John Calvin

For a New Reformation (Afterword by R. C. Sproul)

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Pub Date Nov 26 2019 | Archive Date Nov 14 2019

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Description

Leading Reformed pastors and scholars reflect on the importance of John Calvin’s life and teaching for the church today.

Leading Reformed pastors and scholars reflect on the importance of John Calvin’s life and teaching for the church today.


A Note From the Publisher

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Advance Praise

“Thomas and Tweeddale have brought together an impressive team of sympathetic scholars to provide us with this wonderful in-depth exposition of many important aspects of Calvin’s life and teaching. The contributors to John Calvin not only highlight but also understand the profound contemporary relevance of his theological and pastoral emphases. Here is a genuine Calvinian treat! May it encourage twenty-first-century pastors and teachers—indeed, all serious Christians—to think, worship, serve, and live in the kind of dependence on God and confidence in his word that Calvin so courageously exhibited in his day.”
—Sinclair B. Ferguson, Chancellor’s Professor of Systematic Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary; Teaching Fellow, Ligonier Ministries

“If I have only one chance to influence the minds of my students with a voice from the past, I turn to John Calvin. No one marries biblical knowledge to systematic theology with an eye to Christian piety like Calvin. Unfortunately, many Christians today have never read Calvin, and their theological house is the less stable for it. Do not fear: John Calvin: For a New Reformation equips Christians to withstand the storms of theological compromise. By introducing Calvin’s theology, this book provides the church with a biblical and theological foundation that will not be shaken. Read this book, and then run to read Calvin himself. In doing so, you will discover an exegetical ally, a theological father, and a Christian friend whose life, teachings, and ministry will guide you into Christian godliness.”
—Matthew Barrett, Associate Professor of Christian Theology, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; Executive Editor, Credo Magazine; editor, Reformation Theology

“Those who think everything about John Calvin has already been said and written will be pleasantly surprised by this great book. Complete, accessible, scholarly, and highly relevant, this fine collection makes Geneva’s Reformer a companion and guide for today’s church and theology.”
—Herman Selderhuis, President, Theological University Apeldoorn, the Netherlands; Director, Refo500; President, Reformation Research Consortium

“Not all books on John Calvin are equally helpful, interesting, or valuable. This one ranks high in all three areas. The team of scholars and pastors that Thomas and Tweeddale have assembled is impressive; the accounting of Calvin’s life, ministry, and thought is both thorough and accessible; and the overall value of the essay collection is significant. For busy pastors and church leaders who wonder what John Calvin thought or how he served, this is the place to turn. For all those of us who long for a new reformation in the global church, this is the book we can return to again and again.”
—Sean Michael Lucas, Senior Pastor, Independent Presbyterian Church, Memphis, Tennessee; Chancellor’s Professor of Church History, Reformed Theological Seminary

“Tweeddale, Thomas, and their team have produced a wonderful volume that will surely be a useful companion to Calvin scholars and students alike. Well-written pages rest on piles of densely packed notes, and for newcomers to Calvin, the bibliographic essay at the book’s close is worth half the price of the book. Best of all, Calvin himself emerges as the careful scholar, complicated friend, severe pastor, and brilliant theologian that he really was.”
—Chad Van Dixhoorn, Professor of Church History, Westminster Theological Seminary; author, Confessing the Faith and God’s Ambassadors

“A comprehensive and engaging survey of Calvin’s life, theology, and pastoral practice that deserves to be read—and savored—again and again.”
—Scott M. Manetsch, Professor of Church History and the History of Christian Thought, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; author, Calvin’s Company of Pastors

“After five hundred years, the life, writings, and legacy of John Calvin continue to pose considerable challenges. How are we today to understand such an extraordinarily creative yet, in many ways, enigmatic figure whose influence on Christianity has been, and is still, enormous? From his own day to ours, this Frenchman has remained a profoundly controversial figure. These essays, rich in learning and thoughtful in approach, offer a sympathetic and accessible approach to Calvin as a theologian, churchman, and pastor, without avoiding the difficult questions. Readers will encounter the Reformer of Geneva in the full force of his character. The editors have brought together an important and fine collection of essays that interpret Calvin for our time.”
—Bruce Gordon, Titus Street Professor of Ecclesiastical History, Yale Divinity School

John Calvin: For a New Reformation bears witness to the vastly significant contributions made by the famous French Reformer, pastor, and theologian. Not only have the editors assigned topics that represent the many foci of Calvin’s thought—and they are great in both number and quality—but they have also chosen widely respected authorities to write on them. In addition, they have allotted to them a generous page limit to explore the topics in depth. This volume will whet the appetite of those who are in the initial stages of exploring Calvin and will also satisfy those who have long studied the legacy of Reformed thought.”
W. Andrew Hoffecker, Professor of Church History Emeritus, Reformed Theological Seminary

“Thomas and Tweeddale have brought together an impressive team of sympathetic scholars to provide us with this wonderful in-depth exposition of many important aspects of Calvin’s life and teaching...


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Featured Reviews

This is a comprehensive and erudite book about John Calvin. It encompasses his life, his work as a pastor and in his theology. The many -often well known- contributors write about one aspect of John Calvin. Here it is praiseworthy that often more neglected issues are dealt with, for example role of Christ, importance of Holy Spirit and role of faith among others.
Not all contributions are equally easy to understand as it is written for pastors and layperson. Nevertheless, I, as a layperson, found in each chapter something which I learned and the many citations and references to the scripture and Calvins writings make it easier. I found the book a pleasure to read. I also agree with one author that Calvin was in a sense very forward looking as he dealt with several, almost modern, issues.
This is not a book which should be read and then forgotten, it should rather be revisited again and again for deeper understanding.
I found this book enriching and the goal of the editors to have 'a primer and a resource' is amply fulfilled. Therefore, I would recommend it for any layperson who wants to deepen his/her understanding of Calvin and at the same time marvel at the intellectual might of this thinker.

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I am grateful to net galley and Crossway for an advance review copy of this book.

John Calvin is a man who continues to excite great debate amongst academics and lay people alike. This book seeks to serve as an introduction for those who dont know Calvin that well and also as a point of reference for those who do know him but want perhaps to know him a little better.

The book is able to achieve both these things, though perhaps tends towards having too much information in any one chapter rather than too little it may be a little intimidating for those who are just starting out on a journey with Calvin. Each chapter is written by a different scholar and takes a different theme in the life of Calvin from his early days to the time spent pastoring Geneva, through some of the more difficult aspects of the theology of Calvin.

On the whole i enjoyed this book and would recommend it to most people, the extensive footnotes mean that anyone who seeks more depth can easily find it whilst the person who wants to skim along the surface will leave each chapter with enough information to keep them going. All in all a good work

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I really enjoy a good biography and this one was interesting because of the role this man played in the Christian Faith.

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John Calvin by Derek H. W. Thomas is a very solid and interesting book. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to most people, the extensive footnotes mean that anyone who seeks more depth can easily find it whilst the person who wants to skim along the surface will leave each chapter with enough information to keep them going

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