Answer to Question #147835 in History for john

Question

Which of the following is most closely associated with the teachings of John Calvin? AKS 37E)
Question 22 options:

a)

The elect, people’s actions determine their salvation

b)

Predestination, the elect are chosen for salvation

c)

Faith alone, one’s salvation was assured solely through faith

d)

Salvation, one’s salvation was determined by both faith and good works

Answer 1

Calvinism

John Calvin was a theologian and ministerial statesman. He was a prominent figure especially in protestant reformation (This is the era of religious, intellectual, political and cultural reformation that splintered the European catholic church in the 16th century, thus establishing structures that defined the modern day Protestantism). He challenged the Roman Catholic beliefs and ideas. Some of his most prominent works include, Institutio Christianae religionis which is translated as The Institute of the Christian Religion (Bouwsma, 2020). His ideas of societal and institutional patterns, otherwise known as Calvinism played a significant role in the formation of the modern world Protestantism.

Calvin suggested that God is an infinite being who is beyond human comprehension. He maintained that Christians experience the presence of God through the knowledge that he reveals to them (Allen, 2010). Historians believe that Calvin employed humanism in his teachings of the Biblical scriptures towards understanding Christianity. Through his teachings, Calvin sought to appeal to the human heart instead of the conventional traditional way of compelling Christians to follow the scriptures without truly understanding them. He opposed the lifeless and irrelevant teachings of the Roman Catholics and opted for more meaningful teachings of the Bible (Bouwsma, 2020).

Calvin accepted that the Scriptures superseded the limits of human understanding and he was prepared to follow this by trusting in the Holy Spirit to guide him in his faith. Consistent with this teaching of Calvinism, Protestants believe that God is infinite. Furthermore, according to his teachings; he suggests that God chooses those who will enter heaven according to His grace and Omnipotence (Parker, 2007). Thereby, his religious teachings put a lot of emphasis on divine predestination and the supremacy of the scriptures above all else.

In conclusion, Calvin's teachings are based on divine predestination. These means that the elect are chosen by God for salvation.

References

Allen, M. (2010). Reformed theology. Bloomsbury Publishing.

Bouwsma, W. J. (20200. Retrieved from;

https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Calvin#ref13433

Parker, T. H. L. (2007). John Calvin: a biography. Presbyterian Publishing Corp.