John Calvin. Calvin - biography, facts from life, photographs, background information John Calvin and Calvinism in brief

French theologian and lawyer, founder of Calvinism (Puritanism).

“The timid, unsociable boy began to reveal rare abilities early on. He was the first in the city school. The Mommor family, one of the first in this area, paid attention to the talented boy, brought him closer to them and allowed him to study under the guidance of their home teacher. In this house, in the company of his aristocratic peers, Calvin received his initial education; here he adopted those somewhat refined manners that always distinguished him from the German reformer, those aristocratic sympathies that were reflected even in the very nature of his teaching. […] ... thanks to his successes, Calvin is soon transferred to Montagu College, where, under the guidance of a Spanish professor, he studies dialectics. By a strange coincidence, in this very college, several years later, another famous figure listened to lectures, who in the history of the church had to play a role diametrically opposite to that which befell the lot of the Noyon pupil. It was a Spaniard Ignatius of Loyola.

Judging by the little news that has survived about this period of his life, Even then, Calvin showed an unusually concentrated character. He led a quiet, secluded life, was very religious and worked with a zeal and perseverance that amazed his teachers. In Montagu's college he was not only first, but even before the deadline was transferred to the highest class. His comrades, however, Not loved. His restraint, unsociability, strict intolerant tone and especially the lectures that he allowed himself to read to them about their hobbies irritated them and aroused hostility towards him. They took revenge on their accuser with ridicule and, for their tendency to accuse, gave him the ironic nickname “accusative case.” But the teachers could not praise enough the talented, unusually diligent student and began to place high hopes on him early.”

Porozovskaya B.D., John Calvin: his life and reformatory activities / Jan Hus. Martin Luther. John Calvin. Torquemada. Loyola: Biographical Sketches (reissue of the biographical library of F.F. Pavlenkov), M., “Republic”, 1995, p. 172-173.

In 1533, under the influence of ideas Martin Luther, John Calvin renounced the Catholic Church. In the same year, he published the first version of the work: Institutio religionis christianae / Instruction in the Christian faith, where he systematized ideas Erasmus of Rotterdam, Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli and other reformers of the Catholic Church, but expressed them in a more categorical form. Sometimes this work is called the “encyclopedia of Protestantism”...

“Calvin's original plan, when he conceived this work, was to give to his countrymen a brief popular exposition of the fundamental principles of the new doctrine. Now, due to changed circumstances, this plan has undergone some changes. Opponents of the Reformation had to make sure that its followers not only did not adhere to any destructive doctrines, but that they alone stood on truly evangelical soil, that the true church was only the one to which they belonged, adherents of the so-called new, but essentially original, undistorted Christian teaching.

The work, therefore, was supposed to acquire an apologetic-polemical character. Moreover, in order to make it accessible to the entire educated world, it was necessary to publish it in Latin. In 1536, the first edition of the Institute of the Christian Faith appeared in Basel; it was a small volume.

Since then, one publication has followed another, and each time the volume of the book has increased. This was the main, favorite work of the reformer, to which he constantly returned, finishing off the details, strengthening the evidence and filling in the gaps.

In the first edition, the book consisted of only 6 chapters; the last (6th, during the life of the reformer) edition of 1559 already consisted of 4 books, divided into 80 chapters. Each Latin edition was usually followed by a French translation. But, despite these revisions, the main ideas of the work remain the same in all editions. The twenty-six-year-old author professed the same principles that he defended until the end of his life.”

“The central idea of Calvin's theology is the complete sovereignty of God. Calvin had the majestic concept of God and His glory that is so typical of some of the Old Testament prophets. He believed in the complete sinfulness of all people. Man inherits the guilt of sin from Adam and cannot do anything for his own salvation, since his will is completely corrupted. Calvin then taught that salvation is a matter of unconditional choice, independent of human merit or divine foreknowledge. The choice is based on the sovereign will of God and is a double predestination of some to salvation, others to condemnation. Calvin also believed that ministry Christ on the cross was accomplished only for those who were chosen for salvation. This belief is evident in his teaching of limited reconciliation. The doctrine of inevitable grace is a natural consequence of this. The elect will be saved regardless of their own initial desire when the Holy Spirit inevitably leads them to Christ. The preservation of the saints is the last important point in his system: those who are elect and who will inevitably be saved through the work of the Holy Spirit will never be completely lost."

