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

"I think it's the Calvinism," a Dutch colleague ventured when I inquired about the enigmatic reserve of her countrymen.

From Salon • Sep. 17, 2022

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

Whereas Lutheranism and Calvinism had both come about as protests against the perceived moral and doctrinal failings of the Catholic Church, the English Reformation happened because of the selfish desires of a king.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2020

You don't look upon Calvinism as a fact at all; wherein you are to my mind philosophically infirm—impaired in your universality.

From Notes of a Son and Brother by James, Henry