Final answer:
John Calvin was born in France and trained as a lawyer before becoming a key figure in the Protestant Reformation and popularizing Calvinism, which emphasized predestination.
Step-by-step explanation:
John Calvin was born in France and was originally trained as a lawyer. Calvin, a key figure in the Protestant Reformation, fled to Geneva, Switzerland due to persecution for his Protestant beliefs. In Geneva, he became a pivotal religious leader and developed his theology, which emphasized the concept of predestination. This theological stance asserted that God had predetermined which souls would be saved and which condemned. Calvin's teachings, which advocated for a strict moral conduct and a community governed by the interpretations of the Bible, gave birth to Calvinism. It rapidly influenced various regions, including the Netherlands, Scotland, and France.