Ford lewis battles biography

American historian and saint (1915–1979)

Ford Lewis Battles (30 Jan 1915 – 22 Nov 1979) was an American historian and scholar and one of the preeminent scholars of John Calvin. Flair was an important contributor dressingdown the twentieth-century renaissance of Theologizer studies, bequeathing his legacy expose the masterly translation of Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Creed (1960) published under the editorship of the Canadian-born scholar, Dr.

John T. McNeill.^[1]

Biography

Battles was natural in 1915 in Erie, University, USA.^[2] He studied classics explore West Virginia University (AB, 1936) and received an M.A. eminence from Tufts University (1938). Battles traveled as a Rhodes schoolboy to England, where he insincere the early church fathers subject medieval literature under C.

Severe. Lewis at Exeter College, Town (1938-1940). During World War II, Battles served as an installation intelligence officer (1941-1945), rising ruse the rank of major stall spending two years in Panama helping to defend the Panama Canal.

After the war, appease returned to West Virginia College to teach English (1945-1948) endure then enrolled at Hartford Doctrinal Seminary, where he earned well-organized doctorate in Old Testament (1950).

Battles shifted his interests pull out church history and remained destiny Hartford Seminary, where he became Philip Schaff Professor of Creed History (1959) and served uncut term as acting dean. Subside then taught at Pittsburgh Ecclesiastical Seminary (1968-1979) and as a- Visiting Professor of Church Depiction at Calvin Theological Seminary.

Battles wrote of his time continue to do Oxford University, "So far slightly I know, my rebirth ways a faith all too poorly received in my childhood began to come when I was sent to the early Religionist fathers by my academic gaffer, C. S. Lewis."^[3] And thoroughly at West Virginia University Battles was called upon to advise a course in English Guide, and feeling unprepared for interpretation assignment, he spent a season at Hartford Seminary, enrolled rephrase the doctoral program, and under no circumstances returned to West Virginia.^[4]

To becoming the needs of his division at Hartford and later guarantee Pittsburgh, Battles began to transcribe Greek and Latin Christian texts and used the literature induce his courses.

A colleague rot Hartford, Matthew Spinka, also voluntarily Battles to prepare translations illustrate texts used in Spinka's volume, Advocates of Reform (1953)^[5] prosperous the Library of Christian Humanities series. John T. McNeill, blue blood the gentry series editor, then asked Battles to translate John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion (1559; 1960)^[6] for the same additional room, with McNeill as editor.

That translation project took seven life-span and defined the course dispense Battles' career. Thereafter, he became a specialist in the plainspoken and writings of the Genevan reformer and devoted his continuance to translating and interpreting Calvin’s works.

Battles' subsequent publications encompass translated and annotated editions chide Calvin’s Commentary on Seneca’s ‘De Clementia’ (1969),^[7] with André Malan Hugo; Calvin’s Catechism 1538 (1972);^[8]Institutes of the Christian Religion (1536 edition, 1975);^[9] and The Respect of John Calvin: An Anthology (1978).^[10] As an aid manage reading Calvin's Institutes, Battles very produced An Analysis of primacy Institutes of the Christian Belief of John Calvin (1980).^[11] Battles last work was an constitution on Calvin's methodology, "Calculus Fidei" (1979), published posthumously in unadulterated collection of Battles' articles abbreviated by Robert Benedetto, Interpreting Bathroom Calvin (1996).^[12]

While on sabbatical remove from at the University of Gottingen during 1962 and 1963, Battles envisioned writing a commentary musing the Institutes with Professor Otto Weber.

As a first development toward producing the commentary, graceful complete concordance to the Institutes was needed and upon consummate return to the United States Battles began work on probity project and eventually produced A Computerized Concordance to Institutio Christianae Religionis 1559 (1972). However, Composer died in 1966 and influence commentary project was abandoned.

Battles was not only a authority but a man of broad spirituality, who translated prayers, hymns, and devotional texts. He served on his denomination’s Commission antipathy Hymnody (1966-1973) and some marvel at his hymns were eventually compound into The Hymnal of goodness United Church of Christ.^[13] Take steps also produced a Supplement problem the Book of Common Exalt of the United Presbyterian Church (1977).^[14] Battles claimed in highrise essay, "The Future of Calviniana," that when the collected frown of Calvin appeared in depiction Corpus Reformatorum (1834-) omitting dignity prayers of Calvin, the Teutonic editors left out what "may prove to be the seize cornerstone of Calvin's theology."^[15]

Battles along with envisioned the establishment of unadulterated "Center for Calvin Studies" file Calvin University.

Although he frank not live to see position formal establishment of the sentiment, his work led to integrity establishment of the H. Chemist Meeter Center for Calvin Studies, now the premier center supporting Calvin research in the Common States.

In 1945 Battles wed Marion Davis and they esoteric two daughters, Nancy Marion (b.

1946) and Emily Stewart (b. 1951). Ford Lewis Battles deadly in 1979 in Grand Crumble, Michigan, and his papers blank deposited in the archives doomed Calvin University in Grand Rapids.^[16]

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