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Calvinism: A History
The first single-volume history of Reformed Protestantism from its sixteenth-century origins to the present
This briskly told history of Reformed Protestantism takes these churches through their entire 500-year history—from sixteenth-century Zurich and Geneva to modern locations as far flung as Seoul and São Paulo. D. G. Hart explores specifically the social and political developments that enabled Calvinism to establish a global presence.
Hart’s approach features significant episodes in the institutional history of Calvinism that are responsible for its contemporary profile. He traces the political and religious circumstances that first created space for Reformed churches in Europe and later contributed to Calvinism’s expansion around the world. He discusses the effects of the American and French Revolutions on ecclesiastical establishments as well as nineteenth- and twentieth-century communions, particularly in Scotland, the Netherlands, the United States, and Germany, that directly challenged church dependence on the state. Raising important questions about secularization, religious freedom, privatization of faith, and the place of religion in public life, this book will appeal not only to readers with interests in the history of religion but also in the role of religion in political and social life today.
This briskly told history of Reformed Protestantism takes these churches through their entire 500-year history—from sixteenth-century Zurich and Geneva to modern locations as far flung as Seoul and São Paulo. D. G. Hart explores specifically the social and political developments that enabled Calvinism to establish a global presence.
Hart’s approach features significant episodes in the institutional history of Calvinism that are responsible for its contemporary profile. He traces the political and religious circumstances that first created space for Reformed churches in Europe and later contributed to Calvinism’s expansion around the world. He discusses the effects of the American and French Revolutions on ecclesiastical establishments as well as nineteenth- and twentieth-century communions, particularly in Scotland, the Netherlands, the United States, and Germany, that directly challenged church dependence on the state. Raising important questions about secularization, religious freedom, privatization of faith, and the place of religion in public life, this book will appeal not only to readers with interests in the history of religion but also in the role of religion in political and social life today.
339 pages, Hardcover
First published May 30, 2013
18 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
About the author
D.G. Hart
36 books31 followersDarryl G. Hart (Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University) directs the honors programs and faculty development at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute and serves Westminster Seminary California as adjunct professor of church history. He has written or edited more than fifteen books, including Defending the Faith, a biography of J. Gresham Machen. He is coeditor of the American Reformed Biographies series.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 19, 2021
My only disappointment was the failure to more fully engage the 20th century history of the southern Presbyterian Church.
February 17, 2014
First things first: this book needs an editor. I saw some words spelled three different ways, including two different ways on one page. Some things I think even a spellchecker would catch were not caught. I knew this was going to be annoying when on page 3 he wrote that Philip "was married to Mary Tudor and become King of England for a brief period (1553-58)." Uhh, no. Marrying the queen don't make you king, buddy, or else we'd have a King Philip now, too.
That said, a good history of calvinism. I'm always depressed by how little most Reformed and Presbyterians know about their history. This book traces both branches. All the convolutions over the years in Scotland and the Netherlands get a little hard to follow, but they're good to know.
I didn't think he spent enough time on the 20th century, but Hart did write a 350 page book on American presbyterianism that I have and aim to read, so that might fill in the gaps.
Where he really shines is his understanding of Calvin, Zwingli, and their contemporaries and immediate successors. Those first few chapters were worth the price of the book (except it was a gift--thanks ALCE!).
That said, a good history of calvinism. I'm always depressed by how little most Reformed and Presbyterians know about their history. This book traces both branches. All the convolutions over the years in Scotland and the Netherlands get a little hard to follow, but they're good to know.
I didn't think he spent enough time on the 20th century, but Hart did write a 350 page book on American presbyterianism that I have and aim to read, so that might fill in the gaps.
Where he really shines is his understanding of Calvin, Zwingli, and their contemporaries and immediate successors. Those first few chapters were worth the price of the book (except it was a gift--thanks ALCE!).
November 9, 2013
I was hoping this book would include the development of the doctrines and theology of Calvinism. What this book covers is the history of the people and institutions associated with Calvinism. Being of Dutch descent and Calvinist roots, I did read the book. I found interesting facts, such as that the Netherlands produced more martyrs for the Protestant cause than any other European nation.
