Calvinism In Plain and Simple English

By BookCaps

John Calvin revolutionized Christianity. Without him, there would not have been apologetics, evangelism, or even the protestant reformation! It's easy to say you think he's a pretty important guy, but it's hard to know why without a clear understanding of things like total depravity, sovereign grace, and predestination--concepts that are quite complex to fully grasp. This book breaks down Calvinism into language we can all understand: plain and simple English!

If you are curious about Calvinism, but don't want a bias view from someone either for the church or against the church, then this is the book for you. This unbiased book explains Calvinism in a way that's easy to understand: in plain and simple English!

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookCaps
• Release date: Apr 25, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476492759

BookCaps

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Calvinism

In Plain and Simple English

Golgotha Press

By BookCaps Study Guides

© 2011 by Golgotha Press, Inc.

Published at SmashWords

www.bookcaps.com

Chapter 1: Introduction

Above all, else, Calvinism is a set of ideas, powerful ideas about God and His relationship with His creation. In this light, Calvinism isn’t a religion per se, but a commentary on how religion should be practiced. There is no unique Church of John Calvin. Rather, there are churches with many names, each of which hold ideas similar to his in varying degrees. The threads of Calvinist thinking and theology are woven into many different styles of worship, emphasized to various degrees, and even those who reject the ideas think them important enough to address.

The big picture is one of reform. This is the fertile soil into which Calvin’s ideas will be planted. What’s being reformed in the 16th century is the Catholic Church. It’s being criticized by men who firstly, take their religion and theology very seriously, and secondly, men who have the power to influence others and create change.

Europe

In the 1500s, Europe is much different than today. There are no official national borders to speak of, no universal currency or language, and merchants travel freely between areas of commerce. Kings and nobles hold sway in various regions, and for most men, the status they are born into will be the status they die with. There is an institution with a much greater reach than even the Kings and Princes of the time – the Catholic Church. This is both a hierarchical institution and one which gets its authority from God, something even the nobles are wary to go against. But all this is about to change…

Reaching back into the 15th century, and through the next hundred years, the merchant class begins to accumulate power. No longer is it war and strength of arms alone that gives power to a ruler, but economic power and the ability to get it come to the fore. And the merchant class is even more than this. Commerce is a way to get wealthy without being born so. There is upward mobility on offer and just as importantly, education.

Education

The printing press was invented in the mid 15th century and by the 16th, books were becoming commonly available to the new literate class. One could read for himself what before was only taught through an intermediary. Opinions and essays could be transmitted between cities and institutions of learning. And with their new wealth, merchants and their noble patrons began founding these institutions. One of the ways you gained respect among your noble peers was to have a university in your city, or even several. And the newly educated were hungry for knowledge, including knowledge about religious matters.

Now, the new gentry class turned the same tools of logic and philosophical inquiry that had served them so well in business to another target – theology. They were joined by the theologically trained, as well. For many, including some in the Catholic hierarchy, it was plain that the Church had abused its monopoly. Local priests were poorly trained (even illiterate in many cases) and