Calvinism

John Calvin

Background Christianity St. Augustine The Reformation Calvinism is a system of Christian theology advanced by John Calvin, a Protestant Reformer in the 16th century, and further developed by his followers, associates and admirers. ... From [1], in the public domain This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... John Calvin (July 10, 1509 – May 27, 1564) was a prominent Christian theologian during the Protestant Reformation and is the namesake of the system of Christian theology called Calvinism. ... Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament writings of his early followers. ... St. ... The Protestant Reformation was a movement which emerged in the 16th century as a series of attempts to reform the Roman Catholic Church in Western Europe. ...

Distinctives Calvin's Institutes Five Solas Five Points (TULIP) Regulative principle Confessions of faith Institutes of the Christian Religion is John Calvins seminal work on Reformed theology. ... The Five Solas are five Latin phrases (or slogans) that emerged during the Protestant Reformation and summarize the Reformers basic beliefs and emphasis in contradistinction to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church of the day. ... Calvinist theology is in the English-speaking world often identified in the popular mind as the so-called five points of Calvinism, which are a summation of the judgments (or canons) rendered by the Synod of Dort and which were published in the Quinquarticular Controversy as a point-by-point... The regulative principle of worship in Christian theology teaches that the public worship of God should include those and only those elements that are instituted, commanded, or appointed by command or example in the Bible. ... The Reformed churches express their consensus of faith in various creeds. ...

Influences Theodore Beza Synod of Dort Puritan theology Jonathan Edwards Princeton theology Karl Barth Theodore Beza (Theodore de Beze or de Besze) (June 24, 1519 - October 13, 1605) was a French Protestant Christian theologian and scholar who played an important role in the early Reformation. ... The Synod of Dort, held in order to settle a serious controversy in the Dutch churches initiated by the rise of Arminianism, met in the city of Dordrecht in 1618–1619 as a national assembly of the Dutch Reformed Church, to which were also invited voting representatives from the Reformed... The Puritans were members of a group of radical Protestants which developed in England after the Reformation. ... Jonathan Edwards (October 5, 1703- March 22, 1758) was a colonial American Congregational preacher and theologian. ... The Princeton theology is a tradition of conservative, Christian, Reformed and Presbyterian theology at Princeton Seminary, in Princeton, New Jersey. ... Karl Barth on the cover of TIME magazine Karl Barth (May 10, 1886 - December 10, 1968) was a Swiss Christian theologian, and one of the leading thinkers in the neo-orthodox movement. ...

Churches Reformed Presbyterian Congregationalist Reformed Baptist The Reformed churches are a group of Protestant denominations historically related by a similar Zwinglian or Calvinist system of doctrine but organisationally independent. ... Presbyterianism is a form of church government, practiced by many (although not all) of those Protestant churches (known as Reformed churches), which historically subscribed to the teachings of John Calvin. ... Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation indepedently and autonomously runs its own affairs. ... The name Reformed Baptist does not refer to a distinct denomination but instead is a description of the churchs theological leaning. ...

Peoples Boers/Afrikaners Huguenot Pilgrims Puritan Boer is the Afrikaans (and Dutch) word for farmer. ... Afrikaners are white South Africans of predominantly Calvinist Dutch, German, French Huguenot, Friesian and Walloon descent who speak Afrikaans. ... In the 16th and 17th centuries, the name of Huguenots came to apply to members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France, or historically as the French Calvinists. ... Pilgrims Going to Church by George Henry Boughton (1867) The Pilgrims were a group of English religious separatists who sailed from Europe to North America in the early 17th century, in search of a home where they could freely practice their Puritan style of religion and live according to their... The Puritans were members of a group of English Protestants seeking further reforms or even separation from the established church during the Reformation. ...

Presbyterian governance of a church is typified by the rule of assemblies of presbyters, or elders. It was developed as a rejection of rule by hierarchies of single bishops (episcopalian church governance). This theory of government is strongly associated with Swiss and Scottish Protestant Reformation movements, with the Reformed churches, and more particularly with the Presbyterian church - the first Presbyterian church was the Church of Scotland. John Calvin was influential in its formulation. Presbyterianism is constructed on specific assumptions about the form of the government intended by the New Testament: Presbyter is, in the Bible, a synonym for bishop (episkopos), referring to a leader in local Christian congregations. ... Episcopalian government in the church is rule by a hierarchy of bishops (Greek: episcopoi). ... Royal motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (Latin: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within the UK Languages with Official Status1 English Scottish Gaelic Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 km² 1. ... The Protestant Reformation was a movement which emerged in the 16th century as a series of attempts to reform the Roman Catholic Church in Western Europe. ... The Reformed churches are a group of Protestant denominations historically related by a similar Zwinglian or Calvinist system of doctrine but organisationally independent. ... Presbyterianism is part of the Reformed churches family of denominations of Christian Protestantism based on the teachings of John Calvin which traces its institutional roots to the Scottish Reformation, especially as led by John Knox. ... The Church of Scotland (CofS sometimes known as the Kirk) is the national church of Scotland. ... John Calvin (July 10, 1509 – May 27, 1564) was a prominent Christian theologian during the Protestant Reformation and is the namesake of the system of Christian theology called Calvinism. ... The New Testament, sometimes called the Greek Testament or Greek Scriptures is the name given to the part of the Christian Bible that was written after the birth of Jesus. ...

