News and Notes

News and Commentary from the Who2 Staff

Friday, July 10, 2009

John Calvin Was Not Named John Calvin

He was born Jean Cauvin, a Frenchman from Noyon. He was classically educated and wrote in the learned language of the day, Latin. The practice of the time was to use a Latinate form for the author’s name, so his Latin works were attributed to Johannes Calvinus. When these Latin works were then translated into English, the Latin name was Anglicized, leaving us with John Calvin.

Labels: John Calvin

Posted by Mr. Holznagel at 2:59 PM Share on Facebook