John Calvin Focus of 500th Anniversary Event at Calvin College

Calvin College is paying tribute to its roots this April by hosting a conference devoted to the man for which the college was named. Leading scholars on Calvin and the Reformation will gather at the seminary April 16-18 to explore John Calvin's life and legacy. The conference, titled, "John Calvin: Myth and Reality," marks the Reformer's 500th birthday. Calvin was born on July 10, 1509, in Noyon, France.

Hosted by the Meeter Center for Calvin Studies, the conference offers an opportunity to hear from experts on topics ranging from Calvin's theology to his impact on church discipline, from his reputation among his contemporaries to his influence around the world -- including in Korea, Indonesia, and early America. People from as far afield as western Europe, India, Japan, and South Africa will be attending the event.

The full conference program and the required registration form are available at http://www.calvin.edu/meeter/calvinconference2009/mainpage.htm.

Noteworthy events at the conference include Thursday evening's panel on predestination featuring Calvin Theological Seminary professor Richard Muller, Calvin religion professor Laura Smit and Fuller Theological Seminary president Richard Mouw. Friday evening will feature a special session on Calvin and music, including Psalms played on the organ and opportunities for everyone to sing.

Topics to be addressed include: “The Good, the Bad, and the Indifferent: Myths, Realities and Ambiguities in Calvin’s Teaching about Women,” “Respect for the Word: What Calvin and Wittgenstein had Against Images,” and “Calvin and the Social Order in Early America: Moral, Ideals and Required Variations.”

All sessions will take place in the seminary Chapel. Several publishers featuring leading works on Calvin and the Reformation will have their books available for purchase at the event.

The Meeter Center event is one of several conferences happening all over the world this year to mark Calvin's 500th birthday.

The H. Henry Meeter Center for Calvin Studies is a research center specializing in John Calvin and Calvinism that opened in 1981. It is located in the Hekman Library on the campus of Calvin College and Calvin Theological Center in Grand Rapids, Mich. Today, the Meeter Center with its rare items, books, articles, literature, and bibliographies is acclaimed worldwide as one of the most extensive and user-friendly of all Calvin and Calvinism collections.

For more information about the conference and other ways Calvin College will celebrate Calvin's 500th birthday, contact Karin Maag, director of the H. Henry Meeter Center, 616-526-6089, [email protected].

-Calvin College Communications