Calvin and English Calvinism to 1649 (Studies in Christian History and Thought)

To this groundbreaking work, originally published by the Oxford University Press in the 1980s, the author has added a new preface and two appendices, one of which consists of extracts from Calvin's Commentaries. The author demonstrates that the English ""Puritans"", who he calls ""experimental predestinarians"", were followers of John Calvin's successor in Geneva, Theodore Beza, and not of Calvin himself. R. T. Kendall maintains that what became known as English Calvinism was largely the thought of Beza, not Calvin. His book is an important clarification of Calvin's position in relation to those who have been regarded as his followers. ""An epoch-making book!"" --Christianity Today ""I recommend Calvin and English Calvinism far and wide. It opened my eyes to who Calvin really was. I learned Calvin was not a Calvinist!"" --Luis Palau ""Dr. Kendall's exciting study . . . is a major step forward in the reappraisal of Puritanism . . . no student in the Puritan field can excuse himself from reckoning with this important contribution."" --J. I. Packer ""This is an important work of impressive scholarship which makes a considerable contribution to the history of ideas in England as well as to Reformed theology. In it Dr. Kendall penetrates through distorting layers of rigid Calvinism to reveal the authentic Calvin."" --T. F. Torrance ""An erudite and distinguished contribution."" --Church Times ""A breakthrough for those who reject particular redemption yet hold to the doctrines of grace. Read it and reap!"" --O. S. Hawkins Born in Ashland, Kentucky, R. T. Kendall became the Minister of Westminster Chapel, London in 1977 after gaining a DPhil at Oxford University. Currently he is President of R. T. Ministries. Married with two children, he is the author of several books including God Meant It for Good, a study of the life of Joseph, Does Jesus Care and Believing God.