John Calvin Biography

[CharlieJ]

I'm looking for a biography of John Calvin. #1 Priority is that it (as far as possible) avoids idiosyncratic interpretations. After that, I'd prefer a thorough one. Also, I'd prefer a physical book to an online resource. BTW, I did search and find a thread on this topic, but it was short and the suggestions given were without much commentary.

 

[OPC'n]

I got The Expository Genius of John Calvin by Steven J. Lawson and found it to be excellent. I got it for free for doing a book review on it...something Ligonier was doing.

 

[moral necessity]

Well, I have this one by T.H.L. Parker that was originally published in 1975, and has been republished in America just recently in 2006. I've only skimmed it a little, but, apparently the author is regarded as a high authority and scholar on Calvin, as he studied him for most of his life. It's the first one on the list found here:

Amazon.com: T. H. L. Parker: Books

Blessings!

 

[discipulo]

As a classic, small, but filled with very interesting first account personal details, I highly recommend Beza.

Amazon.com: The Life of John Calvin - A Modern Translation of the Classic by Theodore Beza: Theodore Beza: Books

 

[Hamalas]

I got The Expository Genius of John Calvin by Steven J. Lawson and found it to be excellent. I got it for free for doing a book review on it...something Ligonier was doing.

What! Are they still doing that by any chance?

 

[OPC'n]

Nope!

 

[Hamalas]

Nope!

Darn!

 

[OPC'n]

Hey, are you on FB? If so, join the Ligonier FB and it will give you updates on specials they have!

 

[Casey]

There is a new biography published by IVP that just came last week:

John Calvin: A Pilgrim's Life, by Herman J. Selderhuis

I don't know much about it, besides that I've heard the author speak at a lecture series at MARS.

 

[DMcFadden]

Not only biographies, but worth considering (at least they are in my library) . . .

Battles, Ford Lewis. Interpreting John Calvin.
Hall, David W. The Legacy of John Calvin.
Hall, David W. and Peter A. Lillback. Theological Guide to Calvin's Institutes.
Lawson, Steven J. The Expository Genius of John Calvin.
Lindner, William. John Calvin.
McGrath, Alister E. A Life of John Calvin.
Parker, T.H.L. John Calvin: A Biography.
Parker, T.H.L. John Calvin: An Introduction to His Thought.
Parsons, Burk. John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, and Doxology.
Piper, John. John Calvin and His Passion for the Majesty of God.
Vollmer, Philip. John Calvin: Man of the Millennium (a "family read-aloud biography").

In a couple of months Westminster Seminary (CA)'s Godrey is coming out with John Calvin: Pilgrim and Pastor.


If you are open to learning via the MP3, then . . .

Dr. David Calhoun's 26 lecture course on "Calvin's Institutes" (free from Covenant Seminary).
Dr. Frank James on the "Calvin I Never Knew (4 lectures).
Dr. Joel Beeke's "Do You Know the Real Calvin?" (4 lecturres).
Dr. Paul Helm's "John Calvin: What's the Big Idea?"
Dr. John Piper, "John Calvin: The Divine Majesty of the Word" - Devotional biographical sketch
Dr. David Calhoun, "Liife of John Calvin"
Dr. David Calhoun, "Theology of Calvin"

And . . .
* Introducing... John Calvin (MP3), three lectures by Mike Reeves
* Early Years, 1509-1536 (MP3), by Michael Haykin
* Ministry Years, 1536-1564 (MP3), by Michael Haykin
* Heroes of the Faith: John Calvin, by Robert Godfrey

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

I personally like Bouwsma's Biography.

 

[discipulo]

This is both a biography and an analysis of his influence, not too deep, but very well made.

John Calvin: Man of the Millennium, A Family Read-Aloud Biography - By: Philip Vollmer - Christianbook.com

 

[PresbyDane]

Thank you for all the good book recommendations

 

[Gage Browning]

Loved this one

Calvin - A Life
by Emanuel Stickelberger
translated by Georg Gelzer
John Knox Press 1954

My favorite biography of Calvin...hard to find...

 

[CharlieJ]

Thanks guys, this has been very helpful. If there are any more recommendations out there, by all means continue.

 

[DMcFadden]

I personally like Bouwsma's Biography.

Thanks for the tip. I had thought about purchasing this one but was turned off by the enthusiastic commendation by American Baptist Harvard Divinity prof, Harvey Cox, on the back cover. I'm glad to hear you prefer it and will add it to my wish list.

 

[yeutter]

Does anyone have a take on the Cambridge Companion to John Calvin edited by Donald K. McKim? The Cambridge Companion to John Calvin - Cambridge University Press

 

[DMcFadden]

With contributions by Beeke and Trueman, how can it be that bad?

McKim is a mainline Calvin scholar (editor of the Encyclopedia of the Reformed Faith). Just keep him away from his non-inerrancy notions and you are OK.

-----Added 1/27/2009 at 02:22:25 EST-----

BTW - T.H.L. Parker seems to have some professional "disagreements" with the historiograpy practiced by W.J. Bouwsma.

Professor Bouwsma's programme is based on Kant's claim (by implication) to know Plato better than Plato knew himself (p. 5). On this basis an author can mean anything that we want him to mean. Calvin said A; he thought he meant A; our more sophisticated eyes can spot the telltale signs which show that, influenced unawares by X and Y, he really meant B. This seems to me the end of meaningful commerce with the past (or with the present either; supply 'Professor Bouwsma' for 'Calvin' in the previous sentence, and then where are we?).

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

Just as an aside Dennis, I would only recommend it as an "informative read". Not as a definitive read...

 

[jbotkin]

In a talk on church history Mark Dever said Parker's was the best biography on Calvin. Although given the fact that Beza knew him, you should probably read that too.

By the way, Ligonier IS still doing the blog for a book program for Reformation Trust volumes only - Ligonier Ministries | Blog for a Free Book. They send you a pdf copy to read, you post your review, and they send you a book. I just got Jesus the Evangelist in the mail for free last week.