The Calvin Lectures

I would have loved to sit through these lectures, which were given at St. Andrew’s Hall, Vancouver, and the Presbyterian College, Montreal, in the fall of 2009 to celebrate the 500th anniversary of John Calvin’s birth. I’m sure there was more to be learned from asides and questions that followed than could be gleaned from the lecture notes.

Much of this book could serve as a good primer in Calvin studies. There is some overlap between chapters, as can be expected when no two authors know exactly what the other will use in the way of examples and illustrations, but this in no way detracts from the usefulness of the book.

There were only two things that detracted, as I see it. The first—an unusually glaring error for a publication of this nature—is the number of spelling mistakes and scripture verses that are improperly cited. These appeared, surprisingly, in almost every chapter. Should a second edition be printed, I’m sure they could be corrected by either the editors or the publishers.

The other problem came in Dr. Torrance Kirby’s lecture, which was clearly aimed at the academic community and left me exhausted. I did not find his subject matter or his presentation of it compelling. Further, I was left reaching for both the English and Latin dictionaries far more regularly than should be expected. Thankfully, this was an exception rather than the rule among the lectures.

I would not suggest that either of these things discourage anyone from purchasing and reading this volume, however, because the positive aspects far outweigh the negative ones.

Several of the chapters were written by people who are or have been working as pastors, and the degree of practicality they bring to aspects of Calvin’s life and work is eminently refreshing. Of particular interest to me were several subjects: Rev. Dr. Gerard Booy’s chapter on The Holy Spirit in the Thoughts of John Calvin, which demonstrates the biblical nature of Calvin’s understanding of the Holy Spirit—an aspect of his faith that is often overlooked today and, sadly, ignored by many Presbyterians. Rev. Dr. Jason Zuidema’s chapter on Calvin as Apologist is worth a read for both its theological and historical value. How many of us have really heard of Nicodemites? I think that was a section of church history I missed when I was in seminary! Rev. Dr. Stephen Farris’s chapter on Calvin and the Preaching of the Lively Word was both engaging and entertaining, providing the only moments of out-loud laughter in the entire book; it served as an exceedingly good summary of Calvin’s thoughts on preaching.

Several of the other chapters provided food for thought on aspects of Calvin’s life that we might not think to consider, such as his role as a refugee, as a pilgrim and as an abolitionist. Overall, the book covers an impressive breadth of Calvin’s life and thought.

The highest praise I can give a book comes when it not only teaches me and refreshes me, but sends me hunting for other primary or secondary source materials for further reading. In large part, this book has done just that, and I recommend it highly—particularly for clergy, but also for others interested in the study of the father of Reformed Protestantism.