The Man from Geneva
When John Calvin is mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is his masterpiece, Institutes of the Christian Religion, one of the ten great works that have shaped human history. This speaks to Calvin's place in history.
However, many Chinese readers know Calvin chiefly through The Right of Heretics, which portrays him as the executioner who burned Servetus at the stake, and as the tyrant and "pope" of Geneva.
Yet some scholars have also observed: "Calvinism liberated Switzerland, the Netherlands, and England, and helped fuel the prosperity of America, built by the Puritan forefathers."
By common sense, a person cannot be both a tyrant and a sower of the seeds of freedom.
Although Calvin remains a controversial figure, historical materials about him are scarce in mainland China. This biography by T. H. L. Parker offers us a relatively comprehensive account of his life.