If you are looking for a history involving only the people and institutions of Calvinism, this is the book for you. If you are looking for the actual development of the theology, you will have to look elsewhere. See my full review at http://bit.ly/18h01RH.
If you are looking for a history involving only the people and institutions of Calvinism, this is the book for you. If you are looking for the actual development of the theology, you will have to look elsewhere. See my full review at http://bit.ly/18h01RH.
June 5, 2016
Much more narrative than I expected (which is good). A bit less accuracy in places than I expected (which is not so good). But this is both an enjoyable and highly informative read. If you're looking for a fine introduction to the beginning and growth of the Reformed Churches worldwide this is a good place to start. I particularly liked that he interacted a bit with Jenkin's work on 'The New Christendom'.
Liked it a lot.
Liked it a lot.
October 4, 2016
A very nice history of Calvinism from a more "magisterium" angle, exploring the development of Reformed churches and confessions in continental Europe, British isles, and America. There are some glimmering chapters (notable: chapters on early Reformed confessions, the success of the Dutch, and Barth's curious relationship to American presbyterianism), but also some portions that required a bit of slogging.
November 4, 2016
Review title: Dogmatic dialectic, redefined
Dogma (the categorical statement of principles) defines the persona of John Calvin in today's world. But after Luther shattered the hegemony of the Catholic Church, Calvin was just the most prominent of several theologians whose newly emboldened consciences splintered the protestants into new denominations and disciplines. The variety (and sameness) of the confessions of these new groups would be worthy of a study in their own right:
Heidelberg Catechism
Concensus Tigurinus
Nadere Reformatie
Augsburg Confession (1530)
Tetrapolitan Confession (1530)
Basel Confession (1534)
First Helvetic Confession (1536)
Saxony Confession (1551)
Wirtemberg Confession (1552)
Gallican (1559)
Belgic Confession (1561)
The Thirty-nine Articles (1562)
Second Helvetic Confession (1566)
Bohemian Confession (1573)
Dort Five Points of Calvinism (1618)
Finally, a Harmony of Confessions (1581) tried to reconcile the mess (p. 75 for list of most of the confessions and dates) . Much of the variety centered on food--what is allowable to congregants, and the spiritual and physical composition and effectiveness of the Lord's Supper. While the reconciliation failed (witness the dozens of Protestant denominations active today 500 years later), the attempt was vital to rally congregations and explain beliefs to politic leaders who might be called on to execute, defend, or at least tolerate them.
Hart has documented the history of Calvin's impact on Protestant Christianity and the world it faced. For a book entitled "Calvinism", surprisingly and disappointingly little time is spent documenting Calvin's life and beliefs and those of his followers who took on the name. Essentially this is a history of Protestant sects that were not Lutheran, Anglican, or Anabaptist, which seems both broader and less focused than an account of the narrow subset of those who hold to Calvin's Five Points: total depravity of man, unconditional election by God, limited atonement of humanity, irresistible grace of God, and preservation of the saints (eternal security). In practice, the fundamentals formed a dialectic between a very personal faith looking inward for conversion and a dogmatic public church depending on or shaping the culture and governments of its sources first in Europe, then spreading to England, the North American colonies, and around the world through emigration and missionary zeal.
The "second generation" of Calvinism moved beyond the statement of first principles even though it did not consolidate those into a single Protestant confession or denomination, consolidating political gains in its European roots and spreading branches into new worlds in the 17th century. North America proved a haven for Puritans seeking opportunities to build their ideal congregation, amidst the growing realization that establishment of a single City on a Hill was unlikely to occur and that the vast wilderness of their new home provided room to grow and practice beliefs separately.