Earl Kerns, On the Roads of Christianity, M., “Protestant”, 1992, p. 255-256.

“According to Calvin, a person cannot change his destiny by any effort, but the very fact of his efforts is a sign of belonging to the saved. The virtues that a person should have are modesty and moderation, justice in the sense that everyone should get their due share. “Conscientious acquisition” is piety that unites a person with God. Calvinism gave increasing importance to virtues and continuous effort. Success in earthly life is nothing more than a sign of salvation. Calvinism requires that a person constantly strive to live in a godly way and never weaken this desire . It must be continuous. The very fact of a person's tirelessness in his efforts, some achievements in moral improvement or in worldly affairs are more or less a clear sign that a person belongs to the elect. Activity does not serve to achieve some result, but to clarify the future...”

Gurevich P.S., Philosophy of Man, Part 2, M., IFRAN, 2001, p. 20-21.

From 1536 he lived in Geneva, where, in 1541, he became - with the exception of a short break - virtually the dictator of the city until the end of his days and subordinated the secular power to the Protestant Church... (It is interesting that initially, having fled from France due to religious persecution John Calvin- as the author of the Institutio religionis christianae - was asked to give a series of theological lectures in Geneva).

“Supported by some French emigrants who sought refuge in Geneva and were ardently devoted to the cause of the Reformation. Calvin reveals tireless activity. Numerous sermons, religious teaching of children and adults, strict supervision of the morality of the inhabitants quickly advance the cause of the Reformation. Often preachers appear in the council hall, make long exhorting speeches, and the council, under their influence, increasingly intensifies its strictness. In the minutes of the council we find a number of the most severe penalties for relatively minor offenses. For example, a gambler is placed in a pillory with cards tied to his neck. A young woman who comes to church with her hair curled in a fashionable manner is sentenced to imprisonment for several days, and along with her is the hairdresser who trimmed her head. Any luxury in costumes, noisy public entertainment, dancing, the use of obscene expressions, etc. is prohibited. Gradually, the city lost its usual face, and instead of its former noisy gaiety, an almost monastic silence settled in it. The law made almost no exceptions in punishment - rich and poor alike had to obey it. At first, this circumstance even gave the preachers a certain popularity among the common people. But they were particularly merciless in their persecution of the remnants of the Catholic cult. Anyone who kept any icon, rosary or other accessory of the old cult in his home was considered an apostate and subjected to severe punishments.”

« Calvin was also a prolific writer of letters to many who sought his advice from all over Europe and the British Isles. His epistles and other writings amount to approximately 57 volumes in the writings of the Reformation. Still preserved 2000 his sermons."

Earl Kerns, On the Roads of Christianity, M., “Protestant”, 1992, p. 257.

John Calvin a brief biography of the outstanding figure of the Reformation and founder of Calvinism is presented in this article.

John Calvin biography briefly

John Calvin was born on July 10, 1509 in the French town of Noyon. His mother died early, his father was not very involved with the boy. A noble family helped him get an education and took Calvin under their wing. The young man studied theology, law and art in educational institutions in Orleans and Paris.

In 1534, he wrote his first theological treatise, and 2 years later he published his main work entitled “Instructions in the Christian Faith.” In it he systematically laid out the rationale for the theological Reformation, shifting the focus from the New Testament to the Old.

The reformist developed a doctrine according to which people are divided into the condemned and the chosen. Instead of caring about the salvation of the soul, he ordered to adhere to the moral and ethical principles of asceticism. In Geneva, he managed to implement church reform, but it caused a struggle between Protestant factions. Therefore, Calvin left Geneva for 3 years in 1538. After his return, the reformist set about creating a new Church with even greater enthusiasm.

In 1555, they destroyed or subjugated the opposition. John Calvin introduced meticulous, strict regulation of the social, religious and personal life of townspeople. In case of violation of discipline, punishment was expected, up to and including death. He banned social entertainment and imposed restrictions on clothing and food.

