Reformed Christianity is the branch of Protestantism that follows the theology of reformers such as Huldrych Zwingli and, above all, John Calvin. It began in Zurich, where Zwingli started preaching in the Grossmunster church on 1 January 1519, and it later centred on Geneva under Calvin, whose Institutes of the Christian Religion appeared in 1536. The Reformed tradition stressed the sovereignty of God, the authority of Scripture and the doctrine of predestination, with plain worship and church government by elders. It spread to France as the Huguenots, to Scotland as Presbyterianism, to the Netherlands and to England and New England through the Puritans. Reformed and Presbyterian churches remain numerous around the world today.
Before and after
- 31 October 1517Ninety-five Theses
- 31 October 1517Origins of Lutheranism
- 10 November 1517Origins of Protestantism
- 1518Dancing Plague of 1518
- 1 January 1519Origins of Reformed Christianity
- 1519Construction of Château de Chambord
- 1519Birth of Jacopo Tintoretto
- from February 1519 to August 1521Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire
- 2 May 1519Death of Leonardo da Vinci
More in Art, literature & culture
- 15th centuryConstruction of Red Square
- 1600Rise of Baroque music
- 1602Publication of Hamlet
- c. 1653The Taj Mahal is completed
- 17th centuryRise of ukiyo-e
- October 1745Publication of God Save the King
The era
This moment belongs to the Early modern world (1500 CE to 1760 CE), voyages, printing and new ideas. You can also browse everything in the 16th century.