Institutes of the Christian Religion (FeliRe)

John Calvin (1509-1564), a Frenchman, learned much from Luther's work and writings. His first major work, "Institutes of the Christian Religion," was published in Basel (Switzerland), where he had been forced to take refuge from persecution in France. He was 27 years old; the small volume had six chapters.

He later settled in Geneva, where the Reformation would make a great impact. The entire moral climate of the city changed positively, so much so that many believers came to take refuge there from all over Europe. Among them was John Knox of Scotland, who, once trained in Geneva, would return to his homeland to serve God as the Scottish reformer par excellence.

Throughout his life, Calvin continued to work on "Institutes," and its final edition would have 79 chapters in four volumes. They deal, successively, with: 1) God the Creator; 2) God the Savior in Christ (law and gospel); 3) God the Holy Spirit (faith, regeneration, Christian life, justification, good works, predestination, resurrection of the flesh); 4) The outward means of grace (Church, sacraments, authority).

The third volume is the one that has caused the most controversy. When Calvin deals with regeneration - how to become saved? - he touches on the topic of 'predestination.' This was not an exclusive topic for Calvin, not touched upon by other reformers. Luther, like most others, believed in predestination, but for Calvin, this truth was absolute and emphatic. Hence, it would forever be identified with him.

The fourth volume presents the Presbyterian model for church government, that is, the church led by 'presbyters' ('elders' in Greek). From this model largely spring the "Presbyterian Church" (including the "Church of Scotland") and "Reformed Church" 'denominations,' although others, such as the Baptist and Methodist, have also applied certain parts of "Institutes" to their doctrines and forms of government.
Calvin died in Geneva on May 27, 1564, but his great work 'lives on' to this day.

This work systematically develops the doctrine of the Reformation as promoted by Calvin. Throughout his text, he emphasizes the contrast between the total power of God and the smallness of man, lost through original sin. Since that sin caused him to fall, man has become corrupt in his nature and has been deprived of his free will. His state depends on divine grace, and the beneficiaries have been chosen in a predestined way.