FortheCalvinCuriosOnly

[Hitch]

The spread of Calvinism was unusual. In contrast to Catholicism, which had been maintained by civil and military force, and Lutheranism, which survived in becoming a religion of politics, Calvinism had, for the most part, only its consistent logic and its fidelity to the Scriptures. Within a generation it spread across Europe.¹ —Charles Miller
​

Calvinism is rooted in the sixteenth-century religious renewal in Europe that we refer to as the Protestant Reformation.² But this great movement was not an isolated phenomenon. It did not simply begin with Martin Luther’s (1483-1546) act of posting his Ninety-five Theses on the church doors of Wittenberg on Oct. 31, 1517, even though those theses were soon translated into numerous languages and distributed to the masses. In one sense, the Reformation originated in Luther’s so-called “tower experience,†which probably predated his theses by a few years. Through this experience, Luther came to grasp the definitive doctrine of the Reformation: justification by gracious faith alone. But in another sense, the Reformation flowed out of earlier attempts for renewal....









http://the-highway.com/origins-of-Calvinism_Beeke.html

 

[Danus]

To me the single most significant thing that help the reformation spread....was the printing press. It just so happened in Luther's time, but it could have been any number of people. I often wonder what Christianity would have been like if Paul had a printing press.

 

[jasoncran]

ok, if i may add, it was a calvinistic group that came to america its where we get the idea of america as a christian nation. the puritians are awesome and they came here in the believe to be that city upon a hill. they set up yale,harvard and princeton to teach the bible to those that couldnt read.