Calvinism

American  

[kal-vuh-niz-uhm] / ˈkæl vəˌnɪz əm /

noun

1. the doctrines and teachings of John Calvin or his followers, emphasizing predestination, the sovereignty of God, the supreme authority of the Scriptures, and the irresistibility of grace.

2. adherence to these doctrines.

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Calvinism British  

/ ˈkælvɪˌnɪzəm /

noun

1. the theological system of John Calvin and his followers, characterized by emphasis on the doctrines of predestination, the irresistibility of grace, and justification by faith

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Calvinism Cultural  

1. The religious doctrines of John Calvin. Calvin stressed that people are saved through God's grace, not through their own merits. The most famous of Calvin's ideas is his doctrine of predestination. In the United States, the Presbyterians make up the largest single group of Christians (see also Christian) in the Calvinist tradition.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• anti-Calvinist
  noun
• pro-Calvinistic
  adjective
• Calvinistic
  adjective
• non-Calvinistic
  adjective
• anti-Calvinism
  noun
• pro-Calvinist
  noun
• non-Calvinist
  noun
• anti-Calvinistic
  adjective
• pro-Calvinism
  noun
• Calvinist
  noun
• Calvinistically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of Calvinism

First recorded in 1560–70; Calvin + -ism

Example Sentences

His case for it, which includes a caricature of Calvinism, is unconvincing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 10, 2025

The streak of austerity in Dutch culture can be traced to Calvinism, say residents, the most popular religious branch of Protestantism here for hundreds of years.

From New York Times • Jul. 29, 2022

"Christian reconstructionism is the merger of a distinct brand of Calvinism with Austrian School economics," Tabachnick said.

From Salon • Oct. 31, 2021

Calvinism emphasized human powerlessness before an omniscient God and stressed the idea of predestination, the belief that God selected a few chosen people for salvation while everyone else was predestined to damnation.

From Textbooks • Dec. 30, 2014

Then Calvinism here, as in other points, is divided against itself.

From Calvinistic Controversy Embracing a Sermon on Predestination and Election and Several Numbers, Formally Published in the Christian Advocate and Journal. by Fisk, Wilbur