Guest editorial.(John Calvin's 500th birthday)(Guest editorial)

This issue of Interpretation celebrates John Calvin's 500th birthday. The French exile who became the powerful reformer of Geneva could hardly have imagined his influence on the shape of Western culture and history--in forms of political and economic life, in language and literature, and in theology and church polity. The essays in this issue explore aspects of Calvin's work as a biblical interpreter.

Randall Zachman makes an interesting discovery about Calvin's doctrine of revelation: the phrase sola scriptura really will not do for an accurate description. Calvin has a deep and lasting appreciation for the importance of oral tradition, and for revelation that is received in oracles and visions immediately from God. Calvin even authorizes certain practices or doctrines based solely on oral tradition that is passed on from the patriarchs down through the ages. Scripture is a form of the Word of God, but a relatively late one, and one that does not supersede oracles and visions.

Elsie McKee notes that Calvin's interpretation of 1 Tim 2:1-2 leads him to hold both a doctrine and a practice of prayer for all people that may seem contradictory to his teaching on predestination. McKee argues, on the contrary, that Calvin is preeminently a biblical theologian who addresses the themes presented in the pages of Scripture, including both predestination and prayer. Calvin expands upon earlier patristic and medieval readings to a generous, truly universal prayer for the world.

David Steinmetz shows the extent to which Calvin the student of Scripture was also steeped in classical culture and literature. He argues that in many places it is impossible truly to understand Calvin's ...