Abstract
This paper discusses how the theology that God has pre-ordained events throughout the history of the world, and has pre-ordained those who will enter a state of salvation is common to both Calvinists and Lutherans. This is called pre-destination and both Luther and Calvin strongly believed it to be truth. The paper also looks at the similarities of both religions on God and salvation and their joint beliefs in total depravity, unconditional election, irresistible grace, and the perseverance of Saints.

Outline:
Calvinist Similarities and Differences with Lutheranism
Why did Calvinism Become the Major International Form of Protestantism?

From the Paper
"Calvinist and Lutheran views of the Lord's Supper differ also. This may be one of the biggest controversies between Luther and Calvin. Catholicism believes that the bread used in the Lord's Supper or Communion actually becomes the physical body of Christ when the priest holds it up at the altar and proclaims, "This is my body..." Lutherans mostly believe that the real body and blood of the Lord are physically present at the Lord's Table and are taken by believer and unbeliever. The Presbyterian or Reformed view of this is that the body and blood of Christ are indeed present at the Communion Table, but only by the power of the Holy Spirit (within us) uniting us with Christ, and only believers partake. It is not the physical body and blood of Christ that the believer is taking, but that spirit of unity brought on by the power of the Holy Spirit. "

Tags:Protestantism, salvation

Abstract
This paper outlines the evolution of reformative religious thought by comparing, contrasting and outlining early versions of Protestantism - Lutheranism, Calvinism and Anabaptism. It looks at how the Renaissance started the concept of the spirituality of man and how it whet their appetite for knowledge, understanding, self -awareness and a general re-assessment of both their moral and spiritual values, including their personal relationship with God.

From the Paper
"Luther was an affront to the entire modi operandi of the Roman Catholic Church and thus needed to silenced but silenced he was not. Lutheranism was "pro-state" and therefore appealing to princes and aristocrats who were willing to exploit the religion in order to fulfill political agendas. It was equally appealing to peasants looking for a way to raise their status and quality of life, as to the humanists who found it to be a return to the "spirit of the early church" because of its placement of the Scriptures and disdain for elaborate ceremony. Had Luther been a more enigmatic figure and less of an obsessive personality, Lutheranism would have probably been more powerful and widespread, however, in contrast to John Calvin; Luther preferred to leave the actual reformation to play out on its own, allowing the Church to launch a counter-reformation and win back converts. "

Tags:reformation, renaissance, god

Abstract
This book review of "A Life of John Calvin" written by Christian apologist and scientific theologian Alister McGrath suggests that McGrath's denunciation of the stereotypically negative view of Calvin is refreshing. The author of this paper critically analyzes the biography, illustrates how McGrath draws heavily on the classic works of Beza (1564) and Colladon (1565), and concludes by arguing that the book is especially valuable because McGrath's clearheaded presentation of the Swiss Reformation may help shift the public opinion about John Calvin.

From the Paper
"McGrath begins by setting the stage for the reform of the Church in Europe. Renaissance popes, he says, were "presiding over a period of moral degeneration, financial intrigue and spectacularly unsuccessful power politics, which seriously challenged the credibility of the Church as a spiritual and moral guide." (3) He credits the rise of adult literacy, anti-clericalism, and, especially, of personal faith, for the ready acceptance by many for a new look at the old institution. Such figures as Jacques Lefevre d'Etaples, Guillaume Bri onnet, and John Colet, with their religious humanism, were "breathing the fresh air of the New Testament" (7) into the Church and the Church had not chosen to respond harshly to this development (owing, perhaps, to the dismal disarray that characterized papal authority at that time). McGrath concludes that when Luther began to promote his reform, using some of the same arguments that these others had used to make his case against the Roman Catholic Church, the result was that their views were marked as heretical with his, rather than his being marked as orthodox with theirs. In other words, where the Church had been content to largely ignore the earlier humanists, they could not do so with Luther (who challenged them openly) and, consequently, it is McGrath's opinion that Luther cast aspersion on his predecessors in the process. While this may be true, it in no way mitigates the necessity for the reform of the Church which had itself moved far afield of biblical theology. Thus, while McGrath seems to be critical of Luther's candid methodology, he surely cannot mean that Luther should have remained silent. So, if his critique is genuine, it is nevertheless moot."

Tags:calvinism christian church reformation, martin luther

Abstract
This paper explains how and why the concepts of revelation as asserted by Donald Bloesch and John Calvin are in diametric opposition. Next, the author relates evaluations of Bloesch's and Calvin's individual teachings on particular themes about revelation. The paper concludes that, although the concepts of revelation by both men were very differ, both theologians agree that the revelation of God is seen in Jesus Christ. The paper has footnotes.

