John Calvin

John Calvin was born as Jean Chauvtin (the Latenized from of John Calvin) in Novon, Picardie on July 10, 1509. He was the second son of a lawyer and grew up in an upper middle class family. In 1521, Calvin received a position in the cathedral of Noyon. Just two years later, he traveled to Paris to begin studying at the Collиge de la Marche under the instruction of Mathurin Cordier. It was here that Calvin acknowledged his proficiency in logical presentation and looked to an ecclesiastical career. However, Calvin's father, Gйrard, pressed his son to enlist in a more profitable career as a lawyer. Obeying his father, Calvin journeyed to Orleans to study law. However, Calvin was more drawn to humanism and thus moved to Bourges to study humanities. The sudden death of Calvin's father in 1531, however, changed Calvin's studies again.

Calvin moved back to Paris and continued his studies of Greek and Hebrew. It was during this time that Calvin experienced a powerful religious conversion in his Christian faith. It convinced him of the absolute splendor and power of God, but also of the absolute sinfulness and corruption of human beings.

While in Basel, Switzerland, he wrote Institutes of Christian Religion. This book not only played an important role in the development of religion in France, but also the French language. Calvin also produced several volumes of commentary for most of the books of the Bible, commentaries for all the books in the Old Testament except the histories after Joshua and the Wisdom literature, and in the New Testament, omitted only the 2nd and 3rd Epistles of John and the Book of Revelation.

On a visit to Geneva, Calvin met up with William Farel who asked him to help with the cause of the church. Together, Farel and Calvin attempted to establish a number of changes to the city's government and religious life. They composed a list of beliefs and a confession of faith which they insisted that all citizens were to follow. The city council refused to approve the creed, and in January 1538 denied them the authority to excommunicate. Unpopular among the citizens, Calvin and Farel were forced to flee.

For three years, Calvin held positions as a lecturer and pastor to a church of French Hunguenots in Strasbourg. Despite the tough times, Calvin met and married Idelette de Bure, a widow of an Anabaptist. Idelette already had a son and daughter from her previous marriage, but nonetheless Calvin and Idelette had a son of their own. Sadly, the child died after only two weeks, and Idelette died several years later.

In 1541, Calvin was invited to return to Geneva. This gave Calvin the perfect opportunity to do what he desired most: reconstruct a community similar to the Old Testament's social and moral standards. Calvin created four categories of ministry, each with distinct roles and powers. Also, Calvin founded a school for training children and a hospital for the needy. However,