CALVIN Jean (Calvin, romanized form Calvinus, French Cauvin, Coven) (July 10, 1509, Noyon, France - May 27, 1564, Geneva), French theologian, one of the leaders of the Reformation, founder of Calvinism. Calvin's main work is “Instruction in the Christian Faith.” Having become the de facto dictator of Geneva in 1541, Calvin turned it into one of the centers of the Reformation. He was distinguished by extreme religious intolerance.

Joining Protestantism

Calvin's father served as steward at the court of the local bishop. In 1523 he sent his son to Paris to study theology. Jean studied at Montagu College, like Loyola, then studied law at Bourges and Orleans. Calvin knew Latin, Ancient Greek and Hebrew perfectly well, and read the Bible in the original. In his youth, he shared the ideas of Christian humanism and was close in views to Lefebvre d'Etaple. In 1532, his first work was published - a commentary on Seneca's work “On Condescension.”

During these same years, Calvin became acquainted with the teachings. There is no exact information about when Calvin converted to Protestantism. But in 1533, due to the intensified persecution of dissent in France, he had to leave Paris.

Calvin settled in the north of Switzerland - in Basel, a Protestant city whose residents showed tolerance towards representatives of other faiths. He taught theology and wrote a lot, in particular, the preface to the French translation of the Bible. At this time, the first edition of his main work, “Establishments of the Christian Faith” (1536), was published - a systematic summary of Protestant doctrine. In 1536, Guillaume Farel, leader of the Genevan Reformation, persuades Calvin to take part in the religious renewal of Geneva.

Reformation in Geneva

The reformation movement in Geneva was closely intertwined with the struggle for independence from the Duke of Savoy. To a large extent, the townspeople adopted Protestantism for political reasons, hoping for military assistance from the Protestant cities of Northern Switzerland. Calvin launched energetic Protestant propaganda in the city and proposed introducing harsh regulations on church discipline and morality of the citizens in Geneva, which met resistance from the city council, which exercised control over the church and officials. The Genevans saw in Calvin and Farel primarily French fugitives and did not want to exchange the power of the Duke of Savoy for the power of other strangers. The Geneva City Council exercised its right of expulsion and in 1538 expelled Calvin and Farel from Geneva.

Calvin spent 1538-1541 in Protestant Strasbourg, where he became a pastor in a church for French Protestant emigrants. At this time, his commentaries on the Epistle to the Romans by the Apostle Paul were published. In 1540, Calvin married Idelette de Bure, the widow of an Anabaptist convert by him, and three of their children died in infancy.

Meanwhile, the ideas preached by Calvin in Geneva won the sympathy of an increasing number of citizens. They asked their spiritual master to go back. In September 1541, Calvin again came to Geneva, although in the city there was a strong opposition group to Calvin, the so-called libertines. Calvin lived in Geneva until the end of his life and founded a new direction in Protestantism - Calvinism.

Calvinism

Under Calvin's influence, the city council adopted his "Ecclesiastical Ordinances" - a new form of church organization, which, with some variations, was adopted by Calvinist communities in other countries. Like Luther, Calvin denied the hierarchical structure of the church and its subordination to the pope. The Geneva church was headed by a consistory, which actually subjugated secular power. The decisions of the consistory took the form of state laws, the implementation of which was ensured by secular authorities. The secular government itself, according to Calvinist doctrine, has the right to exist only insofar as it fulfills the instructions of the church.

In Geneva, Calvin held the humble post of government adviser, but his influence on the day-to-day affairs of the city was extraordinary. The laws adopted at the insistence of Calvin were intended to make Geneva a prototype of the “city of God,” a citadel of Protestantism, and Calvin’s like-minded people perceived it that way. It was not for nothing that Calvin was nicknamed the “Pope of Geneva” - Geneva was supposed to become Protestant Rome. In particular, this is why Calvin called for strict monitoring of cleanliness and order in Geneva - it should have become a model for other cities in everything.

