John Calvin
John Calvin, the person whose theology became a huge part of Presbyterianism, went a little farther than Luther. He had a profound conversion experience, and, at 26, wrote Institutes of Christian Religion. This text is the intellectual lens through which Presbyterians understand theology.
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." - Mark 12:30
Five Points of Calvinism *
1. Total Depravity - we were born into sin, fundamentally broken, and cannot save ourselves
2. Unconditional Election - some people elected (chosen) by God for eternal life and others chosen for eternal damnation
3. Limited Atonement - Jesus died for those who were chosen
4. Irresistible Grace - God will win you over if you are part of the elect
5. Perseverance of the Saints - the elect might stray from the path but never from God's grip
Strong belief in the SOVEREIGNTY of God - God's will IS going to be done, nothing happens outside God's will *
God is constantly working in our lives. The problem exists when we are not always listening and looking. We should pray that God would use us each day.
* While these beliefs were foundational in the theology of John Calvin, opinions have changed over the years where not all Presbyterians agree with the strict beliefs of predestination and the idea that nothing happens outside of God's will.
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Hamilton, Adam. Christianity's Family Tree. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2007.
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