Spotlight on The John Calvin Podcast

In a world fascinated by historical figures, few provoke as much of a love/hate relationship among both Christians and skeptics as Protestant Reformer John Calvin. Whether you’re deeply interested in Reformed theology or simply curious about history, The John Calvin Podcast has something for everyone.

Today, we sit down with Matt White, Associate Vicar and podcast host, to explore Calvin’s influence, historical controversies, and the vision behind the show.

Anthony: Thanks for being with us today, Matt! Can you tell us about yourself and your podcast?

Matt: Thanks for having me with you today! I’m currently Associate Vicar at St Mary’s Chipping Norton in the UK which is an Anglican Church in the Church of England. My theological studies have taken me to Cranmer Hall (Durham University), London School of Theology, and Heythrop College (University of London). I’m currently working on a doctorate focusing on John Calvin’s doctrine of sanctification at Trinity College Bristol.

About the Podcast

The John Calvin Podcast aims to provide a fun and informative journey into John Calvin’s theology and historical context. We launched in August 2024, and it’s been really exciting to see an international community form around the podcast – ranging from the USA, Brazil, Australia, the UK, Switzerland and even Moldova

It’s safe to say that the majority of our listeners are based in the USA, but the Podcast continues to reach a global audience. Our listeners tend to be super engaged: each episode gets a consumption rate of around 85-90% (how much of an episode is listened to after someone taps “play”), so it’s been a pleasant surprise to see the appetite to really understand and engage with Calvin.

The Podcast was inspired by the history podcast The Rest is History, in particular their episode about Switzerland entitled Calvin’s Cancel Culture. I found the episode interesting and intriguing and as I reflected on Calvin’s life, I realized that Calvin’s life and theology are so rich and interesting that I wanted to dedicate a podcast to understanding him better.

A key thing for me in this is to keep the podcast lighthearted and accessible both for Calvin scholars, but also historically curious people who wouldn’t necessarily identify as Christian. It’s been really gratifying to see that our listeners include a significant number of non-religious historically curious people; we want the podcast to be helpful both inside and outside the Church!

The Legacy of John Calvin

Calvin’s life is endlessly entertaining. He’s also a figure who provokes strong emotional reactions (though I must say, usually from people who have not actually read him). I have personally benefitted from Calvin’s theology; for example, his theology of union with Christ is beautiful and elegant. I wanted to expose Calvin and his thought to a much wider audience so they could make up their own minds about him, rather than hearing second hand, largely negative accounts.

His life story is incredibly dramatic and entertaining and includes fleeing religious persecution, the drama of establishing the reformation in Geneva, plus his enormous historical impact. Calvin was a genius in the true sense of that word and his theology has a truly global impact. I would argue that Christianity today is unrecognizable without an understanding of John Calvin.

The Burning of Michael Servetus

Anthony: Are there any standout episodes or moments that have resonated deeply with your audience?

Matt: Understandably the three-part series we did on Michael Servetus episode has been listened to a lot.

Anthony: Well, inquiring minds want to know, did Calvin issue the Code Red? Are Calvin’s critics correct in saying he was responsible for the burning of Michael Servetus?

Matt: The magistrates of Geneva included some of Calvin’s most bitter enemies and it was they, not Calvin, who ordered the burning of Servetus. Calvin did not have any political office in Geneva, and there was no way the city authorities would surrender their hard-won power to “that Frenchman” as they contemptuously called him.

Calvin was actively involved in the trial of Servetus and supplied theological arguments to refute Servetus anti-trinitarian claims. He also let Servetus borrow books from his own personal library prior to the trial. Servetus would have faced the same fate had he been arrested in Spain, France, England, Germany.

The burning of Servetus is shocking by standards today, but it’s important to appreciate that people in the early modern period had very different cultural assumptions to our own. It’s also worth noting that immediately after Servetus sentencing, Calvin tried unsuccessfully to change the execution method to a more merciful death by beheading.

Calvin’s Marriage to an Anabaptist

Anthony: On a happier note, can you tell us about Calvin’s marriage? Is it true his wife was an Anabaptist when they married? Is there any historical record that she ever became Reformed?

Matt: That’s an interesting question. I’m planning to do a series of episodes on Calvin and Idelette’s marriage in which I get into these questions in more detail. Right now, I’m not sure; off the top of my head I seem to recall that Idellette’s previous husband had been anabaptist, but I hope to be more informed about their relationship when I start the reading for this particular series! We don’t have a huge amount of information about Idelette so getting a detailed picture of her is tricky.

Calvin and 5 Point Calvinism

Anthony: Some critics of Calvinism have said that John Calvin was not a 5 Point Calvinist. What do you think: was Calvin a Calvinist? Would he have affirmed Limited Atonement?

Matt: Calvin was first and foremost a biblical theologian rather than a logical Systematician. For any preachers reading this, Calvin’s commentaries on Scripture are full of insight and every bit as good as his Institutes. The five points of Calvinism have their uses, but when it comes to understanding Calvin himself, they aren’t particularly helpful because they simplify (and in so doing) obscure how Calvin is framing his arguments. The debate about the extent of the atonement wasn’t a pressing debate in Calvin’s day.

