"…despite his stern Calvinist upbringing" – Why is it that in the modern media the word 'Calvinist' is always accompanied by 'stern', 'dour' or 'strict'? Most of the people who use the terms together have next to no knowledge of what Calvinism is - and know even less about who Calvin was. An old-style reactionary? A hard-line ayatollah, raging at the world without any thought? - or is there more to this man than uninformed contemporary critics would have us believe?. Robert Reymond brings us John Calvin the man. A reality quite different from the caricature often painted today. Here is a man of deep spirituality with a real love for his fellow man and God. A man also with tremendous intellectual abilities. Whether the moniker 'stern Calvinist' is applicable or not – his life has much to teach us.
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About the Author
Robert L. Reymond taught for more than 25 years on the faculties of Covenant Theological Seminary (St. Louis, Missouri) and Knox Theological Seminary (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida). He holds a B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees from Bob Jones University and did post-doctoral studies at Fuller Seminary, New York University, Union Seminary (New York), Tyndale House, Cambridge, and Rutherford House, Edinburgh. Currently he is the Emeritus Professor of Systematic Theology at Knox Theological Seminary, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
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22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Life of Calvin not Theology,
By Seth McBee (Maple Valley, WA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: John Calvin: His Life And Influence (Paperback)
Have you ever seen a movie trailer, watched the movie and wondered: Why didn't I know what was coming, the trailer was clear? That is how I felt with this book. It is titled perfectly: His life and influence. Reymond stays focused on giving a great biographical look at this renowned reformer. Much is dedicated to who the man was apart from his theology. Most of the things that I read on or have read on Calvin are always focused on his theology; not this book. It gives great detail to his schooling, his professors, his break off from Rome, his friends, his writings and basically walks you through his life from beginning to end. Much appreciated work.
Reymond also does what many don't do: explains the burning of the heretic, Michael Servetus. I really appreciated this last part of the book that gives the background and actual facts of what happened. Reymond does not give excuses nor does he excuse the burning, but lays out what actually happened instead of some of the garbage that is out there on the internet and also in writing of anti-Calvinistic theology. Some seem to hold on to this one mistake in Calvin's life to refute all he stood for and wrote on. If they only had all their mistakes make headlines I wonder if their views would change on the matter? I would highly recommend this to any reader as it is a great little biographical sketch of the reformer and what he meant for all of Protestantism. Do not stay away from this book if you are an Arminian as this book shows what this Reformer did for us all in the break off of the government and church and what he did as he placed holiness back into the church's ideals. Again, this book does not focus on his theology but on his life. Must read for anyone looking for insight to this great theologians life.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Good Introduction to Calvin,
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This review is from: John Calvin: His Life And Influence (Paperback)
Depending on the perspective of the individual Christian, John Calvin may either be one of the greatest theologians or the worst charlatans who ever lived. For those who feel Calvin's teachings accurately interpreted the Bible, he is a great teacher and one who rediscovered doctrines of grace that had lay largely dormant for centuries. For those who feel Calvin's teachings are a gross misrepresentation of God's sovereignty and human freedom, Calvin is a deceiver and one who has led countless Christians away from biblical truths.
I am among those who count Calvin as a great theologian and one who was used by God to restore to the church the wonders of the doctrines of grace. Yet for a man whose theology has so impacted my own, I know surprisingly little about the man. This is, at least in part, owing to the fact that less is known about Calvin than about many other great figures in church history. A man who was often private and secretive, much of his life, and his early years in particular (including his conversion), are known only by conjecture based on comments he made in his books. John Calvin: His Life & Influence is a brief biography of Calvin that was first delivered by Robert Reymond at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as a series of four hour-long lectures. These speeches, targeted at a general audience attending Wednesday evening programs, were drawn from lecture material for a course on "Calvin's Institutes" taught by Reymond at Knox Theological Seminary. "I wrote the four lectures, taking my original audience on a journey through Calvin's intellectual and spiritual development, first from his youth, then through young manhood, then to the brilliant, energetic young Reformer that he became during his first Geneva period. In connection with this last period I addressed head-on Calvin's part in the most significant blight on Protestant Geneva's reputation, namely, the burning of Michael Servetus." Through four chapters and approximately four hours of reading, Reymond leads the reader through a brief survey of Calvin's life and most important teachings. He does this in the hope that "this remarkable Frenchman's life and ministry will challenge Protestant Christians today to take more interest in their historical heritage and to read for themselves "the opus magnum of Christian theology" and the most influential systematic theology ever written, namely, John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion." Though necessarily short, this book serves as a useful and compelling introduction to Calvin. It focuses primarily on his life, but also expends some effort in summarizing his teachings. Following the biography are three useful appendices, the first discussing "opposing Calvin biographers," the second discussing Calvin's influence on western history, and the third listing other recommended biographies and resources. All-in-all, this is a good little book and one that would be at home in any church or personal library. It is a great place to begin in understanding the life and influence of a man who continues to impact the church almost five hundred years after his birth.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The inner machinations of John Calvin,
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This review is from: John Calvin: His Life And Influence (Paperback)
Although my only other exposure to John Calvin's biography was in an encyclopedia, I found this book to be well written and quite interesting. The author took pain-staking research about the Reformation, 16th century European history and eye witness accounts and turned it into a thoughtful, easily-read book that keeps the reader asking for more. Historical sketches of the social and religious attitudes of the time give the reader a broader understanding of what was going on during the lifetime of Calvin. I highly recommend this book if you are interested in biographies as well as religious history that helped shape his theology.
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