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If you are Reformed, you probably know something about John Calvin. He is widely recognized as the author of the Institutes of Christian Religion (1536, 1559), and as the leader of the Reformed wing of the Reformation (in contrast to Martin Luther’s Lutheran wing). He was born in Noyon, France on July 10, 1509. Today is his birthday, and thus, Log College Press is celebrating with select resources about the man and his theology. Consider these works for an in-depth study of the man and his legacy.
John Bailey Adger, Calvin and Servetus; and Calvin’s Doctrine of the Lord’s Supper;
Louis FitzGerald Benson, John Calvin and the Psalmody of the Reformed Churches;
William Maxwell Blackburn, The College Days of Calvin; and Young Calvin in Paris;
Charles Eugene Edwards, Calvin on Infant Salvation;
William Morrison Engles, An Introduction to Calvin’s Institutes;
Thomas Cary Johnson, John Calvin and the Genevan Reformation; and Calvin’s Contribution to Church Polity;
Nathaniel Smyth McFetridge, Calvinism in History;
Henry Collin Minton, John Calvin, Lawyer; and Calvin the Theologian;
Samuel Leslie Morris, The Relation of Calvin and Calvinism to Missions;
Presbyterian Church in the United States, Calvin Memorial Addresses;
Richard Clark Reed, Calvin’s Contribution to the Reformation;
David Schley Schaff, Martin Luther and John Calvin, Church Reformers;
Philip Schaff, Calvin’s Life and Labors;
Thomas Smyth, Calvin and His Enemies;
John Weldon Stagg, Three Maligned Theologians: John Calvin, William Twisse and Jonathan Edwards; and Calvin’s Traducers, Who They Were and What They Thought;
Geerhardus Vos, Calvin and Common Grace (translation of Herman Bavinck);
Benjamin Breckinridge Warfield, Calvin’s Knowledge of the Doctrine of God; Calvin’s Doctrine of the Creation; The Literary History of the Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin; John Calvin: The Man and His Work; Calvin’s Doctrine of the Trinity; Music in the Work of Calvin (translation of Émile Doumergue); Calvin’s Doctrine of God;
Robert Alexander Webb, Calvin’s Doctrine of Infant Salvation; and
Julia McNair Wright, John Calvin.
As Calvin would say,
I have always been exceedingly delighted with the words of Chrysostom, “The foundation of our philosophy is humility;” and still more with those of Augustine, “As the orator, when asked, What is the first precept in eloquence? answered, Delivery: What is the second? Delivery: What the third? Delivery: so, if you ask me in regard to the precepts of the Christian Religion, I will answer, first, second, and third, Humility (Institutes 2.2.11).
As Reformed Christians, we do not exalt Calvin beyond measure, but we are thankful for the grace of God that accomplished so much good in his life. He was a very humble man, and that is seen in the writings referenced above which explore his life and many contributions to the world, and to the kingdom of God. We remember a good man today who was born over 500 years ago.
