From the Director
In early April the Grand Rapids area experienced a major ice storm. Many
of those living in the city had no light or heat beginning on Friday,
April 4, and did not get power back for at least forty-eight hours. Fortunately,
the college campus did not lose its electricity supply, for on that very
same weekend the Meeter Center was due to host a visiting group from St.
Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Livonia, Michigan. In spite of the
weather, fifty-six members of the church still came on Saturday afternoon
as planned and gave a warm reception to an hour-long presentation on printing
and the Reformation. Though the circumstances were somewhat unusual, we
were glad to be able to open our doors to these visitors and to share
with them some key aspects of Reformation history.
We also look forward to welcoming other visitors to the Meeter Center
this summer, including six recipients of Meeter Center fellowships. The
Center’s reputation seems to be growing as a good place to come
for a concentrated period of research, and we are delighted to have scholars
from Korea, Australia, Scotland, and the United States as our guests in
2003. In June we will also host our third biennial paleography course,
led by Dr. Thomas Lambert. Participants from Europe and North America
will be learning how to read sixteenth-century, hand-written Genevan documents.
We continue to organize and participate in colloquia and conferences
that have a Reformation focus. In November the Meeter Center fall colloquium
featured Professor Davis Young, who spoke on Calvin and science. His presentation
was part of a larger book project partly funded by the Meeter Calvinism
Fund through the generosity of the Meeter family. In April the Meeter
Center cosponsored the successful Bach Symposium that was held on campus
and attracted participants from across North America.
If you have not done so recently, we invite you to browse our Web site,
www.calvin.edu/meeter. The site offers information on the Center and its
collection, access to the electronic catalog for books and the Calvinism
Resources Database for article references, images of Calvin, and links
to other Reformation studies centers. As always, we look forward to your
feedback.
Karin Y. Maag, Director
Making Our Resources Accessible
On any given afternoon a visitor to the Meeter Center is
likely to see a silver-haired gentleman bent over a pile of files. Occasionally
this person will consult a reference work or ask a question of someone
and then get back to work. One might assume that another visiting Calvin
scholar is using the Center’s resources, but in fact the person
in question is Charles C. Brown, a quiet, hardworking, behind-the-scenes
indexer for the Center.
A unique part of the Meeter Center collection is the Calvinism Resources
Database or CARD. The database contains thousands of citations for book
chapters, articles, and book reviews concerning John Calvin and Calvin-ism.
In recent years subject- indexing for this valuable collection has progressed,
and two-thirds of the project is now done. If all continues on schedule
the remainder of the materials will be subject-indexed within two years.
Over time several small grants have helped to pay for an individual to
work on this project on a part-time basis. In this issue of the Calvin
Courier we introduce you to the person who is largely responsible for
indexing materials—one who describes himself as an Anglican with
a strong interest in Calvin.
Charles’ educational and professional background is that of a librarian,
historian, and Reinhold Niebuhr scholar with degrees from the University
of Missouri and the University of Michigan. Early on, his interest in
Niebuhr was piqued, and the result has been a major study of Niebuhr published
in 1992 and now available in a new edition under the title Niebuhr and
His Age: Reinhold Niebuhr’s Prophetic Role and Legacy. Also, an
early friendship with Russell Kirk, a social philosopher and cultural
critic, developed into a working relationship as Charles organized Kirk’s
extensive writings. A definitive bibliography of Kirk’s works, prepared
by Charles, is to be published in early 2004. Charles’ historical
and religious interests are broad and well-informed and include the Renaissance
and Reformation era.
As a professional cataloger and bibliographer, Charles provides thoughtful
analysis and indexing of Calvin materials. Having looked at thousands
of articles, he has a good idea of what the Center has to offer and is
impressed with its attempt to make available in one place a wealth of
secondary sources for visiting scholars.
So the next time you visit the Center, speak to the fellow working on
a pile of files and be prepared for an interesting conversation. Thank
him for his work, since his efforts ensure that the Center can provide
better access to materials for scholars both on-site and on-line. We are
thankful for his hard work and diligence.
Paul Fields, Curator
New Acquisitions
Books
Beza, Theodore. Le Passavant: édition critique, introduction,
traduction, commentaire. Edited by J. L. R. Ledegang-Keegstra. Leiden:
Universiteit Leiden, 2001.
