John Calvin Student of the Church Fathers [Paperback]

Anthony N. S. Lane (Author), A. N. S. Lane (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1999

A fine study of John Calvin and his relationships with the fathers and medieval scholars, by one of the leading present-day experts in Calvin studies. Specific themes explored include, for example, Calvin's knowledge of the Greek fathers, his use and sources of Bernard of Clairvaux, his use of the fathers in Bondage and Liberation of the Will, and the sources for his Genesis commentary.>

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"The book satisfies the subject by its methodological theories as well as its proposed conclusions." -- Revue d'Histoire Ecclesiastique, 2001

“Professor David Wright: ‘This impressive volume reflects the closest reading of Calvin’s works and tireless pursuit of his patristic sources.’” -- Scottish Bulletin of Evangelical Theology, Spring 2001

About the Author

Tony Lane is Professor of Historical Theology and Director of research at the London School of Theology (formerly LBC) and author of Justification by Faith in Catholic-Protestant Dialogue (T&T Clark, 2002) and The Lion Christian Classics Collection (2004). > --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Baker Book House (December 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801022290
• ISBN-13: 978-0801022296
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,070,549 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If, How and When Calvin used the Fathers, May 31, 2009

By 

Quentin D. Stewart - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: John Calvin Student of the Church Fathers (Paperback)

Calvin is most often associated with Saint Augustine, and for good reason. He considered him the most reliable of all the fathers with regards to dogmatics. St. John Chrysostom, however, was considered a more reliable exegete of Scripture. Bernard of Clairvaux often appears as the third father for Calvin in the Institutes. The best work on the relationship between Calvin and Augustine was done by Luchesius Smits in French. B.B. Warfield wrote "Calvin and Augustine," though it is an inferior work that deals primarily with epistemology. While Lane gives ample attention to the occurrences and potential occurrences of patristic citations in Calvin's works Augustine is neglected to some degree. I can only speculate that Smits's work on Calvin and Augustine set the standard and Lane did not feel the need to add to Smits's work. That is regrettable, however, if one does not read French. Nevertheless Lane's eleven "theses" concerning how one should determine if, when and how Calvin was using a church father are very helpful, especially if you are interested in determining what sources influenced one of Protestantism's greatest theological minds.