John Calvin, Myth and Reality

The chapters in this volume were originally presented as papers at the 2009 colloquium of the Calvin Studies Society, held to mark the five-hundredth anniversary of John Calvin's birth. They offer a fresh evaluation of Calvin's ideas and achievements, and describe how others--from his contemporaries to the present--have responded to or built upon the Calvinist heritage. This book dispels popular misperceptions about Calvin and Calvinism, allowing readers to make a more accurate assessment of Calvin's importance as a theologian and historical figure. Contributions address areas in which Calvin's legacy has been most controversial or misunderstood, such as his attitude toward women, his advocacy of church discipline, and his understanding of predestination. These essays also give a nuanced picture of the impact of Calvinism by taking account of both the positive and negative reactions to it from the early modern period to the present.

Part 1: Calvin: The Man and His Work
Part 2: Appeal of and Responses to Calvinism
Part 3: The Impact of Calvin's Ideas



""The essays in this volume do an admirable job of carefully distinguishing Calvin and his influence from the myths that have grown up around him, beginning with the myth that Calvin is the most important figure of the tradition that has taken his name, and that Calvinists always followed his advice. The temporal and geographical reach of the analyses is impressive, extending from Geneva through France and the Netherlands to Java and Korea, and from Calvin himself to twentieth century political thought and philosophy."" 
--Randall C. Zachman
Professor of Reformation Studies
University of Notre Dame

""Among the late-blooming fruits of the Calvin Jubilee in 2009 is Amy Nelson Burnett's John Calvin, Myth and Reality. The articles gathered here inform, engage, correct, and sometimes even delight the reader. The team of scholars demonstrates the wide audience that Calvin still attracts, while the depth of the scholarship promises an ongoing benefit to both the novice and the advanced scholar.""
--R. Ward Holder
Associate Professor of Theology
Saint Anselm College

Amy Nelson Burnett is Professor of History at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is the author of Teaching the Reformation: Ministers and Their Message in Basel, 1529-1629 (2006), and The Yoke of Christ: Martin Bucer and Christian Discipline (1994).