But with the "third generation" of Calvinism and the religious revivalism of the mid-18th century characterized by Jonathan Edwards and George Whitfield, Calvinism began to adopt these imperatives for personal piety combined with a focus on personal spiritual conversion and a turn away from denominational dependence on political protection which was so important for the first generation. When the next generation exported this Christian devotion abroad via missionary efforts in the 19th century, the focus was on individual conversion and church planting by native speakers and leaders, "an odd legacy for Calvinism," writes Hart, ignoring its history of efforts to "reform church teaching, worship, and government." (p. 181)
Finally, in the 20th century and beyond, the struggles with National Socialism in Germany and the defense of the faith in the face of science, cultural and moral decline, and corruption both in government and the church forced yet a new redefinition of the Calvinist dialectic. Hart focuses especially on the theology of J. Gresham Machen and Karl Barth as they turned the church back to understanding its mission as spiritual, not political or social, in service to God.
I was disappointed with some of Calvinism, hoping for more background on Calvin at the beginning and more focus on the American history of fundamentalism in the 20th century and its struggles between spiritual and social relevance at the end. The chapters on 17th and 18th century events in Europe are tough sledding through obscure controversies and difficult to follow groupings of churches, denominational organizations, and governments. But the whole is serviceable, and Hart provides what he set out to do. One way I judge a book like this is by the further reading it spurs me to add to my wish list, and coming out of Calvinism I will look for comparative studies of the early Protestant confessions, Machen's book "Christianity and Liberalism", and writing by and about Barth. So use this book to level set the ground for your understanding of Calvinism and find further reading for your own dogma, dialectic, or redefinition.
Dogma (the categorical statement of principles) defines the persona of John Calvin in today's world. But after Luther shattered the hegemony of the Catholic Church, Calvin was just the most prominent of several theologians whose newly emboldened consciences splintered the protestants into new denominations and disciplines. The variety (and sameness) of the confessions of these new groups would be worthy of a study in their own right:
Heidelberg Catechism
Concensus Tigurinus
Nadere Reformatie
Augsburg Confession (1530)
Tetrapolitan Confession (1530)
Basel Confession (1534)
First Helvetic Confession (1536)
Saxony Confession (1551)
Wirtemberg Confession (1552)
Gallican (1559)
Belgic Confession (1561)
The Thirty-nine Articles (1562)
Second Helvetic Confession (1566)
Bohemian Confession (1573)
Dort Five Points of Calvinism (1618)
Finally, a Harmony of Confessions (1581) tried to reconcile the mess (p. 75 for list of most of the confessions and dates) . Much of the variety centered on food--what is allowable to congregants, and the spiritual and physical composition and effectiveness of the Lord's Supper. While the reconciliation failed (witness the dozens of Protestant denominations active today 500 years later), the attempt was vital to rally congregations and explain beliefs to politic leaders who might be called on to execute, defend, or at least tolerate them.
Hart has documented the history of Calvin's impact on Protestant Christianity and the world it faced. For a book entitled "Calvinism", surprisingly and disappointingly little time is spent documenting Calvin's life and beliefs and those of his followers who took on the name. Essentially this is a history of Protestant sects that were not Lutheran, Anglican, or Anabaptist, which seems both broader and less focused than an account of the narrow subset of those who hold to Calvin's Five Points: total depravity of man, unconditional election by God, limited atonement of humanity, irresistible grace of God, and preservation of the saints (eternal security). In practice, the fundamentals formed a dialectic between a very personal faith looking inward for conversion and a dogmatic public church depending on or shaping the culture and governments of its sources first in Europe, then spreading to England, the North American colonies, and around the world through emigration and missionary zeal.
The "second generation" of Calvinism moved beyond the statement of first principles even though it did not consolidate those into a single Protestant confession or denomination, consolidating political gains in its European roots and spreading branches into new worlds in the 17th century. North America proved a haven for Puritans seeking opportunities to build their ideal congregation, amidst the growing realization that establishment of a single City on a Hill was unlikely to occur and that the vast wilderness of their new home provided room to grow and practice beliefs separately.
