1. Aim: Explain Calvin’s Protestant Teachings

2. Calvin Formalizes Protestant Ideas
John Calvin- a young law student in Church doctrine influenced by Luther
1536: Calvin published Institute of the Christian Religion
Expressed ideas about God, salvation, & human nature
Wrote that men and women are sinful by nature
Took Luther’s idea that humans cannot earn salvation
Calvin added that God chooses people to save
Believed that God has known who will be saved
Doctrine was called Predestination
Religion developed called Calvinism 2

3. Calvin Leads the Reformation
Calvin believed that the ideal government was a Theocracy
Government controlled by religious leaders
1541: Protestants in Geneva, Switzerland asked Calvin to lead city
Calvin and followers ran city according to strict rules
Everyone attended religious class
No one wore bright clothing
No card games
Calvin’s Geneva was a model city of highly moral citizens 3

4. Calvinism Spreads
One admiring visitor to Geneva was Scottish preacher John Knox
1559: Knox put Calvin’s ideas to work
Followers of Knox became known as Presbyterians
1560’s: Protestant nobles made Calvinism Scotland’s official religion
Swiss, Dutch, & French reformers adopted Calvinist form of Church Organization 4