Concerning the Eternal Predestination of God

by John Calvin, translated by John Kelman Sutherland Reid

Book cover: Concerning the Eternal Predestination of God

Extent: 192 pages

Publisher: James Clarke & Co

Subjects: Religious Studies

Language: English

PDF (No longer our product)

(April 2022)

ISBN: 9780227905937

Price: $28.00

Calvin’s most well-known doctrine in his own words, with a critical introduction.


Although he wrote comprehensively on a wide range of doctrinal issues, it is Predestination with which Calvin is most associated today. In this, his definitive text on the subject, he outlines fully a doctrine he feels has been wilfully misinterpreted to the detriment of the Church. Readers will witness Calvin masterfully arguing his points, wrestling with the scriptures, and fully engaging in the polemical world of sixteenth-century theological debate as he refutes the views of three of his chief detractors. J.K.S. Reid’s widely praised translation preserves the nuances of Calvin’s thought and the strength of his rhetoric, while his introduction offers a critical examination of Calvin’s theological argument.

Translator's Preface Translator's Introduction Concerning the Eternal Predestination of God Title-page Table of Contents Author's Introduction Text Index

John Calvin (1509-1564) is widely considered the most important figure in the second generation of the Protestant Reformation. Having first encountered the ideas of Martin Luther while studying in Paris, he pursued the Reformed faith himself following a conversion experience in 1533. Eventually settling in Geneva, Calvin established a Protestant city government, while his landmark text, the Institutes of the Christian Religion, helped codify Protestant theology for Churches across Europe. Concerning the Eternal Predestination of God was published in 1552 after almost a decade of vigorous debate around the doctrine. J.K.S. Reid (1910-2002) was a noted twentieth-century Scottish theologian. He studied in Edinburgh, Heidelberg and Marburg, and spent time as a military chaplain during the World War Two. He was appointed Professor of Theology at the University of Leeds in 1952, and Professor of Systematic Theology at the University of Aberdeen in 1961. Alongside several monographs and significant ecumenical work, one of his chief accomplishments was co-founding with T.F. Torrance the Scottish Journal of Theology.

  • By (author) John Calvin
  • Edited by J.K.S. Reid