Episode 2: Is Calvinism Biblical—or Just John Calvin?

Episode Focus: Church history, biblical theology, Reformation theology
Audience: Evangelicals, Reformed-curious listeners, Calvinism skeptics

One of the most common objections to Calvinism is not theological, but personal:
“I don’t follow Calvin—I follow Jesus.”

In Episode 2 of The Closet Calvinist Podcast, we examine whether Calvinism is simply the theology of one man, or whether it represents biblical truths taught long before John Calvin ever lived. This episode traces the doctrines of grace back to Scripture itself, showing that Calvinism rises or falls not on Calvin’s authority—but on the Bible.

Is Calvinism:

• A man-made theological system created by John Calvin?
  Or

• A biblical framework drawn directly from Scripture and affirmed throughout church history?

• Who John Calvin really was—and what he did not claim

• Why Calvin never called his theology “Calvinism”

• The role of the Protestant Reformation in recovering biblical doctrine

• How Scripture—not theologians—must govern doctrine

• Why rejecting doctrines because of a label is spiritually dangerous

• Romans 9:15–16 — Salvation depends on God’s mercy, not human will

• John 6:37, 44 — The Father gives a people to the Son

• Ephesians 1:4–5 — Chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world

• Ephesians 2:8–9 — Salvation by grace, not works

• Acts 13:48 — As many as were appointed to eternal life believed

• Augustine (4th–5th century) taught doctrines of grace long before Calvin

• The Reformation recovered biblical teaching; it did not invent it

• Calvinism is a label applied later to summarize biblical convictions

Calvinism is not about allegiance to John Calvin.
It is about submission to Scripture.

You don’t need to adopt the label “Calvinist” to believe these doctrines—but you shouldn’t reject biblical truth simply because of the label.

The ultimate question is not:
“Do I like Calvinism?”
but rather:
“Does the Bible teach these things?”