Calvin: A Brief Guide to His Life and Thought

by Van't Spijker, Willem

• ISBN13: 9780664232252
• ISBN10: 0664232256
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-02-02
• Publisher: Westminster John Knox Pr

Summary

John Calvin (1509-1564) was one of the main Protestant Reformers of the sixteenth century. His thought spread worldwide, and today he is still looked to for theological insights and as a guide to Christian faith by millions of people. In this book, one of the world's leading Calvin scholars, Willem van 't Spijker, provides a compact guide to Calvin's life and the main elements of his thought. Van 't Spijker bases this work on the best contemporary scholarship. By tracing Calvin's influence, he shows both the development of Calvin's thought and the ways in which it was important in his time and later. This book will be an excellent introduction to Calvin's life and thought for both beginning students and those already acquainted with Calvin's work.

Author Biography

Willem Van 'T Spijker is one of today's leading John Calvin scholars. He is the author of numerous books and served as a theological professor at the Theological University of Apeldoom in the Netherlands.

Table of Contents

Translator's Acknowledgments	p. ix
Abbreviations	p. x
France at the Beginning of the Sixteenth Century	p. 1
The Political Situation	p. 1
Crown and Church	p. 2
Religious Humanism and the Evangelical Movement	p. 5
Chapter Bibliography	p. 8
Calvin's Early Development	p. 10
Preparatory Education	p. 10
A Dedicated Student	p. 12
"The Die Is Cast"	p. 15
Chapter Bibliography	p. 16
Calvin's Conversion	p. 18
"Sudden Conversion" (subita conversio)	p. 19
The Events in Paris	p. 21
Via Media	p. 22
Chapter Bibliography	p. 24
The Institutes of the Christian Religion	p. 25
Basel	p. 26
First Edition of the Institutes (1536)	p. 28
Reproduction and Transformation	p. 30
Church and Sacrament	p. 31
Letters from Ferrara	p. 34
Chapter Bibliography	p. 35
Geneva, 1536-1538	p. 37
Background	p. 37
The Significance of the Alliance	p. 38
Breakthrough of the Reformation	p. 40
Chaos	p. 42
Church Order and Catechism	p. 44
Pierre Caroli	p. 46
Sharp Differences	p. 47
Chapter Bibliography	p. 49
Strasbourg, 1538-1541	p. 51
Background	p. 51
Bucer and the Parish Wardens	p. 52
Preaching and Pastoral Care among the French Refugees	p. 55
Exegetical Activity	p. 57
The 1539 Institutes	p. 58
Treatise on the Lord's Supper	p. 59
Hagenau, Worms, and Regensburg	p. 61
Marriage	p. 62
Connection with Geneva	p. 62
Return to Geneva	p. 63
Chapter Bibliography	p. 65
Geneva, 1541-1546: Organization	p. 68
The Four Offices	p. 69
Compagnie des pasteurs	p. 70
The Elder	p. 71
Tension between Magistracy and Consistory	p. 72
Catechesis and Liturgics	p. 75
The Correlation between Doctrina and Disciplina	p. 77
Sebastian Castellio	p. 80
Chapter Bibliography	p. 81
Geneva, 1546-1555: Crisis	p. 84
Pierre Ameaux	p. 84
Challenge to Church Authority	p. 85
Baptismal Names	p. 87
Tensions and Threats	p. 89
Hieronymus Bolsec	p. 90
Jean Trolliet	p. 92
Michael Servetus	p. 94
Calvin's Role in the Conviction of Servetus	p. 94
Controversy over the Independent Authority of the Church	p. 99
Ouster of the Libertines	p. 101
Chapter Bibliography	p. 102
Geneva, 1555-1564: Consolidation	p. 104
Relationship with Bern	p. 104
Calvin's Influence on the City	p. 106
The Academy	p. 108
The 1559 Institutes	p. 111
The Church at the Center	p. 114
Relationship with Rome	p. 116
Relationship with the Zwinglians and Lutherans: The Lord's Supper	p. 118
Calvin's Vision of the Unity of the Church	p. 121
The End of Calvin's Life	p. 123
Chapter Bibliography	p. 124
Contours of Calvin's Theology	p. 127
Aversion to Scholastic Theology	p. 127
Erasmus, Luther, and Bucer	p. 129
Different Approaches, Same Message	p. 131
Word and Spirit	p. 133
Grace	p. 136
Election	p. 139
The Church as Communion with Christ	p. 140
Corpus Christi and Corpus Christianum	p. 142
Chapter Bibliography	p. 143
Calvin's Influence	p. 148
The Church of Geneva as a Model	p. 148
Correspondence	p. 150
Dedications	p. 151
Confessio Gallicana	p. 155
Discipline ecclesiastique	p. 156
The Netherlands	p. 158
Scotland	p. 160
England	p. 162
The Palatinate	p. 163
Heidelberg	p. 164
Calvinism: Unity in Diversity	p. 165
Chapter Bibliography	p. 167
Select General Bibliography	p. 173
Index	p. 177
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