But with the "third generation" of Calvinism and the religious revivalism of the mid-18th century characterized by Jonathan Edwards and George Whitfield, Calvinism began to adopt these imperatives for personal piety combined with a focus on personal spiritual conversion and a turn away from denominational dependence on political protection which was so important for the first generation. When the next generation exported this Christian devotion abroad via missionary efforts in the 19th century, the focus was on individual conversion and church planting by native speakers and leaders, "an odd legacy for Calvinism," writes Hart, ignoring its history of efforts to "reform church teaching, worship, and government." (p. 181)
Finally, in the 20th century and beyond, the struggles with National Socialism in Germany and the defense of the faith in the face of science, cultural and moral decline, and corruption both in government and the church forced yet a new redefinition of the Calvinist dialectic. Hart focuses especially on the theology of J. Gresham Machen and Karl Barth as they turned the church back to understanding its mission as spiritual, not political or social, in service to God.
I was disappointed with some of Calvinism, hoping for more background on Calvin at the beginning and more focus on the American history of fundamentalism in the 20th century and its struggles between spiritual and social relevance at the end. The chapters on 17th and 18th century events in Europe are tough sledding through obscure controversies and difficult to follow groupings of churches, denominational organizations, and governments. But the whole is serviceable, and Hart provides what he set out to do. One way I judge a book like this is by the further reading it spurs me to add to my wish list, and coming out of Calvinism I will look for comparative studies of the early Protestant confessions, Machen's book "Christianity and Liberalism", and writing by and about Barth. So use this book to level set the ground for your understanding of Calvinism and find further reading for your own dogma, dialectic, or redefinition.
April 15, 2022
A lot of historical detail on the history of Calvinism. So the title is correct. I was hoping for more of a theological summary, but this one is more on the actual history in various countries across Europe and moving into North America. Not sure I would recommend it unless you're taking a course or something like that as its detail may not be of interest to all readers.
January 8, 2017
It was Bishop John Aylmer in his 1559 book An Harborowe for Faithfull and Trewe Subjects who identified the English roots of the Reformation he wrote: “Wycliffe begat Hus, who begat Luther”. Sadly, this Englishness of the Reformation is neglected in Hart.
Hart looks at how Calvinism has become a global faith (xii). He identifies three phases:
1. Calvinism took root in settings where church reform was tethered to efforts to establish political autonomy.
2. Calvinists adopted new models for extending their beliefs; and
3. Adjusted to the rise of secular political orders prompted by the 18th century.
Calvinism was most dominant in Switzerland, the German-speaking Palatinate, the Dutch Republic and Scotland. So, inevitably these geographical areas then have the most words. However, only a few pages are devoted to the English scene (primarily pp 35-41, 83-90). At least McNeill in his History and Character of Calvinism had a chapter on England and Ireland. David Creamans’s Reception of Calvinism in England - surprisingly absent from Hart’s bibliography - would fill in some of the gaps. Sadly, though, we still wait for the definitive history of Calvinism in England.
Hart’s take on the English Puritans is interesting and worth further investigation. Their emphasis on personal holiness and pursuit of a “vein of introspective piety” replaced the “zeal for a thoroughly reformed church” (p 84). He claims that it was then responsible for the “unintended consequence” of a “high-church sacramental Anglican reaction” (p 85). This may well explain why Jim Packer wasn't asked to write a Foreword! Here perhaps in Puritainism are the roots of a privatisation of the gospel.
Despite the title this book is more a history of Presbyterianism than Calvinism. Perhaps Hart thinks that Presbyterianism is Calvinism? Which would explain the lack of Anglican or Baptist emphases in the book. The gaps are easy to identify - Carl Trueman has already mentioned the lack of Baptists and Steven Wedgworth has highlighted the injustice done to Anglicans. There is no mention of Henry Atherton and the Sovereign Grace Union or D. Martyn Lloyd Jones his Calvinistic Methodist roots. Despite concentrating on Presbyterianism there is no mention of the formation of the URC in 1972 from the Presbyterian Church of England and the Congregational Church in England and Wales or even Thomas Cartwright, one of the first English Presbyterians. Or if we go more up to date there is no mention of the aberration of Calvinism that is New Calvinism (perhaps justly so). Of course, to include all of these (and more) would probably mean that a separate volume would be needed for each country and that is not Hart’s aim. This is intended to be global and an overview - and as such it works.
