Christopher Elwood - Böcker

This study of controversy over the eucharist in sixteenth-century France argues that Calvinist interpretations of the Lord's Supper played a crucial role in the development of early modern revolutionary politics. Focusing on new understandings of signs and symbols conveyed in Protestant eucharistic writings, Elwood shows how eucharistic doctrine facilitated new conceptions of the nature of power and the relation between society and the sacred and contributed to the development of the divergent religious, social, and political ideals that threatened to destroy France in the second half of the sixteenth century.

In this concise introduction to Calvin's life and thought, Christopher Elwood offers an insightful and accessible overview of Calvin's key teachings within his historical context. The trials and travails Calvin encountered as he ministered and taught in Geneva are discussed, with special attention given to theological controversies associated with the Trinity and predestination. Elwood indicates the ways that Calvinism developed and its influence in today's world. Illustrations are interspersed throughout the text and humorously illuminate key points providing an engaging introduction to this important theologian.Written by experts but designed for the novice, the Armchair series provides accurate, concise, and witty overviews of some of the most profound moments and theologians in Christian history. These books are essential supplements for first-time encounters with primary texts, lucid refreshers for scholars and clergy, and enjoyable reads for the theologically curious.