Historical Dictionary of Calvinism

Stuart D.B. Picken taught at the International Christian University in Tokyo, served as director of the Centre for Japanese Studies at the University of Stirling, and then concluded his career as Graduate School Dean at the Nagoya University of Commerce and Business Administration. He is currently Chair of the Japan Society of Scotland. He is a recipient of the Order of the Sacred Treasure by the Japanese government for pioneering research on Japan and for services to Japan-Scotland and Japan-U.K. relations for over three decades.

• Editor’s Foreword Jon WoronoffPrefaceAcronyms and AbbreviationsChronologyIntroductionThe DictionaryBibliographyAbout the Author

In his 25-page introduction covering the life of John Calvin (1509–64), Picken (Historical Dictionary of Shinto) presents Calvinism as a strain of Christianity that has influenced society, civil government, and areas such as finance and continues to change and thrive. Thus, entries deal with aspects of Calvinistic thought before, during, and after its founder’s lifetime. As a former Church of Scotland minister who taught in Japan, Picken includes possibly more entries on Scottish theologians and Calvinism in Japan than another writer would, but the entries are interesting nonetheless. The volume features a chronology, a substantial bibliography, and cross-references. VERDICT Many Protestant denominations carry the philosophical genes of Calvinism, and there is no other related dictionary currently available, making this a worthy resource. Highly recommended for public library and academic collections with focuses on religion or European history.