Rather that the Diet of Worms it seems the Reformation started with another diet: sausage eating (in 1522)! And this is where Hart begins his narrative. He is correct that “Reformed Christianity existed before Calvin became a Protestant, and so calling the churches to which he belonged Calvinistic is anachronistic” (p 20). The story then finishes with a look at the geography of global Calvinism in the 21st century.
Sadly, there is a lack of footnotes - and the notes are few (8 pages) - so we are left to guess where some of the information has come from. There is however, a useful “Further reading” section.
Hart concludes with: “If it is not responsible for the blessings of democracy, liberty, and prosperity, in its own way Calvinism’s history qualifies as remarkable” (p 304). This book too qualifies as being remarkable in that Hart has been able to survey the complicated global history of Calvinism in less than 350 pages.
Hart looks at how Calvinism has become a global faith (xii). He identifies three phases:
1. Calvinism took root in settings where church reform was tethered to efforts to establish political autonomy.
2. Calvinists adopted new models for extending their beliefs; and
3. Adjusted to the rise of secular political orders prompted by the 18th century.
Calvinism was most dominant in Switzerland, the German-speaking Palatinate, the Dutch Republic and Scotland. So, inevitably these geographical areas then have the most words. However, only a few pages are devoted to the English scene (primarily pp 35-41, 83-90). At least McNeill in his History and Character of Calvinism had a chapter on England and Ireland. David Creamans’s Reception of Calvinism in England - surprisingly absent from Hart’s bibliography - would fill in some of the gaps. Sadly, though, we still wait for the definitive history of Calvinism in England.
Hart’s take on the English Puritans is interesting and worth further investigation. Their emphasis on personal holiness and pursuit of a “vein of introspective piety” replaced the “zeal for a thoroughly reformed church” (p 84). He claims that it was then responsible for the “unintended consequence” of a “high-church sacramental Anglican reaction” (p 85). This may well explain why Jim Packer wasn't asked to write a Foreword! Here perhaps in Puritainism are the roots of a privatisation of the gospel.
Despite the title this book is more a history of Presbyterianism than Calvinism. Perhaps Hart thinks that Presbyterianism is Calvinism? Which would explain the lack of Anglican or Baptist emphases in the book. The gaps are easy to identify - Carl Trueman has already mentioned the lack of Baptists and Steven Wedgworth has highlighted the injustice done to Anglicans. There is no mention of Henry Atherton and the Sovereign Grace Union or D. Martyn Lloyd Jones his Calvinistic Methodist roots. Despite concentrating on Presbyterianism there is no mention of the formation of the URC in 1972 from the Presbyterian Church of England and the Congregational Church in England and Wales or even Thomas Cartwright, one of the first English Presbyterians. Or if we go more up to date there is no mention of the aberration of Calvinism that is New Calvinism (perhaps justly so). Of course, to include all of these (and more) would probably mean that a separate volume would be needed for each country and that is not Hart’s aim. This is intended to be global and an overview - and as such it works.
Rather that the Diet of Worms it seems the Reformation started with another diet: sausage eating (in 1522)! And this is where Hart begins his narrative. He is correct that “Reformed Christianity existed before Calvin became a Protestant, and so calling the churches to which he belonged Calvinistic is anachronistic” (p 20). The story then finishes with a look at the geography of global Calvinism in the 21st century.
Sadly, there is a lack of footnotes - and the notes are few (8 pages) - so we are left to guess where some of the information has come from. There is however, a useful “Further reading” section.
Hart concludes with: “If it is not responsible for the blessings of democracy, liberty, and prosperity, in its own way Calvinism’s history qualifies as remarkable” (p 304). This book too qualifies as being remarkable in that Hart has been able to survey the complicated global history of Calvinism in less than 350 pages.
October 6, 2023
It’s hard to overstate how good this book is. I’ve enjoyed other books by Hart, but this is really on a different level. It is both masterful scholarship and incredibly accessible. As other Reformed Protestants know, the history of splits, mergers, followed by more splits can be indiscernible at times. Not to mention the breadth of Reformed orthodoxy and all the various projects of retrieval throughout the years and from various contexts. But Hart presents a narrative that is easy to follow and rarely misses a thing.
