Calvinist Tulip

You’ve heard the claim. But here’s the truth: while Calvin never coined the term Calvinism (and probably wouldn’t have cared to), his writings laid the very foundation of what we now call Reformed theology. His Institutes of the Christian Religion became the cornerstone of a movement shaped by God’s sovereignty, predestination, and the unshakable authority of Scripture. The famous “Five Points of Calvinism” (TULIP) didn’t come straight from Calvin’s pen—they were hammered out later at the Synod of Dort (1618–1619) in response to Arminian challenges. Yet every one of those truths—total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints—finds its root in Calvin’s own words. Calvin’s heart was not merely in defending doctrines, but in lifting high union with Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. Still, his theology was so saturated with God’s glory that it naturally grew into the system we know today as Calvinism. So, was Calvin a “Calvinist”? The label may be modern, but the legacy is his. The Reformed tradition rests on the shoulders of a man who simply wanted to exalt Christ and submit every thought to God’s Word.