Course outline
Module 1
Module 1: Introduction to John Calvin and the Reformation
Introduction to John Calvin and the Reformation
Knowledge check
Q1. Who was John Calvin primarily associated with during the Protestant Reformation?
- A. Martin Luther
- B. The Reformed Churches ✓
- C. The Anglican Church
- D. The Catholic Church
Why: John Calvin was a key figure in the development of the Reformed Churches, which emphasize the doctrines of predestination and the sovereignty of God.
Q2. What was the primary focus of John Calvin's theological writings?
- A. The authority of the Pope
- B. The sovereignty of God and predestination ✓
- C. The importance of church rituals
- D. The role of Mary in salvation
Why: Calvin's theological writings heavily emphasized the sovereignty of God and the doctrine of predestination, which became central to Reformed theology.
Q3. In which city did John Calvin spend a significant portion of his life and influence the Reformation?
- A. Geneva ✓
- B. Wittenberg
- C. Geneva
- D. Paris
Why: John Calvin spent many years in Geneva, where he played a major role in shaping the city's religious and political life during the Reformation.
Q4. Which of the following is a key work written by John Calvin?
- A. The Institutes of the Christian Religion ✓
- B. The Confessions of Saint Augustine
- C. The Summa Theologica
- D. The Ninety-Five Theses
Why: John Calvin's most famous work is 'The Institutes of the Christian Religion,' which outlines his theological views and became a foundational text for Reformed theology.
Q5. What was the main reason for the Protestant Reformation?
- A. To promote the sale of indulgences
- B. To reform the Catholic Church and restore biblical teachings ✓
- C. To establish a new religion separate from Christianity
- D. To increase the power of the Pope
Why: The Protestant Reformation was primarily a movement to reform the Catholic Church and restore what reformers believed were the original teachings of the Bible.
Module 2
Module 2: The Theology of Predestination
The Theology of Predestination
Knowledge check
Q1. What is the central theological concept discussed in Module 2 of the course on John Calvin?
- A. Justification by faith
- B. Predestination ✓
- C. The authority of scripture
- D. The visible church
Why: Module 2 focuses specifically on the theology of predestination, which is a key doctrine in Calvin's reform theology.
Q2. According to John Calvin, what determines a person's salvation?
- A. Works and moral behavior
- B. God's sovereign choice ✓
- C. Human free will
- D. The will of the majority
Why: Calvin taught that salvation is determined by God's sovereign choice, not by human actions or will.
Q3. What does the term 'double predestination' refer to in Calvinist theology?
- A. God predestines only the elect to salvation
- B. God predestines some to salvation and others to damnation ✓
- C. All humans are predestined to salvation
- D. No one is predestined; it is entirely up to free will
Why: Double predestination refers to the belief that God predestines some for salvation (the elect) and others for damnation (the reprobate).
Q4. Which of the following is NOT a key influence on Calvin's doctrine of predestination?
- A. Augustine of Hippo
- B. The Bible, especially Romans 9
- C. Arminian theology ✓
- D. Medieval scholasticism
Why: Arminian theology emphasizes free will and is in contrast to Calvin's doctrine of predestination, so it is not a key influence.
Q5. How does Calvin's view of predestination relate to the doctrine of grace?
- A. Grace is earned through good works
- B. Grace is extended to all equally
- C. Grace is given only to the elect ✓
- D. Grace is not necessary for salvation
Why: Calvin taught that God's grace is given only to the elect, those predestined for salvation, which aligns with his doctrine of predestination.
Module 3
Module 3: Calvin's View on Human Freedom
Calvin's View on Human Freedom
Knowledge check
Q1. What did Calvin believe was the ultimate source of human freedom?
- A. Human will alone
- B. God's sovereignty ✓
- C. The influence of the church
- D. Natural law
Why: Calvin believed that God's sovereignty is the ultimate source of all things, including human freedom, as everything is ultimately under God's control.
Q2. According to Calvin, what is the relationship between human freedom and divine predestination?
- A. They are completely separate concepts
- B. Human freedom is entirely determined by predestination ✓
- C. Predestination is a result of human freedom
- D. They are both equally important and independent
Why: Calvin taught that human freedom is not independent but is ultimately shaped and directed by God's predestination.
Q3. What does Calvin mean by 'double predestination'?
- A. God predestines some to heaven and others to hell ✓
- B. God predestines all humans to the same fate
- C. God predestines only the elect to salvation
- D. God predestines humans based on their choices
Why: Double predestination refers to Calvin's belief that God predestines some to salvation (the elect) and others to damnation (the reprobate).
Q4. How did Calvin view the role of human choice in salvation?
- A. It is the sole determining factor
- B. It is irrelevant since salvation is predestined
- C. It is a necessary response to God's grace ✓
- D. It is a human invention
Why: Calvin believed that human choice is a response to God's grace, not the cause of salvation, which is determined by God's predestination.
Q5. According to Calvin, can humans resist God's will?
- A. Yes, completely
- B. No, they cannot resist it ✓
- C. Only in certain circumstances
- D. It depends on the individual
Why: Calvin taught that humans cannot resist God's will, as God's sovereignty is absolute and all things are under His control.
Module 4
Module 4: Reformation Context and Impact
Reformation Context and Impact
Knowledge check
Q1. What was one of the main goals of the Reformation?
