John Calvin Theologian
- Gender: Male
- Citizenship: France
- Born: Jul 10, 1509
- Died: May 27, 1564
John Calvin was an influential French theologian and pastor during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of Christian theology later called Calvinism. Originally trained as a humanist lawyer, he broke from the Roman Catholic Church around 1530. After religious tensions provoked a violent uprising against Protestants in France, Calvin fled to Geneva, Switzerland, where he published the first edition of his seminal work Institutes of the Christian Religion in 1536.
In that year, Calvin was recruited by William Farel to help reform the church in Geneva. The city council resisted the implementation of Calvin's and Farel's ideas, and both men were expelled. At the invitation of Martin Bucer, Calvin proceeded to Strasbourg, where he became the minister of a church of French refugees. He continued to support the reform movement in Geneva, and was eventually invited back to lead its church.
Following his return, Calvin introduced new forms of church government and liturgy, despite the opposition of several powerful families in the city who tried to curb his authority.
A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God's truth is attacked and yet would remain silent.
God, God, truth & truth
There is no work, however vile or sordid, that does not glisten before God.
God
Is it faith to understand nothing, and merely submit your convictions implicitly to the Church?
faith
Yet consider now, whether women are not quite past sense and reason, when they want to rule over men.
women
Knowledge of the sciences is so much smoke apart from the heavenly science of Christ.
knowledge & science
However many blessings we expect from God, His infinite liberality will always exceed all our wishes and our thoughts.
God
There is no worse screen to block out the Spirit than confidence in our own intelligence.
intelligence