Calvin and His Contemporaries : Contextual Developments in His Theology

Reformed Christians look to John Calvin's 1559 edition of Institutes of the Christian Religion as their doctrinal foundation. Yet an exclusive focus on the finished form of this seminal work may cause us to overlook the growth and evolution of the author and how those in Calvin's orbit helped shape his thought. In Calvin and His Contemporaries, the culmination of four decades of research, renowned Reformation scholar Richard Muller traces the intricate connections between Calvin's thought and that of his fellow reformers across Europe, including Pierre Viret, Philip Melanchthon, and Theodore Beza. By analyzing Calvin's letters and early drafts of the Institutes, Muller illustrates how Calvin's theology developed dynamically over time, with special attention paid to Calvin's Christology and doctrine of the Lord's Supper. Muller's study reveals that Calvin was an exegete and theologian thoughtfully responding to the issues of his time, making Calvin and His Contemporaries essential reading for students of the Reformation, Calvin specialists, and Reformed Christians seeking to expand their knowledge of their history.