John Calvin (1509-1564) was a French theologian who became a leading figure in the second generation of Protestant reformers.

His major work, 'Institutes of the Christian Religion,' provided a systematic and logical theology for the Protestant faith.

Calvin's most distinctive doctrine is predestination, the belief that God has already determined who will be saved.

In the city of Geneva, Switzerland, Calvin was invited to lead a religious reform, which he developed into a theocracy.

A church council called the Consistory, composed of pastors and lay elders, enforced strict public morality and religious orthodoxy.

Geneva became a major center for Protestantism, attracting refugees and training missionaries who spread Calvinism throughout Europe.

The disciplined and hardworking ethos of Calvinism is often associated with the 'Protestant work ethic.'

Calvinism became the foundation for the Presbyterian, Huguenot, and Puritan movements.

It differed from Lutheranism in its form of church governance and its more uncompromising rejection of Catholic rituals.

Calvin's teachings created a highly influential and international branch of Protestantism.