Adaptations of Calvinism in Reformation Europe: Essays in Honour of Brian G. Armstrong (St Andrews Studies in Reformation History)

Traditional historiography has always viewed Calvin's Geneva as the benchmark against which all other Reformed communities must inevitably be measured, judging those communities who did not follow Geneva's institutional and doctrinal example as somehow inferior and incomplete versions of the original. Adaptations of Calvinism in Reformation Europe builds upon recent scholarship that challenges this concept of the 'fragmentation' of Calvinism, and instead offers a more positive view of Reformed communities beyond Geneva. The essays in this volume highlight the different paths that Calvinism followed as it took root in Western Europe and which allowed it to develop within fifty years into the dominant Protestant confession. Each chapter reinforces the notion that whilst many reformers did try to duplicate the kind of community that Calvin had established, most had to compromise by adapting to the particular political and cultural landscapes in which they lived. The result was a situation in which Reformed churches across Europe differed markedly from Calvin's Geneva in explicit ways. Summarizing recent research in the field through selected French, German, English and Scottish case studies, this collection adds to the emerging picture of a flexible Calvinism that could adapt to meet specific local conditions and needs in order to allow the Reformed tradition to thrive and prosper. The volume is dedicated to Brian G. Armstrong, whose own scholarship demonstrated how far Calvinism in seventeenth-century France had become divided by significant disagreements over how Calvin's original ideas and doctrines were to be understood. The Essays In This Volume Highlight The Different Paths That Calvinism Followed As It Took Root In Western Europe And Which Allowed It To Develop Within Fifty Years Into The Dominant Protestant Confession. Each Chapter Reinforces The Notion That Whilst Many Reformers Did Try To Duplicate The Kind Of Community That Calvin Had Established. Most Had To Compromise By Adapting To The Particular Political And Cultural Landscapes In Which They Lived. The Result Was A Situation In Which Reformed Churches Across Europe Differed Markedly From Calvin's Geneva In Explicit Ways. Summarizing Recent Research In The Field Through Selected French, German. English And Scottish Case Studies, This Collection Adds To The Emerging Picture Of A Flexible Calvinism That Could Adapt To Meet Specific Local Conditions And Needs In Order To Allow The Reformed Tradition To Thrive And Prosper.--jacket. Introduction / Mack P. Holt -- Calvin, Beza And Geneva -- John Calvin's Interpretation Of Psalm 22 / Bernard Roussel -- Was Calvin A Crypto-zwinglian? / Anthony N.s. Lane -- Development And Coherence In Calvin's Institutes : The Case Of Baptism (institutes 4:15-4:16) / David F. Wright -- God's Eternal Decree And Its Temporal Execution : The Role Of This Distinction In Theodore Beza's Theology / Donald Sinnema -- Reformed Ideas Outside Geneva -- A Lay Voice In Sixteenth-century Ecumenics : Katharina Schütz Zell In Dialogue With Johannes Brenz, Conrad Pellican, And Caspar Schwenckfeld / Elsie Anne Mckee -- Vera Ecclesiae Concordia : Martin Bucer's Blueprint For The Reformation In France / Willem Van't Spijker -- Politique And Spiritualist Tolerance : Bodin's Heptaplomeres And Coornhert's Synodus / Gerrit Voogt -- The Reformation In France -- The Genevan Model And Gallican Originality In The French Reformed Tradition / Raymond A. Mentzer -- Divisions Within French Calvinism : Philippe Duplessis-mornay And The Eucharist / Mack P. Holt -- The Jacques Royer Affair, 1604-1624 : An Argument Over Liturgy In Geneva And France / Robert M. Kingdon -- The Reformations In England And Scotland -- A Calvinist Bishop At The Court Of King Charles I / Daniel J. Steere -- Popular Polity? : The Imposition Of Elizabethan Church Discipline In The Deanery Of Stottesden / Brett G. Armstrong -- Marginal At Best : John Knox's Contribution To The Geneva Bible, 1560 / Dale Walden Johnson. Edited By Mack P. Holt. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Introduction Calvin, Beza, and Geneva John Calvin's interpretation of Psalm 22 / Bernard Roussel Was Calvin a crypto-zwinglian? / Anthony N.S. Lane Development and coherence in Calvin's institutes : the case of baptism / David F. Wright God's eternal decree and its temporal execution : the role of this distinction in Theodore Beza's theology / Donald Sinnema Reformed ideas outside Geneva A lay voice in sixteenth-century ecumenics : Katharina Schütz Zell in dialogue with Johannes Brenz, Conrad Pellican, and Caspar Schwenckfeld / Elsie Anne McKee Vera ecclesiae concordia : Martin Bucer's blueprint for the Reformation in France / Willem van Spijker Politique and spiritualist tolerance : Bodin's heptaplomeres and Coornhert's synodus / Pieter G. Voogt The Reformation in France The Genevan model and Gallican originality in the french reformed tradition / Raymond A. Mentzer Divisions within French calvinism : Philippe Duplessis-Mornay and the Eucharist / Mack P. Holt The Jacques Royer affair, 1604-1624 : an argument over liturgy in Geneva and France / Robert M. Kingdon The reformations in England and Scotland A calvinist bishop at the court of King Charles I / Daniel Steere Popular piety : the imposition of Elizabethan church discipline in the Deanery of Stottesden / Brett Armstrong Marginal at best : John Knox's contribution to the Geneva Bible / Dale W. Johnson.