Calvin considered the task of the church to be the religious education of all citizens, especially children. To accomplish this task, Calvin carried out a number of right-wing reforms to establish “worldly asceticism.” The pompous Catholic cult was abolished, and strict administrative measures were taken aimed at strengthening morality and against “Roman Catholic superstitions.” Petty and captious supervision was established over all citizens. Attendance at church services became mandatory; entertainment, dancing, bright clothes, and loud laughter were prohibited.

Such severity could not but cause resistance. The dissatisfied supported the libertines, with whom Calvin fought for many years. Being a man of extraordinary talent, who knew how to attract people to himself and infect them with his faith, Calvin was distinguished by a heavy, domineering character. He was extremely intolerant of both Catholics and representatives of other reform movements. Calvin was especially hated by the Anabaptists, whom he accused of atheism. At his insistence, opponents of his teaching were subjected to expulsion and even death penalty.

In 1553, by the verdict of the Geneva consistory, M. Servet was executed for heretical views. The Servetus case is considered by many historians as the “moral impasse of the Reformation,” because it was the first time that the Protestant Church imposed the death penalty for dissent. By 1555, Calvin's struggle with the libertines was over. He entered the international arena, conducted extensive correspondence with theologians of many European countries, and founded the Geneva Academy, which was supposed to train theologians and civil servants.

In theology, Calvin developed the doctrine of unconditional predestination. According to him, God has absolute freedom, which is higher than human justice, and therefore no one can judge the decisions of the Almighty. The infinite will of God predestines believers to salvation and unbelievers to destruction. The gift of faith is given by God according to his will. A person cannot know whether he is chosen or not, but he is obliged to tirelessly seek God, build his life strictly on the basis of the Holy Scriptures and try to realize his calling. Daily work, according to Calvin, is a form of serving God.

John Calvin is a French theologian, one of the representatives of the Reformation movement, philosopher, and also the founder of his own teaching, called “Calvinism.” The life of this man was not simple, but his determination and fidelity to his views made John Calvin a notable figure of that time.

Childhood and youth

The future theologian and reformer was born on July 10, 1509 into a pious Catholic family. Calvin's homeland is the city of Noyon, in the northern part of France. The boy's father achieved impressive success as secretary to the local bishop, as well as fiscal prosecutor.

Jean's mother died when he was still a child, and his father did not have enough time to raise his son. Therefore, little Jean was placed under the care of a respectable family, where he received the basics of education and absorbed high society manners.

At the age of 14, John Calvin, at the insistence of his father, went to Paris to study law and the humanities. Over the years of study, the young man became proficient in dialectics and became an intelligent speaker. A little later, the young man was even entrusted with preaching in one of the church parishes. Then, having reached adulthood, Calvin (again, following the will of his father) continued his education.

This time the young man began to comprehend the intricacies of jurisprudence, and after graduating, he moved to Orleans, where he became an apprentice to the eminent lawyer Pierre Stella. Despite obvious successes in this field and constant praise from eminent mentors, immediately after the death of his father, John Calvin left jurisprudence and turned to theology.

The young man studied the works of the saints on which the Christian faith is based, the Bible, its numerous interpretations and commentaries on it. Already at that time, John Calvin was obsessed with the idea of “cleansing” the church. At the same time, Calvin received a licentiate degree and preached in two small parishes.

The year 1532 in the biography of John Calvin is marked by two events: the young man received his doctorate, and also published his first scientific treatise at his own expense. These were comments on the philosopher’s work entitled “On Meekness.”

It is worth noting that Jean’s character matched the hobbies of the young man: at 23, he was a rather unsociable man, immersed in his own ideas and ready to defend the views that seemed to him the only true ones. Jean's peers even gave him the nickname "accusative", that is, "accusative case", and constantly called him a "moralist".

Teaching

Gradually, John Calvin became imbued with Reformation ideas. According to biographers and historians, the works of (the founder of Reformation views) had a great influence on the theologian’s worldview.

In addition, the young man was not alien to the postulates of humanism and Lefebvre d'Etaples. Around the same time, a unique community of supporters of Reformation views began to form in Paris, to which Calvin joined, and soon, thanks to his oratorical abilities, he became the leader of this group.

