/r/Calvin

Photograph via snooOG

On John Calvin and Calvinism, the Doctrines of Grace, the Reformation, and more.

John Calvin

born Jehan Cauvin, July 10th, 1509 May 27th, 1564


"The Calvinist, in a word, is the man who sees God. He has caught sight of the ineffable Vision, and he will not let it fade for a moment from his eyes - God in nature, God in history, God in grace. Everywhere he sees God in His mighty stepping, everywhere he feels the working of His mighty arm, the throbbing of His mighty heart....Calvinism is just Christianity. The super-naturalism for which Calvinism stands is the very breath of the nostrils of Christianity; without it Christianity cannot exist...Calvinism thus emerges to our sight as nothing more or less than the hope of the world." - Dr. B. B. Warfield


Major Work (free online):



Doctrines Of Grace – Categorized Scripture List


"...a man will be justified by faith when, excluded from righteousness of works, he by faith lays hold of the righteousness of Christ, and clothed in it, appears in the sight of God not as a sinner, but as righteous..."

/r/Calvin

291 Subscribers

5

hello we are calvin

3 Comments
2021/12/24
06:52 UTC

3

Hi Calvin I’m Calvin

2 Comments
2021/09/02
22:41 UTC

4

MUST WATCH IF YOUR NAME IS CALVIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4 Comments
2021/02/17
16:38 UTC

2

My name's Dav but hey calvins send me a copy of calvin and hobbes plz

r/ExplainLikeImCalvin

0 Comments
2021/02/17
16:29 UTC

2

r/ExplainLikeImCalvin

I'm a 42ist.

Also

A big plateful of r/ExplainLikeImCalvin to you! And to you too!

Let's all read calvin comics!

2 Comments
2021/02/09
01:43 UTC

4

Here's how it works

Every Calvin is more or less the same and all famous Calvin's in history make up a part of your mind in the collective Calvin consciousness ingrained into all Calvin's.

0 Comments
2021/01/12
23:41 UTC

2

Sup

Yet another odd named fellow

0 Comments
2021/01/04
05:38 UTC

14

hello fellow calvins

i hope you have a nice day

5 Comments
2020/08/19
12:16 UTC

3

calvin

calvin 🤣🤣🤣

3 Comments
2020/06/19
19:11 UTC

5

What's your fav Calvin moment?

Be serious.

3 Comments
2020/06/09
03:59 UTC

6

calvin

1 Comment
2020/05/28
20:39 UTC

2

Wow

Such empty.

2 Comments
2019/07/26
20:40 UTC

1

idk wut to say

im new so dont judge

0 Comments
2017/10/07
12:40 UTC

1

Faculties of the soul

So, I'm the only contributor these days, but I'll record a few thoughts as I'm finally beginning to connect with Calvin. All the introductions to Institutes kind-of put me off, but I just finishing "faculties of the soul" and I'm getting a sense of how he thinks.

He says knowledge of God and knowledge of man are important categories. He doesn't exactly say what knowledge is. I wonder why he didn't reflect on the nature of a feature that underlies his two main categories.

Anyway, although I think I'm pretty bright with theology and philosophy, I can guess he'd probably run rings around me with references to the great thinkers; and he doesn't seem to like people who follow his logic to his conclusions!

0 Comments
2017/04/20
23:22 UTC

1

Sufficient and efficient grace

Got this response, from a scholar I respect, to a question: "No, Calvin did not teach the limited atonement. In his commentary on John (can't remember on which chapter and verse he is commenting) he mentions the scholastic view of the atonement as sufficient for all, efficient for some. I believe his own distinction between "general calling" and "specific calling"works along the same lines. You can find that in Institutes III.24.8."

0 Comments
2017/03/10
21:36 UTC

1

The sovereignty-freedom question; Geisler and Aquinas

Starting a group reading of Calvin's Institutes. I expect the sovereignty-freedom question will be prominent, and I'm wondering about some of the current opinions. Does the debate still divide Protestants, and how exactly does it divide Protestants from Catholics? I've read that Geisler actually employs the technical language of Aquinas, for example, albeit without the same level of theory. What do folks think of his distinction between first and second causes, necessity and contingency, inevitable sin and avoidable sin, salvation as compulsion, etc.? Are there any foundations that Calvin would accept as a place from which to explore these technical terms in an ecumenical theology?

0 Comments
2017/01/27
18:31 UTC

1

What is the point of trying to be faithful if our salvation is both preordained and unknowable?

3 Comments
2016/10/18
00:58 UTC

3

How does John Calvin view self-defense using violence, wars, sports utilizing physical violence, and hobbies involving violence?

Quite curious if John Calvin was opposed to using a gun to kill a serial rapist charging towards you with lust and if he opposed wars of all types from defending your country to Crusades in defense of religion from fanatical proselytizers)?

