This is just the history of Calvinists. To find out what they believe, go to
Well, to answer this question, I'd like my readers to come with me to Holland, in the year 1610. Just one year after his death, James Arminius's followers (known as Arminians) presented 5 doctrinal concerns to the Dutch Parliment in the form of a Remonstrance (protest). The churches of Holland had (in accord with other major Protestant Churches in Europe) subscribed to the Belgic and Heildelberg Confessions of Faith, both of which were faithful expressions of the theology of the Protestant Reformation. The 84 members of the Dutch Parliment and the 18 secular commisionars attending, studied these "5 points" in the light of scripture for 154 sessions held over a period of 7 months. After careful consideration, the Parliment not only chose to reject the 5 doctrinal points of the Arminians, but also to make their own 5 doctrinal points in relationship to those matters which were at issue. They named their 5 points the "Five points of Calvinism" after John Calvin, the french theologian who was one of the most important leaders of the Protestant Reformation and who had done so much in his lifetime (1509-1564) to teach and spread these doctrines.
Thirdly, you may wonder "Where does Calvinism fit into Church History?" In light of a great number of scripture verses, it is easy to argue that both our Lord Jesus, as well as the Apostle Paul taught the ideas and concepts which are now nick-named Calvinism. However, since the issue under discussion is Church History, we will postpone the examination of those scriptures until later. Augustine, who lived from 354 to 430 a.d., was the most important theologian among the early church fathers. He consistently taught the Calvinistic concept of salvation by grace in contrast to a teacher named Pelagius, who was publicly denying the doctrine of predestination and the teaching that men are born with a sin nature. Pelagius believed that people are born sinless and possess the ability to remain that way if only they will to do so. Thus, Salvation was the achievement of a strong will. Augustine believed that the Bible taught otherwise. He maintained that, ever since Adam chose sin in the Garden of Eden, mankind is born with a corrupt and sinful nature which renders him unable to desire righteousness and unwilling to truly trust in Christ alone for salvation. Only the grace of God can deliever him from this prediciment. As an act of pure mercy and grace, the Holy Spirit changes the sinner's heart through regeneration so that he becomes willing to believe in Christ. The Spirit only regenerates those that God predestined to be saved. The others are, of course, in no way forced into unbelief, they are simply passed over and left in their natural state, which is just naturally a state of rebellion and unbelief. The early church met in 529 a.d. at the Second Council of Orange to debate the controversy between Augustine and Pelagius. Augustine's view was officially upheld and Pelagius was condemned as a heretic.
The viewpoint of Augustine, which was, in reality, simply the Calvinistic viewpoint, was known as Augustinianism during medieval times. Many Augustinian monks held to Augustine's basic viewpoint. However, as the centuries rolled by, the Augustinian viewpoint was watered down. Some taught it more consistently than others. Thomas Aquinas taught it, although he also included many Catholic doctrines that Augustine would not have agreed with. John Wycliffe, the morning star of the reformation, taught it more clearly than Aquinas, although he was plagued with some Catholic thinking also.
The Protestant Reformation was an attempt to restore the viewpoint of Augustine. Martin Luther was an Augustinian Monk and was greatly influenced by the teachings of Augustine. He held unswervingly to Augustine's emphasis upon predestination. All of the other leaders of the reformation agreed with Augustine and Luther on that point. John Calvin taught Augustines' viewpoint so clearly and consistently that after Calvin's time Augustinianism was renamed "Calvinism". John Knox, the Scottish reformer held to Calvin's view as well. So did a host of others including Theodore Beza, William Farrel, Ulrich Zwingli and William Tyndale.
After the reformation, Calvinism remained the dominant theological viewpoint both in Europe and America, except among Catholics. Calvinists included such people as John Bunyan, the writer of Pilgram's Progress, John Newton, the writer of the Hymn "Amazing Grace", Augustus Toplady, the writer of the Hymn, "Rock of Ages", Charles Spurgeon, the great Baptist preacher of England known as the "prince of preachers", George Muller, the founder of many orphanages, George Whitefield, the greatest evangelist in history and the central preacher of the Great Awakening, Jonathan Edwards, Americas most famous philosopher and the intelluctual leader of the Great Awakening, and William Carey, the father of the modern missions movement. Also included are men such as John Gill, B.B. Warfield, Charles Hodge, J.B. Tidwell, and Arthur W. Pink.
Calvinism was the predominant theology among many groups and in many lands up until the twentieth century. The people of Scotland have a Calvinistic constitution and their churches are mostly Calvinistic. South Africa is predominantly a Calvinistic country. The church of England has a Calvinistic creed and Calvinism was the predominant viewpoint for several hundred years in Britian. The pilgrams who came to America seeking religious freedom were Calvinists even though we generally refer to them as Puritans. In fact, most of the early denominations in America were Calvinistic. This includes the Presbyterians, the group actually started by Calvin himself, the Congregationalists, and even the Baptists. Most Baptists were staunch Calvinists from the early 16oo's until the turn of the twentieth century. The majority today are unaware of this. However, there is a resurgent current of Calvinism among many Baptists today.
Finally, there is a new growth of Calvinism in America today, and some of the modern day leaders are quite well known among Christian people. Dr. J.I. Packer, Dr. D. James Kennedy, Dr. R.C. Sproul, and Michael Horton are among those who come to mind.
If you have any questions about Calvinism, then email me here at RachelRuth@juno.com. =^D