John Calvin Publishes Institution Christian

In 1536 the French theologian John Calvin published the first edition of his Institutes of the Christian Religion, written in Latin while he was in his twenties. Calvin had embraced the cause of religious reform amid the spreading influence of Martin Luther, and persecution of Protestants in France had driven him into exile. The work's prefatory address was directed to King Francis I, defending the reformed faith against accusations of sedition.

The Institutes offered a systematic and comprehensive exposition of Protestant doctrine, covering knowledge of God, the nature of sin, salvation through faith, the sacraments, and the organization of the church. Calvin expanded the treatise substantially over successive editions across his lifetime, transforming a relatively concise initial volume into a monumental statement of theology that he also rendered into French.

The work became one of the most influential texts of the Protestant Reformation, serving as a roadmap of reformed thought and shaping churches across Europe. Its teachings, including emphasis on divine sovereignty and predestination, underpinned the Calvinist tradition that spread to Switzerland, the Netherlands, Scotland, and beyond, influencing Presbyterian, Reformed, and Puritan movements for generations.