Jean Calvin’s ideas

Calvin extended Luther’s ideas. He helped French-speaking Protestant Churches develop. He insisted on predestination that liberated people from worrying about what was going to happen after death so that they could honour God and do good deeds.

Calvin's beginnings, as a theologian

Jean Calvin propose une autre organisation d'Eglise.
Les idées de Jean Calvin (1) © E. Ferron

Calvin and the organisation of the Church

Calvin reorganised the Church according to principles still valid today:

  • Worshipping is in the language used by the church members;
  • The local Church is administered by a council of elected members from the assembly of worshippers and presided over by the pastor.

Calvin and schooling

Calvin attached great importance to schooling:

  • So that everyone could read the Bible, which is central to Protestantism, children should be taught to read. Calvin created primary and secondary schools.
Jean Calvin crée des écoles.
Les idées de Jean Calvin (2) © E. Ferron

Associated tours

Religious crisis in the 16th century: the birth of Protestantism

Programme d’histoire au collège , classe de 5ème : La crise religieuse au XVIe siècle

Associated notes

Jean Calvin

Jean Calvin’s doctrine

Calvin presented his doctrine in his major work : The Institutes of the Christian Religion.
Calvin présidant un colloque à Genève en 1549

The Works of Jean Calvin

In his writings there are six major works.

Jean Calvin (1509-1564)

A generation after Luther, the Frenchman Jean Calvin became the organiser of the Reformation : he organised the Church, shaped the doctrine and defined the role of the Church in state government.