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As part of the the H.Henry Meeter Center’s 30th anniversary, John Calvin’s first edition of the Institutes is on display in the Meeter Center through June 1st. This rare volume was published in 1536 in Basle and was Calvin’s first major theological work. Its long Latin title – Christianae religionis institutio, totam fere pietatis summam, et quid est indoctrina salutis cognitu necessarium, complectens; omnibus pietatis studiosis lectu dignissimum opus, ac recens editum makes clear that its purpose is to present the whole sum of piety and what is necessary for understanding the doctrine of salvation. It consists of six chapters in addition to the letter to King Francis I of France in which Calvin defended the “evangelicals” who questioned the authority of the Roman Catholic Church yet wished to promote the purity of the one holy catholic Church. Calvin reworked the text both in Latin and French throughout his lifetime. The 1559 edition, owned by the Meeter Center, was the final and complete work based upon the seedling first printed in 1536, and is also on display in the Center.

We appreciate the Van Kampen Collection and the Van Kampen family’s willingness to loan this important work to the Center during the first part of our anniversary year. The Van Kampen Collection was founded in 1986 by Robert and Judith Van Kampen, who established a privately-funded research library in 1994, known as the Scriptorium: Center for Christian Antiquities. It was located in Grand Haven, MI, and provided a unique setting for research, cataloguing, and the presentation of the holdings. In 2002, the Collection relocated to Orlando, Florida.

College, Seminary, and community members wishing to view the 1536 Institutes are welcome to stop by anytime the Meeter Center, located on the 4th floor of the library, is open: weekdays from 8 to 12 and 1-5 PM, and Saturdays from 1 to 5 PM.