Calvin, John. Grace and Its Fruits: Selections from John Calvin on
the Pastoral Epistles. Darlington: Evangelical Press, 2000.
_____. Instruis-moi dans ta vérité: Brève instruction
chrétienne. Aix-en-Provence: Éditions Kerygma; Cléon
d’Andran: Éditions Excelsis, 1996.
Detmers, Achim. Reformation und Judentum: Israel-Lehren und Einstellungen
zum Judentum von Luther bis zum frühen Calvin. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer,
2001.
Dever, Mark. Richard Sibbes: Puritanism and Calvinism in Late Elizabethan
and Early Stuart England. Macon, Ga.: Mercer University Press, 2000.
Foxgrover, David, ed. Calvin and the Church. Papers presented
at the 13th colloquium of the Calvin Studies Society May 24–26,
2001. Grand Rapids: CRC Product Services, 2002.
Gordon, Bruce, The Swiss Reformation. Manchester, UK; New York:
Manchester University Press, 2002.
Weeda, Robert. Le Psautier de Calvin: L’histoire d’un
livre populaire au XVIe siècle, 1551–1598. Turnhout:
Brepols, 2002.
Rare Books
Calvin, John. Calvin’s Commentary on Hosea. Geneva: Conrad
Badius, 1557.
Dissertations
Chin, Clive S. “Unio Mystica and Imitatio Christi: The
Two-dimensional Nature of John Calvin’s Spirituality.” Ph.D.
diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 2002.
Kim, Jin Young. “The Exegetical Method and Message of Peter Martyr
Vermigli’s Commentary on Judges.” Ph.D. diss., Southern Baptist
Theological Seminary, 2002.
Mallinson, Jeffrey Charles. “Fides et Cognitio: The Direction
of Religious Epistemology under Theodore Beza.” Ph.D. diss., University
of Oxford, 2000.
McGowan, Beth Ann. “The Economics of Theories of Rhetorical Production:
Erasmus, Calvin, and Milton.” Ph.D. diss., University of Pennsylvania,
2000.
Spierling, Karen E. “A Child’s Place in the Community: Reformed
Infant Baptism in Sixteenth-Century Geneva.” Ph.D. diss., University
of Wisconsin, 2001.
Articles
Backus, Irena. “Calvin’s Concept of Natural and Roman Law.”
Calvin Theological Journal 38, no. 1, 2003: 7–26.
Balke, Willem. “Calvijn en Viret: vriendschap en spanning.”
Nederlands theologisch tijdschrift 56, no. 3, 2002: 233–55.
Balserak, Jon. “‘The Accommodating Act Par Excellence?’:
An Inquiry into the Incarnation and Calvin’s Understanding of Accommodation.”
Scottish Journal of Theology 55, no. 4, 2002: 408–23.
Carpenter, Craig B. “A Question of Union with Christ? Calvin and
Trent on Justification.” Westminster Theological Seminary 64,
no. 2, 2002: 363–86.
Engelsma, David J. “‘Nothing but a Loathsome Stench’:
Calvin’s Doctrine of the Spiritual Condition of Fallen Man.”
Protestant Reformed Theological Journal 35, no. 2, 2002: 39–60.
Helm, Paul. “John Calvin on ‘Before All Ages.’”
Tyndale Bulletin, 53, no. 1, 2002: 143–48.
Spierling, Karen E. “Insolence toward God? The Perpetuation of Catholic
Baptismal Traditions in Sixteenth-Century Geneva.” Archive for
Reformation History 93, 2002: 97–125.
Wykes, Michael. “Devaluing the Scholastics: Calvin’s Ethics
of Usury.” Calvin Theological Journal 38, no. 1, 2003:
27–51.
Hugh and Eve Meeter Calvinism Awards to High School Seniors
Ten students wrote papers on the topic “John Calvin’s View
of What It Means to Be Human.” The first prize of $2,500 went to
Ryan Kruis of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the second prize of $1,250 was
awarded to Sarah Greenlee of Shaker Heights, Ohio. Both Ryan and Sarah
plan to attend Calvin College in the fall. The topic for 2004 is “John
Calvin and Marriage.” Contact the Meeter Center for an informative
brochure about the awards. Papers must be received by January 15, 2004.
