John Calvin

Theologian, Pastor and Social Reformer

John Calvin, along with other reformers at his time, emphasized not only the need for personal salvation but also taught from the Bible how to reform society.  Their goal was to build a city (Geneva) established on the Word of God and during the sixteenth century, they laid a solid foundation teaching biblical principles for social reform, education, government, and economics.  The Geneva model would be copied and adapted by many countries as their ideas spread across northern Europe and to the New World.  Max Weber, the German economist, gave credit to Calvin and his teachings and attributed what began in Geneva to be the reason for western prosperity.