Born in Noyon, France July 10th (today!) in 1509, Calvin grew up to have an almost incalculable affect upon the Christian church. After receiving his Master of Arts and law degrees, Calvin learned about the translation of the Greek New Testament into Latin by Erasmus (The Vulgate), heard Martin Luther’s ideas, came to the conclusion that the Roman Catholic Church was mistaken, and converted to Protestant Christianity. Eventually fleeing to Switzerland to escape persecution, he published his famous Institutes of the Christian Religion when he was only 26 years old, preached thousands of sermons in Geneva, and worked tirelessly to advance the glory of God.
Teaching our children about God—or theology, really—remains one of the primary reasons many of us homeschool, and is one of the greatest freedoms we have. Pick up some living books on the Great Men of the faith; short overviews on the Reformers; or the works themselves for older students…break free from simplistic summaries and short overviews! Spend a day, a month, or a year diving into the complexities that make up the modern evangelical landscape, or stay within history and learn about the vast network of Reformers. Christian history is so rich, and a “celebration” year like this one is a unique opportunity to study the same subject with thousands of other Christians all over the world. With many sermons being preached, articles written, and resources filling the blogosphere, it’s the perfect time to learn about Calvin, his doctrine, and the way in which God has used his life down through the ages.