New Art Work for the Center
Thanks to the generosity of Calvin College, the Meeter Center now features
two copies of the bronze bas-relief head of John Calvin displayed above.
The sculptor is a local artist, Darrell DeRuiter. One copy of the bas-relief
adorns the fourth-floor entrance to the Meeter Center, while the other
is displayed on the exterior wall of the Center, facing the main campus
roadway.
Fellowships Awarded in 2003
Faculty Research Fellowship: Dr. Willem Berends, professor
at Reformed Theological College, Geelong, Australia, will pursue research
on the Reformed doctrine of the Atonement.
Student Research Fellowship: Mr. Mark Garcia, a Ph.D.
candidate from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, plans to study Calvin
on justification and sanctification. University of Iowa Ph.D. candidate,
Mr. Jesse Spohnholz will do research on the Dutch Calvinist exiles in
Wesel. Mr. Gyeung Su Park, a Ph.D. candidate at Claremont Graduate University,
Claremont, Calif. will study John Calvin as an advocate of church unity.
Emo F. J. Van Halsema Fellowship: Rev. Brian Nicholson,
an assistant pastor of Providence Presbyterian Church, Savannah, Ga. plans
to do work on Wolfgang Musculus.
Friends of the Meeter Center Fellowship: Dr. Nak Heong Yang,
associate professor at Korea Theological Seminary, Kosin University, will
study Sabbath observance.
Fellowship applications for 2004 may be obtained from the
Meeter Center upon request and must be returned by January 1, 2004. Application
forms are also available on our Web site.
Meeter Center Colloquium Series
April 10–12, 2003: The Meeter Center cosponsored a symposium entitled,
“Bach: the Preacher,” with the Seminars in Christian Scholarship,
Calvin College Music Department, and the Calvin Institute of Christian
Worship.
October 29, 2003: The Meeter Center will participate in a tricentennial
celebration of Jonathan Edwards’ birthday by cosponsoring a colloquium
entitled “Today’s Church in Reformation and Politics”
with Calvin Seminary. Panel participants will include: Dr. John Bolt,
professor of systematic theology, Calvin Seminary, “The Glory of
Spiders and Politics” and Rev. Jack Van Ens, PCUSA minister, “Today’s
Spiritual Need: Jonathan Edwards or Thomas Jefferson?”
November 6, 2003: Dr. Lyle Bierma, professor of systematic theology at
Calvin Seminary, will speak at our fall colloquium on “The Sources
and Theological Orientation of the Heidelberg Catechism.”
March 31, 2004: Dr. Laura Smit, assistant professor of religion at Calvin
College, will be the Meeter Center’s spring lecturer. Her topic
will be “Calvinist Sacramental Understanding.”
Genevan Paleography
The third biennial course on Genevan Paleography will be held June 2–13,
2003. The eight participants this year come from universities across the
U.S., Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland.
Our U.S. and Canadian participants include Dwight TenHuisen, who is a
professor in the Spanish department at Calvin College and is finishing
a Ph.D. in comparative literature this semester. Scott Marr, a graduate
student at Boston University, is working on French religious and social
history during the sixteenth and seventeenth century. Carolyn Corretti’s
dissertation work at the University of Iowa will include a fall trip to
France for archival work on sixteenth-century manuscripts. Jonathan Gray
is working on an M.A. thesis at the University of Mississippi on a study
of the political thought of a number of Calvinist thinkers in the sixteenth
century. Jason Zuidema, attending McGill University in Montreal, Quebec,
is working on a doctorate in Reformed biblical exegesis/historical theology.
Our European contingent includes Dr. Frans Pieter van Stam from the Netherlands,
a full-time researcher on the critical edition of Calvin’s correspondence
to be published by Droz in the Ioannis Calvini Opera Omnia. Judith Becker
from Germany is writing a Ph.D. thesis on the church order of Johannes
a Lasco, known as the “Forma ac Ratio,” and its reception
in a number of exile churches. Our eighth participant, Christophe Chazalon
from Switzerland, currently studying at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
on a student exchange program, is beginning work on a dissertation on
the printers who published the works of Theodore Beza.
All of the participants look forward to the challenge of learning to
decipher handwritten documents in sixteenth-century French. |
