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John Calvin: A biography
John Calvin was one of the most important leaders of the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation. In this revision of his major biography, T. H. L. Parker explores Calvin's achievement against the backdrop of the turbulent times in which he lived. With clear and concise explanations of Calvin's theology, analyses of his major works, and insights into his preaching, this definitive biography brings this crucially important reformer and his world to life for readers.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1975
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
April 1, 2009
A poorish biography of a person who was interesting enough to keep me reading until the end. For someone who exercised such a remarkable influence in his time and since, the author gives very little sense of Calvin's character, his voluminous writings (style or content), or his overall philosophy/theology; he provides lots of details about when he was where and who else was there at the time, without giving the reader much guidance on the broader picture. I learned just enough to make me curious to know more.
September 11, 2021
This book is for some one who wants to deepen and be inspired to deepen their understanding of the biblical Scriptures.
Parker is the gold standard on John Calvin’s life. This work gives a genuinely accurate portrayal of Calvin from his own letters and deepens the readers understanding of Calvin’s charactered humility, ferocity, orderliness, pastoral care, and academic mind. To my disliking, there are a few instances Parker fails to translate some French phrases from Calvin’s letters. But this is an excellent and inspiring read!
Furthermore, this work humanizes Calvin by sharing some of his failures to be impatient with colleagues and community members. I can now more clearly see why Calvin is heralded as one of the Reformation Fathers and can identify a few misconceptions of his reputation in broader evangelicalism.
Parker is the gold standard on John Calvin’s life. This work gives a genuinely accurate portrayal of Calvin from his own letters and deepens the readers understanding of Calvin’s charactered humility, ferocity, orderliness, pastoral care, and academic mind. To my disliking, there are a few instances Parker fails to translate some French phrases from Calvin’s letters. But this is an excellent and inspiring read!
Furthermore, this work humanizes Calvin by sharing some of his failures to be impatient with colleagues and community members. I can now more clearly see why Calvin is heralded as one of the Reformation Fathers and can identify a few misconceptions of his reputation in broader evangelicalism.
August 19, 2021
Great biography. The account of Calvin and Servetus is very helpful and demonstrates the reality that Calvin was not the "Tyrant of Geneva" that he has come to be seen as in popular thought. Recommended!
August 30, 2011
A good solid intermediate biography on Calvin. I especially enjoyed the section on Servetus and Calvin's letters. There was at times too much untranslated French and Latin, but other than that a really good book.
October 17, 2025
There are many great biographies on Calvin. I would recommend the one by Bruce Corden. But this one is a much simpler and zeroed in. It does not just say this happened then this happened. It seeks to zero in on what has often been neglected about him. It shows how Calvin‘s influences at a younger age helped him develop his methods. His love for philosophy. Why he would harp so much on true faith lived out. I especially enjoyed that much. Attention is given to his friendship with Farel. It talks about why even with so many capable ministers during the time Calvin is the one raised up. And even seeks to help us understand why Calvin‘s lasting influence shines brighter than Luther. He places a heavy emphasis on ecclesiology extra insight is given on surveys. I do wish that more have been given to his steadfastness in death and his medical ailments. However, I have not read something so good in quite a while.
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December 12, 2025Purchased for me by Clark, to convince me Calvin was a religious tyrant. This was the wrong bio to pick for that. Even I thought it handled Calvin gently.
Great exposition of his theology, much of which was meant to ground the Reformation church in the small-c catholic church.
It’s an uphill battle to keep names and places straight, but then it’s all the more noteworthy when a bio does that well. Unfortunately, this is not one of those books. This book shines when detailing Calvin’s thought, preaching and death, as well as Servetus’ execution, but the depiction of the other parts of his life felt hurried in comparison. In certain respects, I wish this book were longer.
Great exposition of his theology, much of which was meant to ground the Reformation church in the small-c catholic church.
It’s an uphill battle to keep names and places straight, but then it’s all the more noteworthy when a bio does that well. Unfortunately, this is not one of those books. This book shines when detailing Calvin’s thought, preaching and death, as well as Servetus’ execution, but the depiction of the other parts of his life felt hurried in comparison. In certain respects, I wish this book were longer.
January 1, 2018
It was fine. Mildly full of himself and couldn't be bothered to write with standard, academic gender neutrality in 2006. At times preachy, and the writing style is a bit stilted and off-putting, which is unfortunate for a narrative text. In a biography, I always hope for a sympathetic, intimate portrayal without hero worship. This is admittedly a hard balance to strike, and I shouldn't be surprised that an academic historian asked to fill a gap in the literature didn't get there for me. I wish I could find something better.