John Calvin considered the main task of his contemporaries and Christian society as a whole to be the eradication of the abuses of the clergy, which were not uncommon. Also, Calvin's main teachings were based on the idea of the equality of all people before God and worldly law. The reformer was not afraid of the opposition of the churchmen; he even decided to distribute his well-known speech “On Christian Philosophy” in printed form.

Such freethinking attracted the attention of the authorities, who turned a blind eye to the bribery of church officials and were not interested in stopping such a vicious practice. John Calvin was persecuted, and the reformer was searched throughout Paris. For some time the man was sheltered by like-minded people, and then Calvin moved to Geneva, where he planned to spend only the night.

However, these plans were destined to change: in Geneva, Calvin also met followers and found a friend and assistant in the person of the preacher and theologian Guillaume Farel. Thanks to the latter’s efforts, John Calvin also became known in Geneva, where he stayed despite his original plans. Soon, the new teaching, which at that time already received the name “Calvinism,” became known far beyond the borders of Geneva.

Some time later, Calvin had to leave this hospitable city for the same reason as his native country. The theologian moved to Strasbourg, a city in which the majority of residents adhered to Protestantism. The ascetic found something to do there too, preaching and lecturing in one of the cathedrals.

Soon Strasbourg started talking about the newly-minted reformer, and Calvin received an official position and salary as a preacher, which greatly facilitated his daily life. In 1537, having already returned to Geneva, John Calvin completed the large-scale work “Catechism” - a unique set of laws and postulates of “Calvinism”, addressed to both clergy and the secular population.

These rules turned out to be strict and required the establishment of new orders in the city, but the city council supported the reformer, and the “Catechism” was approved at the next meeting. However, what seemed like a good initiative soon turned into a harsh dictatorship.

During the time that John Calvin and his supporters essentially ruled in Geneva, dozens of death sentences were carried out. No fewer townspeople found themselves expelled from their hometown, while the rest lived in constant fear of the local court and authorities: at that time torture was considered a common occurrence, and the fears of the townspeople were well founded.

At the same time, John Calvin worked on the most serious work of his life, called “Instruction in the Christian Faith.” This large-scale work has become a collection of books, sermons, lectures and essays that reveal the author’s views and instructions to contemporaries and future generations. In total, Calvin wrote 57 volumes.

The main idea, the central motif that follows through the works of John Calvin, is the recognition of the supreme divine authority over everything. The sovereignty of God, according to Calvin, means the complete subordination of man to the Lord's will.

Only one choice is available to people - to be with God or to renounce faith and doom themselves to terrible torment after earthly life. However, this choice, Calvin believed, was predetermined by God. With age, the reformer became more pious, harsh and intolerant of dissent.

Personal life

John Calvin was married. In 1540, the theologian married a woman named Idelette de Bure.

The wife gave the reformer three children, but they all died in infancy, not allowing Calvin to experience the happiness of parenthood. It is known that Calvin's wife predeceased him.

Death

In 1559, John Calvin caught a severe fever, but refused bed rest and continued to be active. After some time, the illness subsided, but the theologian’s health seriously deteriorated.

In 1564, during another sermon, Calvin fell as if knocked down, blood began to flow from the man’s mouth. The reformer spent three months in bed in terrible torment, and on May 27, 1564, John Calvin died.

Proceedings

1536 - “Instructions in the Christian Faith”
1543 - “Treatise on Relics”

CALVIN (Calvin, from the Latinized Calvinus, French Cauvin - Coven) Jean (10.7.1509, Noyon, province of Picardy, France - 27.5.1564, Geneva), French and Swiss theologian, figure of the Reformation, founder of one of the movements in Protestantism - Calvinism. Born into the family of a bishop's secretary. In 1523-27 he studied at the Parisian colleges of La Marche and Montagu, initially preparing for a career as a clergyman. Later, at the insistence of his father, he devoted himself to the study of jurisprudence: from 1528, at the universities of Orleans and Bourges, famous for their faculties of law, he took a course in legal and humanities (with P. de Letual, A. Alziati), mastered the ancient languages - Greek and Latin, thoroughly studied the Holy Scriptures. Legal education had a significant influence on Calvin's way of thinking, developing in him the ability to develop thought in a strict logical order. The formation of his personality was also influenced by the ideas of humanists, primarily Erasmus of Rotterdam. In 1531, Calvin completed his studies, receiving the degree of licentiate of law. In connection with the death of his father, he was forced to return to Noyon, from where he soon went to Paris, where in 1532 he published his first work at his own expense - comments on Seneca’s book “On the Virtue of Generosity,” which testified to Calvin’s high education.

