Reformed Christianity

Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed, Presbyterian, and Congregational traditions, as well as parts of the Anglican (known as "Episcopal" in some regions), Baptist and Waldensian traditions, in addition to a minority of persons belonging to the Methodist faith (who are known as Calvinistic Methodists).

Reformed theology emphasizes the authority of the Bible and the sovereignty of God, as well as covenant theology, a framework for understanding the Bible based on God's covenants with people. Reformed churches emphasize simplicity in worship. Several forms of ecclesiastical polity are exercised by Reformed churches, including presbyterian, congregational, and some episcopal. Articulated by John Calvin, the Reformed faith holds to a spiritual (pneumatic) presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper.

Emerging in the 16th century, the Reformed tradition developed over several generations, especially in Switzerland, Scotland and the Netherlands. In the 17th century, Jacobus Arminius and the Remonstrants were expelled from the Dutch Reformed Church over disputes regarding predestination and salvation, and from that time Arminians are usually considered to be a distinct tradition from the Reformed. This dispute produced the Canons of Dort, the basis for the "doctrines of grace" also known as the "five points" of Calvinism.

Calvinism influenced social, economic, and political life by promoting hard work, trade, and wealth accumulation within ethical limits, laying the groundwork for modern capitalism, especially in Northern Europe and the United States. Its emphasis on elected church elders, the priesthood of all believers, and mixed government inspired early democratic practices, separation of powers, and protections for religious minorities, shaping colonies in North America and liberal political thought in England. Calvinist-inspired reforms also advanced social causes like abolition, women’s suffrage, education, and humanitarian efforts worldwide.

The term Reformed Christianity is derived from the denomination's self designation of "Reformed Church", beginning in Switzerland and Germany, shortly thereafter followed by the Dutch Republic. Calvinism is the name derived from its most famous leader, John Calvin (born Jehan Cauvin), influential Reformation-era theologian from Geneva, Switzerland. The term was first used by opposing Lutherans in the 1550s. Calvin did not approve of the use of this term, and religious scholars have argued its use is misleading, inaccurate, unhelpful, and "inherently distortive."

The definitions and boundaries of the terms Reformed Christianity and Calvinism are contested by scholars. As a historical movement, Reformed Christianity began during the Reformation with Huldrych Zwingli in Zürich, Switzerland. Following the failure of the Marburg Colloquy between Zwingli's followers and those of Martin Luther in 1529 to mediate disputes regarding the real presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper, Zwingli's followers were defined by their opposition to Lutherans (while Lutherans affirmed a corporeal presence of Christ in the Eucharist through a sacramental union, the Reformed came to hold a real spiritual presence of Christ in the Eucharist as propunded by Calvin and Bullinger). They also opposed Anabaptist radicals thus remaining within the Magisterial Reformation. During the 17th-century Arminian Controversy, followers of Jacobus Arminius were forcibly removed from the Dutch Reformed Church for their views regarding predestination and salvation, and thenceforth Arminians would be considered outside the pale of Reformed orthodoxy, though some use the term Reformed to include Arminians while using the term Calvinist to exclude Arminians.

Reformed Christianity has historically included Anglicanism, the branch of Christianity originating in the Church of England. The Anglican confessions are considered Reformed Protestant and leaders of the Protestant Reformation in England, such as the guiding Reformer who shaped Anglican theology Thomas Cranmer, were influenced by and counted among Reformed (Calvinist) theologians. As with Lutheranism, the Church of England retained elements of Catholicism such as bishops and vestments, thus sometimes being called "but halfly Reformed" or a middle way between Lutheranism and Reformed Christianity, being closer liturgically to the former and theologically aligned with the latter. Beginning in the 17th century, Anglicanism broadened to the extent that Reformed theology is no longer the sole dominant theology of Anglicanism.

Some scholars argue that the Particular Baptist (Reformed Baptist) strand of the Baptist tradition, who hold many of the same beliefs as Reformed Christians but not infant baptism, as expressed in the Second London Confession of Faith of 1689, should be considered part of Reformed Christianity, though this might not have been the view of early Reformed theologians. Others disagree, asserting that any type of Baptist should be considered separate from the Reformed branch of Christianity.