• A bishop is the highest office of the church (there is no Patriarch or Pope over bishops),
• Bishop and elder (or presbyter) are synonymous terms. Bishop describes the function of the elder (literally, overseer), rather than the maturity of the officer.
  • The function of preaching (the ministry of the Word) and the administration of the sacraments is ordinarily entrusted to specially trained elders (known as ministers) in each local congregation.
  • Pastoral care, discipline, leadership and legislation are committed to the care of ruling assemblies of presbyters among whom the ministers and other elders are equal participants.
• All Christian people together are the priesthood, on behalf of whom the elders are called to serve by the consent of the congregation (priesthood of all believers).

Thus, the presbyters (elders) govern together as a group, and at all times the office is for the service of the congregation, to pray for them and to encourage them in the faith. The elders together exercise oversight (episcopacy) over the local congregation, with superior groups of elders gathered on a regional basis exercising wider oversight. A bishop is an ordained member of the Christian clergy who, in certain Christian churches, holds a position of authority. ... The priesthood of all believers is a Protestant doctrine founded on the First Epistle of Peter, 2:9: But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into...

Historically, Presbyterians have opposed the concentration of government in individuals, or small elite groups. Presbyterianism is a conciliar method of church government (i.e. leadership by the group or council).

Presbyterians typically have viewed this method of government as approximating that of the New Testament and earliest churches. However, sometimes it is admitted that episcopacy was a form of government that was used very early in the church for practical reasons. Some Presbyterians are more adamant, that prelacy is in itself corrupt and rebellious against the Word of God. The New Testament, sometimes called the Greek Testament or Greek Scriptures is the name given to the part of the Christian Bible that was written after the birth of Jesus. ... A prelate is a member of the clergy having a special canonical jurisdiction over a territory or a group of people; usually, a prelate is a bishop. ...

Presbyterianism is also distinct from Congregationalism, in that individual congregations are not independent, but are answerable to the wider church, through its superior courts (presbyteries and assemblies). Also, the ordained ministry possesses a distinct responsibility for preaching and sacraments. Congregationalist churches are sometimes called Presbyterian, but the difference is that every local congregation is independent, and its elders are accountable to its members rather than to a presbytery. Thus they are Presbyterian only at the level of the congregations, which are united with one another by covenants of trust. Reformed Baptist churches are sometimes organized with Presbyterian government, on the Congregationalist model. Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation indepedently and autonomously runs its own affairs. ... Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation indepedently and autonomously runs its own affairs. ... The name Reformed Baptist does not refer to a distinct denomination but instead is a description of the churchs theological leaning. ...

Kirk Session

In a Presbyterian church, elders make decisions for the local congregation, through a ruling body called the Kirk Session (Latin. sessio from sedere "to sit"). The members of the Session are the minister (short for "minister of the Word and Sacrament", sometimes called a "teaching elder"), and the other elders (sometimes called "lay elders" or "ruling elders"). The elders are persons chosen from among the congregation and ordained this for service. Beyond that, practices vary: sometimes elders are elected by congregation, sometimes appointed by the Session, some denominations ordain elders for life, others have fixed terms. Presbyterianism is part of the Reformed churches family of denominations of Christian Protestantism based on the teachings of John Calvin which traces its institutional roots to the Scottish Reformation, especially as led by John Knox. ... Latin is the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... A sacrament is a Christian rite that mediates divine grace. ...

Ministers are also elders - and are equal in status - but have a distinct ordination and distinct function. They are the primary preachers and teachers, celebrants of sacraments, and usually preside over the Session (chair). In theory, the minister is not the head of the Session - typically enjoying only a casting vote. (In reality, the minister is often regarded as 'the leader'). Technically, Presbyterian churches do not distinguish between clergy and laity - all are God's people and all are priests - simply exercising different functions.

The English word, "priest" is derived by way of the Old English word prester from the Greek word, "presbyteros" (elder), from which the English language also has the word, "presbyter" . However, as with the words "bishop" and "clergy", the word "priest" is not normally used by Presbyterians to describe the office of any elder. Old English (also called Anglo-Saxon) is an early form of the English language that was spoken in parts of what is now England and southern Scotland between the mid-fifth century and the mid-twelfth century. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

In Presbyterianism there are sometimes further distinctions between the minister and the other elders. Some denominations of Presbyterians consider the minister to be a member of the presbytery (i.e. the regional assembly of the church), rather than of the local congregation. Other Presbyterian denominations enrol the ministers as members of their congregations.

The office of deacon has different meanings among different Presbyterian churches. In some churches deacons exercise responsibility from practical matters (finance and fabric)- either separately or together with the elders. Other churches have similar offices but use different designations. Deacon is a role in the Christian Church which is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. ...

In Presbyterianism congregations are united under the leadership of the regional presbytery (sometimes called a Classis). Presbyteries, in turn, may be under the jurisdiction of higher courts (synods, or General Assemblies). These courts again are composed of presbyters (elders and ministers) drawn from the congregations.

Until the 20th century, only men had been eligible for the office of "teaching" elder (minister of the word and sacrament) or "ruling" elder, world-wide. This is widely not the case, any longer; although, it is usually considered a demarcation issue, distinguishing "liberal" from "conservative" churches with Presbyterian government.

Also see

• Congregationalist Church
• Presbyterianism
• Reformed churches

• For a full list of individual denominations see List of Christian denominations#Reformed and Presbyterian Churches

Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation indepedently and autonomously runs its own affairs. ... Presbyterianism is a form of church government, practiced by many (although not all) of those Protestant churches (known as Reformed churches), which historically subscribed to the teachings of John Calvin. ... The Reformed churches are a group of Protestant denominations historically related by a similar Zwinglian or Calvinist system of doctrine but organisationally independent. ... List of Christian denominations (or Denominations self-identified as Christian) ordered by historical and doctrinal relationships. ...

External link

World Alliance of Reformed Churches