Having become acquainted with the teachings of M. Luther and W. Zwingli in Bourges (through the German humanist M. Vollmar), Calvin gradually became an adherent of the Reformation, but finally broke with the Catholic Church only at the end of 1533, when he had to flee Paris to escape persecution. In 1534 he renounced his church benefice, received in 1527 through the efforts of his father. Soon, due to the intensifying persecution of Protestants, Calvin left France and went to Basel through Strasbourg. There he became close to many figures of the Reformation [M. Bucer (1491-1551), G. Bullinger (1504-75), V. Kapiton], began studying the Hebrew language in order to better understand the Holy Scriptures, in particular the Old Testament. In 1536, the first edition of his main work “Instruction in the Christian Faith” (“Institutio Christianae religionis”) was published in Latin in Basel. By dedicating it to the French king Francis I, Calvin wanted to clarify his idea of Christian doctrine in order to protect his like-minded people who were persecuted in France.

In the spring of 1536, Calvin undertook a trip to Italy; lived at the court of Rene of France, Duchess of Ferrara (daughter of the French King Louis XII, cousin of Margaret of Navarre). After a short business trip to France, Calvin stopped in Geneva; in September 1536 he was elected pastor there and, having led the supporters of the Reformation, began to energetically preach his own teaching. Calvin's harsh moral demands turned a significant part of Genevan society against him. In 1538, the opposition became so strong that Calvin was forced to leave Geneva and go to Basel, and then to Strasbourg, where he published a number of theological works, including a significantly expanded edition of the Latin text of the Institutes of the Christian Faith (1539) and its translation into French (1541). In 1540-41, at the invitation of German theologians, he participated in religious colloquiums in Worms and Ratisbonn (Regensburg); met F. Melanchthon, a friend and ally of Luther.

In 1541, Calvin's party gained the upper hand in Geneva, and he was able to return there. Geneva became the place where Calvin's reformist views found practical application. Calvin made a strict distinction between the “visible” and “invisible” Church. The “visible” Church is the totality of believers on earth, the “invisible” Church is the collection of the elect, known only to God. The "visible" Church must consist of self-governing congregations whose leaders are elected and controlled by their members. Calvin introduced four types of church service, which were carried out by priests (performed divine services, preached), elders (supervised the purity of faith and morals), doctors (taught theology) and deacons (in charge of charity). Priests (pastors) and elders (presbyters) were united in a consistory, which was charged with the responsibility of monitoring compliance with moral standards and strictly punishing violators. Calvin considered it necessary to cooperate between church and secular authorities (subject to the autonomy of the Church). However, in practice, a theocratic type regime gradually emerged in Geneva. Based on the “Church Ordinances” (“Ordonnances ecclésiastiques”, 1541) written by Calvin and adopted by the city council, the magistrates took upon themselves the responsibility for the moral character of the townspeople. The city was divided into quarters, the elders strictly monitored attendance at church services, regularly inspected homes, prescribed mandatory rules regarding wearing clothes, behavior at the table, etc. Amusements, including singing and dancing, and gambling were prohibited as sinful. Wanting to recreate the simplicity of the church environment and worship of apostolic times, Calvin published a general “Order of Church prayers and hymns” (“Forme des Prières et de Chantz ecclesiastiques”, 1542), according to which church sacraments were abolished, except for baptism and communion (the Lord's Supper) , church holidays, except for Sundays, church decorations and utensils were removed from churches. In worship, prayers and sermons played a major role. Calvin also wrote the Shorter Catechism.