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April 16, 2022I'm not quite sure what to say of this; I'd heard very good things but I'm left quite disappointed.
If you're looking for scholarly work on the chronology of Calvin's life it's a solid entry.
BUT... If you're looking for an inspiring read steer clear - most of this is drier than dry.
AND... If you're looking for an accurate summary of Calvin's thought... steer clear, the author makes a heroic effort to summarise the key areas of Calvin's thinking but it is shaped/seriously distorted by his own views.
If you're looking for scholarly work on the chronology of Calvin's life it's a solid entry.
BUT... If you're looking for an inspiring read steer clear - most of this is drier than dry.
AND... If you're looking for an accurate summary of Calvin's thought... steer clear, the author makes a heroic effort to summarise the key areas of Calvin's thinking but it is shaped/seriously distorted by his own views.
July 3, 2024
I found this book to be rather dry and somewhat hard to follow. Some of that is simply that Calvin's life was not all that interesting. Nothing against him at all. He was a pastor and a writer -- not much exciting right there. Much of his influence came from his writing, both during and after his life. Also, the goings-on in Geneva are a bit hard to follow and much of that is my own lack of knowledge of those times. It was a different time and things were, well, different.
March 22, 2022
Some chapters seemed like a straight up biography; others dealt with theology and his thinking without much tie-in to his life and influences. At times, the author is too much in awe of John Calvin vs. more objective in studying him. Not a great read if you want a more traditional biography of the man.
October 3, 2020
For the first 50 pages, this book was a 2-star book, but once he dove into Calvin's theology and then his career as a pastor, it became fascinating and enlightening. There are sections of this book that are dull but also much to be recommended. Worth the read.
June 22, 2018
I highly admire Calvin but I did not find the read much interesting.
May 19, 2021
A solid biography of the great reformer. It gave equal weight to the man and his work.
April 5, 2023
Though it may pale in comparison to Bainton’s Luther biography, Parker’s story of Calvin shows great mastery of the man and his thought.
September 7, 2023
3.5 / 5.0
Lacks structure, brevity and theological analysis (which ironically Calvin did not).
Lacks structure, brevity and theological analysis (which ironically Calvin did not).
Want to read
December 7, 2025On John Piper's list of What Are the Best Reformation Biographies?.
January 23, 2016
T. H. L. Parker is a widely respected authority on the life, ministry, and thought of John Calvin. Parker is the author of numerous books related to Calvin, including, Calvin: An Introduction to His Thought, Calvin’s Preaching, Calvin’s Old Testament Commentaries, Calvin’s New Testament Commentaries, Doctrine of the Knowledge of God: Studies in the Theology of John Calvin, and Portrait of Calvin. Parker’s career has in many ways been Calvin-saturated, and the present volume displays this reality extremely well.
John Calvin: A Biography beautifully chaperons the reader from the early years of Calvin’s childhood and youth, all the way unto his anonymous burial in a common cemetery. The roadmap that is traveled between the dates that would have been on Calvin’s tombstone, had he been buried with one, is both exciting and encouraging, and Parker masterfully illustrates the story as would a close friend or family member. The book itself is extremely well-written and easy to digest. Although some historical knowledge about the context is assumed by the author, and, therefore, will lack the needed explanation for some.
The reader will be hard-pressed if tasked the duty of deciding which sections of the book are to be considered most helpful, as Parker does an excellent job throughout. The book is both well documented and thoroughly researched. My only complaint is the utilization of endnotes rather than footnotes. Nevertheless, I think most readers prone to pick up a biography on John Calvin will appreciate the interwoven discussion about the development of the Christianae Religionis Institutio—more commonly known as, The Institutes of the Christian Religion. Parker also has an outstanding and informative retelling of the trial and death of Servetus—another event most readers will be eager to engage with concerning John Calvin. Furthermore, Parker has also included two very important appendices dealing with the dating for various events in Calvin’s life and Calvin’s conversion story.
John Calvin: A Biography by T. H. L. Parker is an authoritative, accurate, and informative representation of one of the most influential individuals of all time. Parker has displayed his knowledge of “all-things” Calvin well, and the book reads more like a memoir from a close friend than an interested biographer. While there remains to this day some several hundred biographies about the man John Calvin, few will come as close to the man himself than this. If you are looking for a concise engagement into the life, ministry, and thought of John Calvin, John Calvin: A Biography by T. H. L. Parker should be your first stop. It comes highly recommended!