The main takeaway, I think, is to remember how dependent Calvinistic expressions of Protestantism were on political realities. It’s easy to criticize Christendom now but the simple fact is there would be no Protestant churches if magistrates in Switzerland, Germany, and England didn’t protect Reformation leaders. Over time, new political realities led to new developments, even embracing voluntarism—sometimes when there was no other option left. And of course, how different Calvinism looked in Europe where establishment was the norm compared to America and other colonial contexts where there was no such expectation.
The best histories inspire humility. One will put down Calvinism: A History appreciating the faith of many of its torchbearers and thankful for their commitment to the doctrines they held so dear. These were more then mere intellectual dictums—they sustained the faithful through persecution in France, war in Scotland, and the rugged terrain in New England. It inspired great institutions in the Netherlands and transformed Korea. May we too have the faith to press on in our times, committed to our Reformed heritage and with confidence in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The main takeaway, I think, is to remember how dependent Calvinistic expressions of Protestantism were on political realities. It’s easy to criticize Christendom now but the simple fact is there would be no Protestant churches if magistrates in Switzerland, Germany, and England didn’t protect Reformation leaders. Over time, new political realities led to new developments, even embracing voluntarism—sometimes when there was no other option left. And of course, how different Calvinism looked in Europe where establishment was the norm compared to America and other colonial contexts where there was no such expectation.
The best histories inspire humility. One will put down Calvinism: A History appreciating the faith of many of its torchbearers and thankful for their commitment to the doctrines they held so dear. These were more then mere intellectual dictums—they sustained the faithful through persecution in France, war in Scotland, and the rugged terrain in New England. It inspired great institutions in the Netherlands and transformed Korea. May we too have the faith to press on in our times, committed to our Reformed heritage and with confidence in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
January 17, 2014
A fantastic survey that will give the reader a basic understanding of the history of the Reformed Faith (for Hart seems to take "calvinism" as the original, all-encompassing term, rather than the present usage as a synonym for monergistic). Hart also avoids the temptation of only telling the large and successful stories of the Reformed faith, but also speaks of some names and places that are often neglected, such as the anti-Trinitarian controversies in Poland or the sad story of the Huguenots in France. As previously mentioned, I'm glad that Hart wrote this history around those groups who hold to (nearly) all of Calvin's system, such as ecclesiology and covenant theology, not simply monergistic soteriology. Overall a really good read. The only point where the book suffers is with Hart's (apparent) opposition to thesis statements. The overall thesis statement is clear enough, that the reformed faith often hinges on small and unknown pastors in remote parts of the globe, as well as political shifts of power. But within chapters, these boundaries are not so well defined. Hart also has some odd writing practices (such as a tendency to repeat sentence formulas). Overall though, a book well worth reading.
February 11, 2016
Darryl Hart has written a wide ranging history of Calvinism that is broadly readable even if you get lost sometimes in the web of details that he has woven. I was appreciative of the breadth of nations surveyed and figures accounted for. Some online reviews have picked up on various key figures who are omitted and I think that's a fair criticism when you take into account some of the trails Hart takes us on to fairly esoteric moments in Reformed history while omitting some key movements (particularly the English particular baptists)
It's a good orientation to Calvinism worthy of four stars
It's a good orientation to Calvinism worthy of four stars
June 3, 2014
This is a good, not great, book. Hart seems to have the reputation as a gadfly, a curmudgeon, and this book bears that out. It is they way he writes, what he presents and what he ignores.
There is much good information and some fair analysis of events.
I suppose I had higher expectations, based on his previous works.
There is much good information and some fair analysis of events.
I suppose I had higher expectations, based on his previous works.
June 30, 2016
Darryl writes with a edge and with vigor. The account of his version of Calvinism's history is well researched. Much appreciated is the point that it's growth was also spurred on by political and economic realities.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews