Calvin’s Wisdom: An Anthology Arranged Alphabetically by a Grateful Reader, by J. Graham Miller. The Banner of Truth Trust, Edinburgh, 1992. 392 pp. £14.95.
Graham Miller has spent a lifetime reading fifty-five volumes of Calvin’s commentaries, as well as the Institutes of the Christian Religion, and indexing them by theme and quotation! This is a labour of love, some of which is available to the readers of this volume. It is effectively an index to Calvin’s thoughts on the subjects covered. There are over 220 subjects, many of them subdivided.
Here is an introduction to Calvin’s thought (aptly named, Calvin’s Wisdom) by the use of direct quotation. As each source reference is given, the reader can follow out further research in the appropriate place.
This volume is presumably selective. There must be much more in Miller’s note-books. This volume consists only of quotations, but in his prologue Miller states that he has also indexed themes. It would be good to have the fruit of this labour in the public domain.
Most of the subjects are listed under one word or brief phrase, e.g. faith, repentance, justification by faith. However, one heading is expanded. It is “Roman Catholicism at the time of the Reformation”. Although this is no doubt historically accurate, there is a hint here that the publishers, or the author, may feel that these quotations no longer apply to Roman Catholicism at the present time. We have little doubt that things have changed, for the worse, but is this what the publishers meant?
Donald M. Boyd