John Calvin was a French lawyer, theologian, and ecclesiastical statesman who lived in the 1500s. He was the most important figure in the second generation of the Protestant Reformation .

John Calvin

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John Calvin

Q: How did John Calvin impact the world?

John Calvin is known for his influential Institutes of the Christian Religion (1536), which was the first systematic theological treatise of the reform movement. He stressed the doctrine of predestination , and his interpretations of Christian teachings, known as Calvinism , are characteristic of Reformed churches .

Q: Where is John Calvin buried?

John Calvin died in 1564 at age 54. He requested to be buried in an unmarked grave and is believed to be interred somewhere in the Cimetière des Rois in Geneva .

French theologian

Also known as: Jean Calvin, Jean Cauvin

Written by William J. Bouwsma

Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Feb 28, 2024 • Article History

John Calvin

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Category: History & Society

French:: Jean Calvin or Jean Cauvin

Born:: July 10, 1509, Noyon, Picardy, France

Died:: May 27, 1564, Geneva, Switzerland (aged 54)

Notable Works:: Geneva Catechism; “Institutes of the Christian Religion”

Subjects Of Study:: Calvinism; Protestantism; hymnbook; sacred music

Role In:: Reformation

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Who was John Calvin?

How did John Calvin impact the world?

Where is John Calvin buried?

John Calvin (born July 10, 1509, Noyon, Picardy, France—died May 27, 1564, Geneva, Switzerland) theologian and ecclesiastical statesman. He was the leading French Protestant reformer and the most important figure in the second generation of the Protestant Reformation. His interpretation of Christianity, advanced above all in his Institutio Christianae religionis (1536 but elaborated in later editions; Institutes of the Christian Religion), and the institutional and social patterns he worked out for Geneva deeply influenced Protestantism elsewhere in Europe and in North America. The Calvinist form of Protestantism is widely thought to have had a major impact on the formation of ...(100 of 4417 words)

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