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John Calvin

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The Saint-Nicolas Church in Strasbourg, a beautiful example of historic European architecture.

Who Was John Calvin?

John Calvin was a smart and important person who lived a long time ago in France. He was born in a small town called Noyon on July 10, 1509. As a boy, Calvin loved to learn. He studied Latin and later went to university to learn about laws.

His Big Ideas

When Calvin grew up, he started to think differently about religion. He left the Roman Catholic Church and began to share his new ideas. In 1536, he wrote a book called Institutes of the Christian Religion. This book explained his beliefs in a way that many people could understand.

Calvin believed that reading the Bible was very important to know God. He also thought that God had special plans for everyone, even before they were born. His ideas helped start something called the Protestant Reformation, which changed how many people practiced their faith.

Helping Geneva

Because some people in France were unsafe, Calvin moved to Basel, Switzerland. Later, he went to Geneva, a city in Switzerland, to help change the church there. He worked with another leader named William Farel to make new rules for worship and church leadership.

Calvin married a kind woman named Idelette, and they had a family together. Even when some people in Geneva did not agree with him, Calvin kept teaching and writing. He helped start schools and wrote many books about his beliefs.

Why We Remember Him

John Calvin passed away on May 27, 1564, but his ideas lived on. People all over Europe and even faraway places like Korea learned about his teachings. His books and thoughts about religion continued to help many people long after he was gone. Today, we still remember Calvin for his important work and his wish to help others understand their faith better.

Images

Portrait of the young French theologian and reformer Jean Calvin from the 16th century.
Portrait of Martin Bucer, a historical religious reformer from the 16th century.
The beautiful Saint-Pierre Cathedral in Geneva, Switzerland.
Portrait of Idelette Calvin, the wife of John Calvin, a notable historical figure.
Portrait engraving of Miguel Servet, a historical figure known for his contributions to medicine and theology.
Portrait of Jean Calvin from 1562, showing him in his ecclesiastical attire with a fur collar.
The north facade of the south building of Collège Calvin, an important historical school.
A traditional tomb marking the memorial site of John Calvin in Geneva, Switzerland.
Title page of 'Institutes of the Christian Religion' by John Calvin, published in Geneva in 1559.
Portrait of Joachim Westphal, a German church reformer from the 16th century.
Statues of important historical figures from the Reformation period on the Reformation Wall in Geneva, Switzerland.
Portrait of William Farel, a 16th-century French theologian, painted in the 19th century.
A 16th-century portrait of John Calvin, a notable theologian and reformer, wearing period clothing.

Related articles

Latin
Basel
Korea

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on John Calvin, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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