I received a review copy of these books in exchange for and honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
John Calvin: A Biography beautifully chaperons the reader from the early years of Calvin’s childhood and youth, all the way unto his anonymous burial in a common cemetery. The roadmap that is traveled between the dates that would have been on Calvin’s tombstone, had he been buried with one, is both exciting and encouraging, and Parker masterfully illustrates the story as would a close friend or family member. The book itself is extremely well-written and easy to digest. Although some historical knowledge about the context is assumed by the author, and, therefore, will lack the needed explanation for some.
The reader will be hard-pressed if tasked the duty of deciding which sections of the book are to be considered most helpful, as Parker does an excellent job throughout. The book is both well documented and thoroughly researched. My only complaint is the utilization of endnotes rather than footnotes. Nevertheless, I think most readers prone to pick up a biography on John Calvin will appreciate the interwoven discussion about the development of the Christianae Religionis Institutio—more commonly known as, The Institutes of the Christian Religion. Parker also has an outstanding and informative retelling of the trial and death of Servetus—another event most readers will be eager to engage with concerning John Calvin. Furthermore, Parker has also included two very important appendices dealing with the dating for various events in Calvin’s life and Calvin’s conversion story.
John Calvin: A Biography by T. H. L. Parker is an authoritative, accurate, and informative representation of one of the most influential individuals of all time. Parker has displayed his knowledge of “all-things” Calvin well, and the book reads more like a memoir from a close friend than an interested biographer. While there remains to this day some several hundred biographies about the man John Calvin, few will come as close to the man himself than this. If you are looking for a concise engagement into the life, ministry, and thought of John Calvin, John Calvin: A Biography by T. H. L. Parker should be your first stop. It comes highly recommended!
I received a review copy of these books in exchange for and honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
June 9, 2014
This biography of Calvin is one of those books that I see on my bookshelf and instantly I remember what a joy it was to have been reading it. Honestly, I recall with such fondness reading about the most interesting, often controversial life of the western world's most influential theologian. The book is deep with theological insights, having been written by a previous reader in theology at Durham University and a Calvin scholar, but is not too dense for a quite theologically illiterate layman. I recommend this book enthusiastically for pastor, parishioner, student and scholar: a life full of experience from which all readers may benefit. Read it.
October 1, 2011
Different tone to many other popular biographies -- quite academic. None the less, I really enjoyed the read. I think the objective style is helpful, given that Calvin was and is a controversial figure. A fairly positive picture of Calvin emerges. Most inpsiring personally was Calvin's constant preoccupation with absolute faithfulness to God's Word, disregarding every other authority or influence. I also enjoyed the detailed treatment of Calvin's various writings and his preaching.
January 13, 2009
Very good biography. Explained the relationship between Calvin's thought on systematic theology and Biblical theology. What he thought about and how he used Scripture in preaching, government, and life. Gave a good introduction into the kind of man Calvin was and what the times were like around him so that we see him in his context rather than judging him through the provincial lens of our times.
May 27, 2014
Just okay.
I had expected a deeper understanding of Calvin's character and personality than this book provided.
Parker seemed to try to be even-handed and he stays away from making statements about Servetus or the theological debates that people associate with Calvin. What emerges is a sickly, intense man, clinging very tightly to the Word of God.
A good deal of untranslated French.
I had expected a deeper understanding of Calvin's character and personality than this book provided.
Parker seemed to try to be even-handed and he stays away from making statements about Servetus or the theological debates that people associate with Calvin. What emerges is a sickly, intense man, clinging very tightly to the Word of God.
A good deal of untranslated French.
September 3, 2012
Even though it was thorough and well-written, I can only give 3/5 stars to this work. Perhaps because it was too thorough. Even details I found to be quite insignificant were examined in their entirety. This book is aimed at the academic and not the casual reader.
Want to read
June 28, 2007Waiting for publication to read sample chapter and reviews.
August 24, 2010
Parker does a fantastic job of recounting the life of Calvin and intertwining a bit of the theology that resulted. A bit deeper than I expected, but I've got no complaints about that.
March 26, 2016
Exhaustively researched and filled with much, detailed information, John Calvin suffers from a writing style that is neither clear nor engaging.
December 13, 2014
Aside from an annoying use of the present tense, this is an accessible and well-written introduction to Calvin.
March 19, 2015
more of a textbook, then a proper reader
October 28, 2019
Overall, a good book for the researcher and enthusiast.
Read for personal research
- found this book's contents helpful and inspiring - number rating relates to the book's contribution to my needs.
Read for personal research
- found this book's contents helpful and inspiring - number rating relates to the book's contribution to my needs.
October 17, 2009
In depth study of Calvin's Life, reading it for the 500th Anniversary of His birthday July 10
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews