Tracts and Letters, Volume 3: Tracts, Part 3

by John Calvin

Genres: Theology

521 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2009

About the author

French-Swiss theologian John Calvin broke with the Roman Catholic Church in 1533 and as Protestant set forth his tenets, known today, in Institutes of the Christian Religion (1536).

The religious doctrines of John Calvin emphasize the omnipotence of God, whose grace alone saves the elect.

* Jehan Cauvin
* Iohannes Calvinus (Latin)
* Jean Calvin (French)

Originally trained as a humanist lawyer around 1530, he went on to serve as a principal figure in the Reformation. He developed the system later called Calvinism.

After tensions provoked a violent uprising, Calvin fled to Basel and published the first edition of his seminal work. In that year of 1536, William Farel invited Calvin to help reform in Geneva. The city council resisted the implementation of ideas of Calvin and Farel and expelled both men. At the invitation of Martin Bucer, Calvin proceeded to Strasbourg as the minister of refugees. He continued to support the reform movement in Geneva, and people eventually invited him back to lead. Following return, he introduced new forms of government and liturgy. Following an influx of supportive refugees, new elections to the city council forced out opponents of Calvin. Calvin spent his final years, promoting the Reformation in Geneva and throughout Europe.

Calvin tirelessly wrote polemics and apologia. He also exchanged cordial and supportive letters with many reformers, including Philipp Melanchthon and Heinrich Bullinger. In addition, he wrote commentaries on most books of the Bible as well as treatises and confessional documents and regularly gave sermons throughout the week in Geneva. The Augustinian tradition influenced and led Calvin to expound the doctrine of predestination and the absolute sovereignty of God in salvation.

Calvin's writing and preaching provided the seeds for the branch of Protestantism that bears his name. His views live on chiefly in Presbyterian and Reformed denominations, which have spread throughout the world. Calvin's thought exerted considerable influence over major figures and entire movements, such as Puritanism, and some scholars argue that his ideas contributed to the rise of capitalism, individualism, and representative democracy in the west.

Reviews

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

So helpful to see the step by step refutations and antidotes like this. Modern apologetics tend to be more general/big picture. But historical accounts like the antidote to the Council of Trent and the refutations against the Adultero-German Interim as included in this volume show the efficacy of working point by point through an opponent’s arguments, disproving each false statement or assumption systematically. And as always, the awareness that this sort of academically theological/theologically academic writing was done by hand, without the benefit of word processors to go back and add something overlooked…Calvin’s apologetic prowess is simply remarkable.

The star off is less about the value of the book, and more about the average person’s ability to process everything within. It’s a little of a stretch for a layman, but if you’re willing to put in the effort, it’s incredibly worth the read.

[Ming Chen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent. I skipped the last section on psychopannychia, but the earlier three sections were devoted to select parts of the Council of Trent along with Calvin's antidote, the Adultero-German interim with Calvin's refutation and remarks on reforming the church, and then a letter written by Calvin to a friend or acquaintance concerning how to conduct himself in a primarily Catholic context. Calvin's letter was especially striking, urging resistance against Romish abominations, and it could no doubt be applied to Christian living nowadays when our surrounding environment teems with idolatries.