Calvin is very happy to use the Johannine language of Jesus death for all, without always specifying what he exactly means by that; he is a deeply biblical theologian. At the same time, I would argue that people like John Owen are true to the basic thrust of Calvin’s atonement theology even though Limited Atonement was not a debate in Calvin’s lifetime. It’s complicated!

Recreation on Sundays

Anthony: The Reformed church has always taken Sabbath observance seriously, however, there has been the perception that the Continentally Reformed churches weren’t as uptight about recreation on Sundays as the British were. To your knowledge, did Calvin bowl or participate in recreational activities on Sundays?

Matt: Not that I am aware of, but I am very much in the early stages of my research. Selderhuis speculates that Calvin knew how to sail, which gives a different and intriguing picture of him as a person.

Calvin and Baptismal Regeneration

Anthony: In regard to the sacraments, Calvin worked hard to keep the perception that the Reformed were closer to Lutheranism than the memorialists views of Zwingli. To your knowledge, did Calvin believe in baptismal regeneration?

Matt: It depends on what one means by baptismal regeneration. My reading of Calvin leads me to think that he believes God is actually doing something in baptism (against a memorialist position). If I had to say, I’d say for Calvin, yes: baptism does something (a seed of the Holy Spirit is planted in the elect in baptism).

Best Calvin Biography and Translation of Calvin’s Institutes

Anthony: For people new to Calvin and are interested in reading his work, where should they start? Which translation of the Institutes would you recommend?

Matt: Book 3 of the Institutes is a classic and a favorite of mine. At the moment I use the Battles/McNeil translation, but I am very excited for the release of the new translation of Calvin’s Institutes by Randy Blacketer and Tony Lane coming out in the coming years. I’m reliably informed that the Battles translation contains a number of significant errors, and that his Barthianism often shapes (and takes over) his translation of Calvin in an unhelpful way.

The best biography on Calvin has got to be Bruce Gordon’s biography. It is very entertaining, while also being historically informative.

Calvin’s Relevance Today

Anthony: What makes John Calvin relevant for Christians today?

Matt: Calvin’s confidence in the power of expository preaching remains very relevant today. Expository preaching protects the Church from domesticating God or just accommodating God to our own cultural or political concerns.

You could argue that the reformation in Geneva simply could not have happened without Calvin’s expository preaching. This inspires me to not be taken in by church growth gimmicks, and to focus on where the real power is: Preach the word (2 Tim 4).

Calvin’s theology of suffering is rich and very helpful. Like the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians, Calvin believes that God is sovereign in the trials and afflictions that God’s people face.

Even if you don’t consider yourself to be a Christian, Calvin’s influence on the West is so huge that he is worth reading. Prepare to be challenged, annoyed, inspired and provoked; Calvin doesn’t easily fit into the boxes people try to put him in. If you have to start from scratch, start with Book 3 of the Institutes.

Calvin’s Church Denomination

Anthony: I’ve got to end our interview with a fun and lighthearted question: If Calvin were alive today, what church denomination would we find him in on a Sunday?

Matt: I guess the correct answer to this would be some form of Presbyterianism. As an Anglican I would have liked to know what Calvin would have made of the Book of Common Prayer!

Future Podcast Plans

Anthony: Your podcast has truly an excellent blend of scholarship and humor. You also have a great voice. Thank you for being with us today! What are your future plans for The John Calvin Podcast and where can people subscribe?

Matt: I’m really excited about our Show Down series which focuses on the various people Calvin clashed and debated with. We’ve just finished Servetus, but we’ll be including Pighius, Bolsec, Castellio plus many others.

I’d love to see the John Calvin Podcast contribute to a fresh appreciation for Calvin’s theology. There’s a real hunger among Gen Z for a connection to the lasting and ancient. I hope that, if only in a small way, the podcast can serve as a gateway for people to wrestle with the claims of the gospel.

For all Calvin’s weaknesses, he was a person who was captivated by the gospel and it’s hard not to be moved by that as you read him.

Follow and Partner with The John Calvin Podcast

You can follow us on X and listen to the podcast here: www.johncalvinpod.com/listen or in your favorite podcast app. I’d recommend scrolling to the beginning and listening to the three-part series on Calvin’s life. This gives a biographical overview which should help to understand the episodes to follow.

I’d love to see our membership community grow and for it to become a fun and interesting place for historical and theological enquiry. You can sign up here: www.johncalvinpod.com/support

Concluding Thoughts

While Calvin’s theological brilliance continues to inspire, some of his actions remain topics of debate. Nevertheless, his legacy is undeniably influential, not only for Reformed Christians but for the broader Christian community.

We’re grateful for podcasts like Matt’s, which open the door for a new generation to engage with Calvin’s ideas, rediscover his theological truths, and wrestle with the complexities of his life and thought. Be sure to check out The John Calvin Podcast to dive deeper into this rich historical figure.