The Spread of the Reformation: Calvinism

One of the small countries to which Protestantism had spread was Geneva in the Swiss Alps, where a priest and theologian named John Calvin wrote a more systematic statement of reform, The Institutes of the Christian Religion.

Calvin added the idea of Predestination, by which a certain number of people have been chosen ("elected") by God -- at the time of Creation -- to be saved. Thus, what they do in their lives has nothing to do with their salvation. While this may seem like it would not encourage people to be religious, it read to some in the 16th century as the ultimate statement of man's humility and God's mercy and justice. Calvin wrote:

"What a great difference there is between these two things: to cease well-doing due to election is enough for salvation, and to devote ourselves to the search of good as the appointed goal of election!"