This is a major study of the theological thought of John Calvin, which examines his central theological ideas through a philosophical lens, looking at issues in Metaphysics, Epistemology, and Ethics. The study, the first of its kind, is concerned with how Calvin actually uses philosophical ideas in his work as a theologian and biblical commentator. The book also includes a careful examination of those ideas of Calvin to which the Reformed Epistemologists appeal, to find grounds and precedent for their development of `Reformed Epistemology', notably the sensus divinitatis and the internal testimony of the Holy Spirit.

Author: Samuel James Dive deep into the profound legacy of one of the Protestant Reformation's most influential figures with "Ideas of John Calvin: A Comprehensive Analysis" by Dr. Samuel James. This meticulously researched volume offers an extensive exploration of John Calvin's life, theology, and enduring impact on Christianity and the modern world. From Calvin's early life and dramatic conversion to his pivotal role in shaping Reformed theology, Dr. James provides a thorough examination of Calvin's seminal work, Institutes of the Christian Religion. Delve into key doctrines such as predestination, justification by faith alone, and the sovereignty of God, while also exploring Calvin's influence on church governance, sacraments, and worship practices. Beyond theology, this book navigates Calvin's significant contributions to politics, philosophy, and science, illustrating how his ideas fostered societal transformation and influenced global movements. Dr. James also addresses contemporary developments like New Calvinism, offering critical insights and balanced perspectives on its rise and the challenges it faces in today's diverse Christian landscape. "Ideas of John Calvin: A Comprehensive Analysis" does not shy away from controversies and critiques, providing a balanced discourse that encourages thoughtful reflection and scholarly debate. Whether you are a theologian, student of religion, pastor, or a curious reader eager to understand the complexities of Calvinist thought, this book serves as an invaluable resource. About the Author: Dr. Samuel James is a distinguished global business consultant, specialist radiologist, and accomplished author with over 100 publications. A Top 20 Global MBA graduate from Deakin University, Australia, and a medical graduate from JIPMER, India, Dr. James seamlessly integrates his expertise in medicine, business, and theology to deliver insightful and impactful works. His dedication to education, leadership, and spiritual growth shines through in his comprehensive analyses and thought-provoking discussions. Unlock the depths of Calvin's genius and discover the relevance of his ideas in the 21st century with Dr. Samuel James's authoritative guide. Order your copy today and embark on a journey through the transformative thoughts of John Calvin.

Examining John Calvin's theological ideas through a philosophical lens, Paul Helm looks at how Calvin worked at the interface of theology and philosophy and in particular how he employed medieval ideas to do so.

This volume presents texts selected from the full range of John Calvin's writings, including excerpts from commentaries, sermons, letters, catechisms, tracts, broad-based theological works.

Though his influence on American society has often been forgotten or misunderstood, John Calvin played a formative role in the traditions of almost every sector of American life. This wide-ranging study, comprising twelve essays, shows for the first time the extraordinary extent to which Calvinist thoughts and practices are woven into the fabric of American society, theology, and letters, from the colonial period to the twenty-first century. John Calvin's American Legacy examines the economics of the Colonial period, Calvin's effect on American identity, and the evidence for Calvin's influence on American democracy. The book next addresses Calvin's critical role in American theology, inspecting the relationship between Jonathan Edwards's and Calvin's church practices, the diverse views on the Calvinist theological tradition in the nineteenth century, the ways in which Calvin was understood in the historiography of Williston Walker and Perry Miller, and Calvin's influence on twentieth-century theologies. Finally, the book explores Calvinism's influence on American literature, examining the work of such writers as Samson Occom, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Max Weber, Mark Twain, John Updike, and Marilynne Robinson. This important book is the first to introduces readers to the breadth and depth of Calvin's influence along the spectrum of American thought and society, from the 18th century to modern times.

In this thorough investigation of Calvinist doctrine, John Leith defines the Reformer's teaching on Christian life in the context of his theology. He begins with a discussion of what it means to say that the purpose of Christian life is the glory of God. He then discusses Christian life in relation to four aspects of Calvinist thought: justification by faith alone; providence and predestination; history and the transhistorical; church and society. Leith's concluding statement summarizes the importance of this book. "Calvin's doctrine of the Christian life represents a magnificent effort to give expression to what it means to have to do with the living God every moment of one's life. No interpretation of the sola gloria Dei ["only God's glory"] has been more vivid and dynamic than Calvin's. For this reason he speaks to the needs of this generation, which, at least until recently, has been more frequently concerned about the glory of humankind than that of God and which has fallen victim to many false gods and vicious ideologies. Yet if Calvinism is to render its full service to our day, it must be interpreted in the context of the shared faith of the total Christian community. On the basis of Calvin's own principles, no human statement of Christian faith can ever be final and must be continually reformed by the Christian community's apprehension of the word of God as revealed in Jesus Christ."

The extra Calvinisticum, the doctrine that the eternal Son maintains his existence beyond the flesh both during his earthly ministry and perpetually, divided the Lutheran and Reformed traditions during the Reformation. This book explores the emergence and development of the extra Calvinisticum in the Reformed tradition by tracing its first exposition from Ulrich Zwingli to early Reformed orthodoxy. Rather than being an ancillary issue, the questions surrounding the extra Calvinisticum were a determinative factor in the differentiation of Magisterial Protestantism into rival confessions. Reformed theologians maintained this doctrine in order to preserve the integrity of both Christ's divine and human natures as the mediator between God and humanity. This rationale remained consistent across this period with increasing elaboration and sophistication to meet the challenges leveled against the doctrine in Lutheran polemics. The study begins with Zwingli's early use of the extra Calvinisticum in the Eucharistic controversy with Martin Luther and especially as the alternative to Luther's doctrine of the ubiquity of Christ's human body. Over time, Reformed theologians, such as Peter Martyr Vermigli and Antione de Chandieu, articulated the extra Calvinisticum with increasing rigor by incorporating conciliar christology, the church fathers, and scholastic methodology to address the polemical needs of engagement with Lutheranism. The Flesh of the Word illustrates the development of christological doctrine by Reformed theologians offering a coherent historical narrative of Reformed christology from its emergence into the period of confessionalization. The extra Calvinisticum was interconnected to broader concerns affecting concepts of the union of Christ's natures, the communication of attributes, and the understanding of heaven.

The three years that Calvin spent in Strasbourg are often considered a simple gap between his two periods in Geneva (1536-1538 and 1541-1564). However, this period has been shown to be extremely fertile for Calvin in literary, theological, and pastoral fields, not forgetting his marriage to Idelette de Bure. It was in Strasbourg that Calvin published the second Latin edition, greatly increased, of his "Institution," and where he wrote the first French version of this summary of the reformed religion. There he lectured on "Romans," replied to Cardinal Sadolet, and wrote his "Little Treatise on Holy Communion," intended to reconcile Protestants. There he became familiar with Martin Bucer's catechetical practice and with the songs of the Strasbourg parishes, which inspired his "Some Psalms and Canticles put into Song," and there he gained the friendship of Philippe Melanchthon and the respect of other Reformers.

This book attempts to understand Calvin in his 16th-century context, with attention to continuities and discontinuities between his thought and that of his predecessors, contemporaries, and successors. Muller pays particular attention to the interplay between theological and philosophical themes common to Calvin and the medieval doctors, and to developments in rhetoric and method associated with humanism.