1601 - 1700 in the Gregorian calendar
• Puritans: radical Calvinists in England. A Puritan of 16th and 17th century England was an associate of any number of religious groups advocating for more "purity" of Worship and Doctrine,
• Pilgrims: Puritan separatists who left Europe for America in search of freedom of religion. Pilgrims, or Pilgrim Fathers (or Pilgrim Mothers) is a name commonly applied to the early settlers of the Plymouth Colony in present-day Plymouth Freedom of religion is the freedom of an individual or community in public or private to manifest religion or belief in teaching practice worship and observance
• Reformed churches: denominations that have historically adhered to Calvinist doctrine. The Reformed churches are a group of Christian Protestant Denominations formally characterized by a similar Calvinist system of doctrine historically

Resources

• John Calvin (1960). Institutes of the Christian Religion. ISBN 0-664-22028-2 (also available online in an older translation)
• Ford Lewis Battles and John Walchenbach (2001). Analysis of the Institutes of the Christian Religion of John Calvin. ISBN 0-87552-182-7
• John Thomas McNeill (1954). The History and Character of Calvinism. ISBN 0-19-500743-3

External links

Calvinist websites

• Center for Reformed Theology and Apologetics - offers many materials from a Calvinist perspective.
• Monergism.com - many Reformed and Calvinist resources
• Calvinism Index by Colin Maxwell
• Third Millennium Ministries - many current articles, audio sermons, and lectures by contemporary Reformed theologians and pastors on a variety of topics.
• Sola Gratia Ministries - more Reformed and Calvinist resources.
• The Highway - still more articles from a Reformed perspective.
• Educational resources from the United Reformed Church - many audio sermons, lectures, and curricula on theological topics from a conservative, Calvinist denomination

Calvinism and other theological systems

• Calvinism & Arminianism - a brief comparison of Calvinism and Arminianism from The Five Points of Calvinism - Defined, Defended, Documented by Steele and Thomas
• Argument on the Arminian Controversy - Five Points of Gospel Truth Asserted and Defended (1836) by Moses Roney, defending Calvinism against Arminianism.
• "Calvinism" from the Catholic Encyclopedia
• The Five Points of Calvinism Considered by David Servant (non-Calvinist)