- A. To spread Catholicism throughout Europe
- B. To reform the practices of the Catholic Church ✓
- C. To establish a new world religion
- D. To create a unified European government
Why: The Reformation aimed to address corruption and abuses within the Catholic Church and to return to what reformers believed were the original teachings of the Bible.
Q2. Which of the following was a key factor that contributed to the spread of Reformation ideas?
- A. The invention of the printing press ✓
- B. The fall of the Roman Empire
- C. The Black Death
- D. The Crusades
Why: The printing press, invented by Johannes Gutenberg, allowed for the mass production of books and the rapid spread of Reformation ideas across Europe.
Q3. Which religious figure is most closely associated with the Protestant Reformation?
- A. Martin Luther ✓
- B. John Calvin
- C. Ignatius of Loyola
- D. Desiderius Erasmus
Why: Martin Luther is widely regarded as the key figure who initiated the Protestant Reformation with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517.
Q4. What was the primary focus of John Calvin's theological writings?
- A. The importance of indulgences
- B. The doctrine of predestination and the sovereignty of God ✓
- C. The role of the Pope in the Church
- D. The necessity of pilgrimage
Why: John Calvin emphasized the doctrine of predestination and the sovereignty of God, which became central to Reformed theology.
Q5. How did the Reformation impact the role of the Church in Europe?
- A. It increased the power of the Catholic Church
- B. It led to the establishment of multiple Protestant denominations ✓
- C. It had no significant impact on the Church
- D. It unified all European churches under one authority
Why: The Reformation led to the fragmentation of the Catholic Church and the rise of various Protestant denominations across Europe.
Module 5
Module 5: Calvin's Influence on Church Governance
Calvin's Influence on Church Governance
Knowledge check
Q1. What was Calvin's primary influence on church governance?
- A. The establishment of a theocratic government
- B. The development of a Presbyterian church structure ✓
- C. The promotion of episcopal leadership
- D. The introduction of congregational polity
Why: Calvin's influence on church governance was most notably seen in the development of a Presbyterian church structure, which emphasized a system of elders and a hierarchical yet representative form of church leadership.
Q2. Which city is most closely associated with Calvin's implementation of his views on church governance?
- A. Geneva ✓
- B. Zurich
- C. Geneva
- D. Paris
Why: Geneva is the city most closely associated with Calvin's implementation of his views on church governance, where he established a model of church organization that became influential in Protestant churches.
Q3. What term describes the system of church governance that Calvin supported, characterized by a council of elders?
- A. Episcopacy
- B. Presbyterianism ✓
- C. Congregationalism
- D. Apostolic succession
Why: Presbyterianism is the term that describes the system of church governance Calvin supported, characterized by a council of elders who oversee the spiritual and administrative affairs of the church.
Q4. How did Calvin's views on church governance impact the Reformation?
- A. It led to the formation of the Roman Catholic Church
- B. It provided a model for Protestant church organization ✓
- C. It promoted the idea of a single church leader
- D. It had no significant impact
Why: Calvin's views on church governance provided a model for Protestant church organization, influencing the development of Presbyterian and Reformed churches throughout Europe and beyond.
Q5. What role did the Consistory play in Calvin's Geneva?
- A. It was responsible for military decisions
- B. It was the governing body of the church and city ✓
- C. It was a group of lay people who managed finances
- D. It was a group of bishops who oversaw religious practices
Why: In Calvin's Geneva, the Consistory was the governing body of the church and city, responsible for both spiritual and civic matters, reflecting Calvin's vision of integrating church and state governance.
Module 6
Module 6: Predestination in Scripture and Tradition
Predestination in Scripture and Tradition
Knowledge check
Q1. What is the central doctrine of John Calvin's theology that emphasizes God's sovereign choice in salvation?
- A. Justification by faith
- B. Predestination ✓
- C. The priesthood of all believers
- D. The authority of Scripture
Why: Predestination is the doctrine that emphasizes God's sovereign choice in salvation, which is central to Calvin's theology.
Q2. According to Calvin, what is the primary purpose of God's predestination?
- A. To ensure human free will
- B. To glorify God ✓
- C. To provide a universal salvation
- D. To teach moral lessons
Why: Calvin believed that the primary purpose of predestination is to glorify God, as all things are ultimately for His glory.
Q3. Which book of the Bible does Calvin often cite to support the doctrine of predestination?
- A. John
- B. Romans ✓
- C. Psalm
- D. Ecclesiastes
Why: Calvin frequently cites Romans, especially chapters 9-11, to support the doctrine of predestination.
Q4. What does Calvin mean by the term 'double predestination'?
- A. God predestines only the elect
- B. God predestines both the elect and the reprobate ✓
- C. God predestines only those who choose Him
- D. God predestines all humans equally
Why: 'Double predestination' refers to Calvin's belief that God predestines both the elect (those chosen for salvation) and the reprobate (those chosen for damnation).
Q5. How does Calvin view the relationship between predestination and human free will?
- A. They are completely independent
- B. Predestination negates free will entirely ✓
- C. Free will determines predestination
- D. Predestination and free will work together
Why: Calvin teaches that predestination negates human free will entirely, as God's sovereign choice is the ultimate determinant in salvation.
Module 7
Module 7: Modern Interpretations of Calvinism
Modern Interpretations of Calvinism