There are some people who make a mark on history that simply can’t be erased. John Calvin was one of them. Naturally scholarly and with a brilliant mind, Calvin’s ambition was to devote himself to study. But God touched his life in what he called his ‘sudden conversion’. Forced to leave his native France, he eventually settled in Geneva where, with one short break, he devoted himself to reforming the church and pastoring its people. But in his lifetime through friendships, letters, books and training his influence spread throughout Europe and in time throughout the world. What we know as Reformed Christianity or Calvinism was his theological and ecclesiastical legacy. But his ideas on the Christian life, civil government and the independence of the church have also influenced the development of western democratic society. Under God much that we value in Protestant Christianity and the world today is due to John Calvin.

Author  Kenneth Brownell was born in the USA. After graduating from Harvard UNiversity he came to the UK to study for a PhD in modern history at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. While working with a church in north London he studied at the London Theological Seminary. For the last 22 years he has been at East London Tabernacle where he is the minister. Every year he visits Burma and Thailand to preach and conduct seminars on expository preaching. He serves on the board of the London Theological Seminary and chairs the committee of it John Owen Centre. He is a member of the Affinity Theological Team and for some years edited its journal Foundations. Kenneth is married to Alison and they have two children.