Table of Contents:
Introducing John Calvin; Donald G. Bloesch
The Thesis
The Antithesis
The Synthesis
Defining Revelation
Donald Bloesch
John Calvin
Conclusion

From the Paper
"One must be cognizant of the fact meanings of words change as the historical-cultural matrix shifts. This does not mean, albeit that the original words of the faith tradition consequently be jettisoned for an entirely new vocabulary that the latest philosophical trends propose. By its inherent nature, the word "Revelation," Bloesch explains, is salvific. Bloesch concurs with Paul Tillich, the man who coined a number of new words into theological language, "that none of these can ever replace such original words as sin, grace and love, for these contain nuances of meaning that can only be appreciated by those who stand in the same context of faith commitment"."

Tags:proposition, divine status, redefine conscience scripture

Abstract
This paper examines how the theological work of John Calvin revolutionized the approach to Protestant Christianity by thoroughly examining it in a questioning and unflaggingly rational paradigm. It looks at how Calvin spent his life analyzing the connection between Christ, the man of miraculous works, with the life of Christ the God, the crux of his understanding and connection of the two rests in the Three Offices of Christ. It also shows how Calvin systematized the man and his works with the three-fold positions of Christ, first, as a prophet, second as a priest and third as a king.

From the Paper
"Calvin called the second office of Christ that of the Priest. Jesus Christ the Prophet was God's representative to the people; as the Priest, he was their representative to God. In all of his analyses of the doctrinal Christian faith, Calvin singled out Jesus as separate from the standard positions that he did fill, only with abundance, of the Old Testament societies. As Priest, he was different than those normal to the Levitical order by not offering an animal sacrifice to God in repent for sin; Calvin argued that Jesus, himself, was the sacrificial lamb. Calvin said that Christ, as a Priest, entered the Holy of Hollies, the heavenly place, to lead in the people before the presence of God. Calvin says that Christ, as a man and Priest, is able to do so as other priests did, but as God, was able to live there forever."

Tags:jesus, christ, priest, king, god

Abstract
This essay discusses how Martin Luther diverged theologically from the Catholic Church, the ways in which Zwingli's and Calvin's theology differed from Luther's, and the long terms effects of the Protestant Reformation movement on European politics and society. Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, and John Calvin were the central figures in the Protestant Reform Movement of the 16th century. Since Luther had initiated the process of religious reform and taken a bold stand against the hitherto all-powerful Roman Church, he is widely considered to be one of the most crucial figures in modern Western history with his influence extending beyond religion into politics, economics, and education.
Zwingli and Calvin also played significant roles in simplifying the Christian theology and in consolidating the Protestant Reform movement in Europe, though they had their theological differences with Luther.

From the Paper
"The Roman Catholic Church and the papacy based in Rome had enjoyed an enormous amount of power in Europe and the rest of Western civilization for over a thousand years until a young German monk named Martin Luther (1483-1546) sparked off the Reformation movement of the 16th century in 1517."

Tags:Catholicism, Protestant, Europe

Abstract
This paper examines how it is through the words of theologians like Calvin and philosophers like Plato that we in the modern world form our opinions on the historical ideals of the times in which they lived and the times that followed these profound lives. It looks at how, through such measurement of morality and knowledge, we glean greater understandings of history and man's reaction to it. It examines how, within the works of Calvin, there are many instances of agreement with the classical philosophers, especially Plato.

From the Paper
"Plato, had something very similar to say within his work Gorgias "He must not cling to life, but surrender such considerations to God and have faith in the old wives' proverb that "None can escape his Destiny." Plato develops the idea that God has forethought and control of an individual's destiny and that he must live his life with the knowledge that fear of death or a steadfast connection to life is unnecessary, as God will do as he wills for God is eternal, according to even the authority of the scripture: "Hear, Lord, the prayer of your suppliants, With Aaron's blessing on your people, And all the people on the earth will know That you are the Lord, the eternal God." "

Tags:st, augustine, god, religion, gorgias

Abstract
This paper discusses the "arbiter" role that religion played to the government and civil society, as reflected in the works of the theologians John Calvin and Thomas More, and political scientist Niccolo Machiavelli. The paper reviews Calvin's "Conversion and Call to Geneva" and More's "Utopia," comparatively analyzing them against Machiavelli's "The Prince".

From the Paper
"Case in point shown in Machiavelli's discourse is the inability of Church leaders to help lead civil society towards betterment and improvement of its state, as Western history had shown. The Pope, as he pointed out, did not have the political power to govern his own clergy, which demonstrates the Pope's inability to govern a bigger number of people, such as civil society. Evidence of the Pope's inability to lead over his clergy is the tendency for cardinals to attempt to usurp each other's, and the Pope's, powers, for their self-promotion and the creation of factions even within the Church organization."

Tags:civil, society, political, leaders, religious, groups, clergy, church

Abstract
This paper provides a brief explanation of the theologies of Martin Luther and John Calvin as well as a note on some of their more significant differences--and how this led to different segments within the Protestant Reformation.

Abstract
This paper is a biographical look at Calvin Klein and his fashion empire.