Strictly adhering to his chosen course and imposing severe punishments for deviations from the purity of doctrine, Calvin constantly came into conflict with his opponents. In total, during his “reign” in Geneva, more than 150 people were executed for heresy; the burning in 1553 of the Spanish doctor M. Servetus, who denied the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, received particular resonance. Expulsion from Geneva was also widely practiced as punishment. Only in 1555 did Calvin's supporters finally prevail in the city council. From that time on, not a single important decision was made without his participation or against his will, although he formally became a citizen of Geneva only in 1559. Calvin also held a professorship in theology (from 1559) at the Academy founded on his initiative (now the University of Geneva). By that time, his power and authority had increased so much that he began to be called the “Pope of Geneva.” Geneva experienced an influx of immigrants from all over Europe: by 1562, the city's population had more than doubled compared to 1535. At the end of 1562, Calvin's health seriously deteriorated, and from 1563 he no longer taught or preached.

Calvin wrote many works: interpretations and homilies on almost all books of Holy Scripture (from the Book of Genesis to the Book of Joshua, on all the books of the prophets, except for chapters 21-48 of the Book of Ezekiel, and on the entire New Testament, except the 2nd and 3rd The Epistles of the Apostle John and the Revelation of the Apostle John the Theologian), theological treatises, polemical pamphlets of an anti-Catholic orientation (in particular, “On Relics”, 1543), as well as the final version of the “Instructions in the Christian Faith” (Latin version published in 1559, French - in 1560 ). Calvin's most important contribution to Protestantism was the development of the doctrine of "double predestination" (see Predestination), already present in Augustine. According to Calvin, salvation or damnation is determined by God for every soul He created even before birth. A person is not able to change his destiny, save or destroy his soul with good or evil deeds. At the same time, a person has freedom regarding his place in life (“calling”), where he will most fully realize the providential plan. The more conscientiously a person works and fulfills the worldly duties prescribed by God, the more fully he realizes his “calling.” It is necessary to believe in your chosenness and pray, preparing to humbly accept any will of God. A person should not doubt his own chosenness, since such anxiety is a symptom of a lack of faith. Although the idea of “double predestination” was not central in the writings of Calvin himself, it became dominant among his followers (especially T. Bez).

The interpretation of the Eucharist was also associated with the dogma of “double predestination” in Calvin’s system of views. He affirmed the spiritual nature of communion and believed that only the elect, true believers, receive God's grace during its celebration. Initially, Calvin sought to compromise with the interpretations of the Eucharist of both Luther and Zwingli (the treatise On the Lord's Supper, 1541), but in 1549 he concluded the Zurich Agreement with the Zwinglians on this issue, which led to his break with the Lutherans.

Calvin's ideas and the model of church and state structure he created in Geneva also had a great influence on political theory. Although Calvin himself considered an aristocratic republic to be the best form of government, the principle of self-governing religious communities formulated and implemented by him, transferred to the sphere of politics, contributed to the development of theories of election of power and a democratic republican system (including during the Dutch Revolution of the 16th century, the English Revolution of the 17th century and the War for independence in North America 1775-83). Based on the principle of the absolute sovereignty of God, Calvin recognized the right of subjects to passively resist authorities that violate His regulations, which became an important contribution to the development of the concept of human rights.

Ideas about the importance of each person realizing his “calling” and about success (including material) as a sign of “chosenness” led to the emergence of a new work ethic, which, according to the theory of M. Weber, played a significant role in the formation of capitalist relations.

Works: Opera quae supersunt omnia / Hrsg. Von G. Baum, E. Cunitz, E. Reuß. Brunsvigae, 1863-1900. Bd 1-59; Instruction in the Christian Faith. M., 1997-1998. T. 1-2.

Lit.: Stauffer R. Dieu, la creation et la provision dans la prédiction de Calvin. Berne, 1978; Bouwsma W. J. J. Calvin: a sixteenth-century portrait. Oxf., 1989; Helm R. J. Calvin’s ideas. Oxf., 2004; Schützeichel N. Der Herr mein Hirt. Calvin und der Psalter. Trier, 2005.

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