Editor’s Foreword Jon Woronoff
Preface
Acronyms and Abbreviations
Chronology
Introduction
The Dictionary
Bibliography
About the Author
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.
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.
*Library Journal*
For all of its existence, Scarecrow’s Historical Dictionary series
has provided a place for information on remarkably narrow and
specific topics to find a home. Each of the volumes, with the
standard features of a chronology, introductory essay, alphabetical
entries, bibliography, and index, offers the individual authors the
format and space to fully cover the topic while remaining within
the template, which lets researchers know what they can expect. The
three new additions to the Religions, Philosophies, and Movements
subset cover Calvinism, new religious movements, and the Friends
(Quakers). As reference books, the volumes on Calvinism and the
Friends have a similar style and purpose. Each is intended to
provide information on an established religion. The biographical
entries cover church leaders and historical figures. The entries on
philosophical and doctrinal matters serve to define the basic
tenets of the faith and in some cases can be used as comparative
points. For example, comparing the entries on Baptism and Sin in
these two volumes can show basic differences between the two
churches....The three books have authors, rather than editors, and
all of them have has appropriate credentials for their subjects.
The bibliographies are thematically arranged. These volumes are
essential purchases for theological libraries and should be
strongly considered by academic and public libraries where there is
a subject interest.
*Booklist*
Like all introductory dictionaries on aspects of intellectual
history, Picken’s volume compresses a great deal of information
about Calvinism into a handy space and is necessarily selective in
its choice of topics. But for general readers, students, and those
new to Calvinism, this book is a good start....Scholars will most
appreciate the very well-organized 43-page concluding bibliography,
an excellent springboard for further study.
*American Reference Books Annual*
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