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Secondary sourceBook1849

The Life and Times of John Calvin, the Great Reformer

Paul Emil Henry · 1849

An 1849 biography of John Calvin translated from German, giving detailed historical context for his life and reforming work.

A detailed nineteenth-century biography situating Calvin's reforming work within the wider religious conflicts of his era.

Full text (Internet Archive)

About this source

What it is

This biography of John Calvin was written by Paul Emil Henry and translated from German into English by Henry Stebbing in 1849. It covers events including the state of the church, the German War, and Calvin's literary labours.

Why it matters

Written in the mid-nineteenth century, this detailed biography shows how later generations of scholars reconstructed and interpreted Calvin's life and the wider religious and political events of his time, including the Reformation's conflicts across Europe.

Look closer

  • Why might a biography written nearly 300 years after Calvin's death still be considered valuable?
  • What does covering events like 'the German War' and political struggles suggest about how the author connects Calvin to wider history?
  • How might translation from German to English have shaped the way this biography presents Calvin?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of John Calvin on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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