The accusation has been made that I have only given references to books by Calvinists. For this reason, I give a list of books about Calvin by non-Calvinists that you can give to your Dave Hunt-influenced friends.
1. William J. Bouwsma: John Calvin: A Sixteenth Century Portrait (New York, Oxford University Press, 1988). By a historian at a secular university, namely Berkeley, and published by a secular publisher, there is no way that this can be accused of being a mere fan piece.
2. Andrew Martin Fairbairn: ‘Calvin and the Reformed Church’ Pp.342-376 in The Cambridge Modern History Vol. 2 (Cambridge, 1934). Great if you can get hold of it. Fairbairn was a dedicated Arminian who had deliberately rejected his Calvinistic upbringing in Presbyterian Scotland. His whole mental bias was against Calvin, yet he is almost laudatory of Calvin!
3. R.N. Carew Hunt, Calvin (London, the Centenary Press, 1933). Another great biography to give to Dave Hunt's followers. Hunt makes it quite clear that he is no Calvinist, but at the same time he refuses to close his eyes to Calvin's good qualities.
4. Hugh Y. Reyburn, John Calvin (London, Hodder and Stoughton, 1914). Liberal Presbyterian author, very scholarly and full of quotations from the original sources.
5. Williston Walker, John Calvin: Revolutionary, Theologian, Pastor (Reprinted Fearn, Christian Focus, 2005). Yale Church historian. I trust that no-one will suspect him of Calvinism. Certainly not after reading this book!
If the Dave Hunt fan refuses to read any of these books, or says he doesn't believe them afterwards, ask him why. Point out that a refusal to examine the evidence is not a Christian virtue. I own and have read all of these books, and I like them.
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