Description
Although he wrote comprehensively on a wide range of doctrinal issues, it is Predestination with which Calvin is most associated today. In this, his definitive text on the subject, he outlines fully a doctrine he feels has been wilfully misinterpreted to the detriment of the Church. Readers will witness Calvin masterfully arguing his points, wrestling with the scriptures, and fully engaging in the polemical world of sixteenth-century theological debate as he refutes the views of three of his chief detractors. J.K.S. Reid’s widely praised translation preserves the nuances of Calvin’s thought and the strength of his rhetoric, while his introduction offers a critical examination of Calvin’s theological argument.
About the Author
John Calvin (1509-1564) is widely considered the most important figure in the second generation of the Protestant Reformation. Having first encountered the ideas of Martin Luther while studying in Paris, he pursued the Reformed faith himself following a conversion experience in 1533. Eventually settling in Geneva, Calvin established a Protestant city government, while his landmark text, the Institutes of the Christian Religion, helped codify Protestant theology for Churches across Europe. Concerning the Eternal Predestination of God was published in 1552 after almost a decade of vigorous debate around the doctrine.
J.K.S. Reid (1910-2002) was a noted twentieth-century Scottish theologian. He studied in Edinburgh, Heidelberg and Marburg, and spent time as a military chaplain during the World War Two. He was appointed Professor of Theology at the University of Leeds in 1952, and Professor of Systematic Theology at the University of Aberdeen in 1961. Alongside several monographs and significant ecumenical work, one of his chief accomplishments was co-founding with T.F. Torrance the Scottish Journal of Theology.
Contents
Translator’s Preface
Translator’s Introduction
Concerning the Eternal Predestination of God
Title-page
Table of Contents
Author’s Introduction
Text
Index