[kal-vuh-niz-uh
m] 
| 1. | the doctrines and teachings of John Calvin or his followers, emphasizing predestination, the sovereignty of God, the supreme authority of the Scriptures, and the irresistibility of grace. Compare Arminianism. |
| 2. | adherence to these doctrines. |
| Cal·vin·ism (kāl'vĭ-nĭz'əm) n. The religious doctrines of John Calvin, emphasizing the omnipotence of God and the salvation of the elect by God's grace alone. Cal'vin·ist adj. & n., Cal'vin·is'tic adj., Cal'vin·is'ti·cal·ly adv. |
The religious doctrines of John Calvin. Calvin stressed that people are saved through God's grace, not through their own merits. The most famous of Calvin's ideas is his doctrine of predestination. In the United States, the Presbyterians make up the largest single group of Christians in the Calvinist tradition.