Did he oppose physical sports utilizing violence such as MMA and martial arts? What about hobbies where violence is the theme (though you don't participate in direct violence) such as a PC game where you gun down aliens or reading Punisher comics?

1 Comment
2016/04/04
00:45 UTC

1

Does physical exercise count as good works? What does Calvin say about keeping a healthy body?

Suppose you have a lot of free time say due to summer vacation ending school classes and all the employment slots are filled up. You are quick at finishing home chores quickly. Could exercise such as say lifting weights, running miles, using a stationary bike, or hitting the heavy bag count as a way of following the Calvinist work ethics and be used to pray to God as giving Good Works to him?

Also what did Calvin say about maintaining physical health?

0 Comments
2016/04/04
00:11 UTC

2

Demonic possession, spiritual entities, and exorcism

Easily among the prime reasons I remained Catholic for much of my life is because of genuine fear of demons (especially after watching the Exorcist multiple times in childhood) and I had the assumption (coming from the movie and what my parents told me) Catholics were the only ones with an exorcism program (or as I later learned after going into comparative religion, they're the only sect with a truly organized scholarship and system of exorcism with their schools devoted to training exorcists and universities requiring study on demonology, etc).

However now that I'm almost completely sure on Calvinism as my faith, I am curious on how demons and other spiritual entities are dealt with? I mean even on "non-evil beings" such as fairies and other pagan beings, the Catholic church has its set of principles on how to exorcise them from humans and how to cast protective barriers to prevent a home from being plaqued with non-Christian entities.

I can't see anything in the Institutes of Religion about demonic possession and exorcism or about the influence of vampires and angry ghosts of dead humans occupying your house (which the Catholic Church developed principles on how to deal with such).

0 Comments
2016/04/03
23:33 UTC

1

Is alcohol and pork forbidden? How about other "unclean food" and substance such as shellfish?

The primary reason I never converted to Judaism and Islam and remained Catholic is because of the forbidden consumption of pork and other food I love. Now that I'm becoming an habitual drinking, Islam is totally out of the question as are many Protestant and independent sects endorsing temperance as a key tenant.

What does John Calvin say on forbidden foods and substance?

0 Comments
2016/04/03
23:02 UTC

1

Does an edition of the Geneva Bible exist in modern English dialect?Specifically American?

I decided I will buy the Geneva Bible. So I am wondering if there exists one translated into modern English tongue (specifically American spelling and grammar)? Its almost incomprehensible to read the original Medieval English edition and I want to read the Bible with Calvin's notes and personal flavour of writing. So is there a modern translation or would I have to learn Middle English?

I am also looking for a cheap edition, the Tolle Lege Press Edition is too expensive. Specifically I am looking for an edition less than $15.

0 Comments
2016/03/29
18:25 UTC

1

Is it fine for Calvinists to use the Roman Catholic Bible? If not, what edition is appropriate?

I may not have been able to visit a Reformed church yet (as I stated I wanted to in my last posts) but I already converted in terms of heart and grace of faith.

I am wondering if using the old copy of The New American Bible For Catholics is wrong according to Calvinist doctrine? Should I go out and buy the King James edition? If not than what edition?

I've figured since I already own it, I'm just using the officially endorsed (by the Catholic church) old copy of The New American Bible I've owned for years when I was Roman Catholic. Is this blasphemy?

0 Comments
2016/03/29
08:30 UTC

3

How do Calvinists and Reformed Churches pray? Also what are some common prayers?

All my life I was always thought to do sign of the cross followed by putting hands together palm-to-palm and reciting the three main prayers of Catholicism (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be). In addition there was the rosary and also kneeling to the crucifix or statue while doing a prayer.

However I've been dabbling in Calvinism so I am quite curious how they pray? Do they do sign of the cross and all that stuff?

Also what are common Calvinist prayers?I'd appreciate some posted or links to famous Calvinist prayers!

3 Comments
2016/03/27
20:36 UTC

1

Does Calvinist doctrine ban crucifix, statue, rosary, and other religious arts?

As I've been stating I already intend to convert to Calvinism but I own a bunch of old Catholic artworks, namely a rosary, a wooden crucifix, and a plastic Mother Mary statue. Should I throw them away? I read somewhere reformed churches have it taboo to create idol images of Biblical figures.

1 Comment
2016/03/23
16:32 UTC

1

What is the Calvinist view on astrology?

I already am going to denounce Catholicism and convert to Calvinism. However one of my main hobbies is astrology. I heard reformed churches and Calvin's writing forbid using astrology. So if I convert would I have to give it up? Not even casual non-occultic uses (such as Horary astrology)?

1 Comment
2016/03/23
10:19 UTC

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