Author Archives: Jordan Ballor

Jordan Ballor

About Jordan Ballor

Jordan Ballor (Dr. theol., University of Zurich; Ph.D., Calvin Theological Seminary) is associate director of the Junius Institute for Digital Reformation Research of Calvin Theological Seminary. He also serves as senior research fellow and director of publishing at the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion & Liberty.

New Digital Companion: A Treatise on True Theology

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The Junius Institute is pleased to announce the launch of a new project called “Digital Companions.” The idea for this project is to produce open-access digital editions of translations, enhanced with specialized and integrated hyperlinks, paired with the original language text.

A key work by the institute’s namesake, Franciscus Junius, has the honor of being the first such Digital Companion. Partnering with Reformation Heritage Books, who recently published Junius’ A Treatise on True Theology, our JI Companion links the English text on the left hand side with the printed edition of the Latin (1613 edition) on the right. Of course there are some places where the English version has no analog in the original, such as the front matter and other introductory material. But as you scroll through the contents of the source document itself on the left, the Latin page will sync on the right, making reference to the original Latin much easier as you read along.

JI research curator David Sytsma developed the companion, which includes embedded hyperlinks to other sources that are referenced as available, as well as links to author pages on the Post-Reformation Digital Library. So, for instance, when Richard Muller refers to the “friendly correspondence” between Junius and Jacob Arminius in his foreword, there are live links to both the English translation (via the Internet Archive) and the Latin text (via Google Books) embedded in the companion. Dr. Sytsma has also developed pop-ups so that when you hover over certain links you can get an overview of the person and his or her work.

There are a number of other features that you will encounter as you explore the companion, including references to the pagination of the printed text as it appears in both the English and original language publication. And speaking of the published text, be sure to check out the printed version from Reformation Heritage Books for your bookshelf. This is technology that can be used anytime regardless of access to the Internet!

We have plans to develop other digital companions in the future, so stay tuned. And in the meantime, please be sure to explore the JI Digital Companion to Junius’ A Treatise on True Theology and let us know what you think.

Stephen Hampton on Richard Muller

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Church and School in Early Modern ProtestantismTwo years ago, on the occasion of his 65th birthday, Brill published a Festschrift for Dr. Richard A. Muller, senior fellow of the Junius Institute, co-edited by myself, David Sytsma, and Jason Zuidema.

In the latest issue of the Journal of Ecclesiastical History, Stephen Hampton of Peterhouse, Cambridge, had this to say:

The contribution that Richard Muller has made to the study of early modern Protestant theology is little short of astonishing. A brief look at the full bibliography of Muller’s works, which appears towards the end of this excellent Festschrift, helpfully reminds the reader of the sheer breadth, subtlety and significance of his work. It is no exaggeration to say that he has transformed and enriched our understanding of the Reformed tradition to such a degree that much older scholarship seems to be addressing a quite different phenomenon. In Muller’s hands, early modern Reformed theology has become more diverse, more subtly textured, more intellectually flexible and ambitious, and much more closely related to the other intellectual trends of the period.

Hampton proceeds to survey the various components of the volume, and concludes that “this volume is both a worthy tribute to the scholar whom it celebrates, and an excellent introduction to the kind of work which he has inspired in others.”

You can read the entire review in the Journal of Ecclesiastical History.

Spring 2015 Colloquium Schedule Announced

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We’re happy to announce the Spring 2015 schedule for the Junius Institute Colloquium series. The April Colloquium is devoted to the publication of The Theology of the French Reformed Churches: From Henry IV to the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes and will be held in proximity with the Calvin Studies Society 2015 Colloquium here in Grand Rapids:

Spring 2015 Schedule

When: Friday, February 6, 1:00pm to 3:00pm
Presenter: Todd Rester and Andrew McGinnis
Topic: “Roman Law and Mosaic Polity in Reformed Thought: Franciscus Junius’s Approach to Jurisprudence”
Location: Auditorium, Calvin Theological Seminary

When: Friday, March 6, 1:00pm to 3:00pm
Presenter: Jonathon Beeke
Topic: “Leiden University and the Twofold Kingdom of Christ”
Location: Covenant Room, Calvin Theological Seminary

When: Thursday, April 9, 10:00am to 11:30am
Presenter: Martin Klauber, Jeannine Olsen, Theodore Van Raalte, Donald Sinnema, Jason Zuidema
Topic: “The Theology of the French Reformed Churches”
Location: Auditorium, Calvin Theological Seminary

When: Friday, May 8, 1:00pm to 3:00pm
Presenter: Jae-Eun Park
Topic: “Active Justification or Eternal Justification? Reflections on English Antinomianism and Hyper-Calvinism”
Location: Covenant Room, Calvin Theological Seminary

Colloquium: Franciscus Junius and the Development of the Reformed Tradition

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The final session of the Fall 2014 Colloquium series was a panel on “Franciscus Junius and the Development of the Reformed Tradition,” featuring Dr. David Noe, Dr. Richard Muller, Mr. Todd Rester, and Dr. David Sytsma. Dr. James DeJong served as moderator for the panel and discussion, which was occasioned by the publication of Franciscus Junius’ A Treatise on True Theology.

The video for this event, which features a second screen in which Dr. Sytsma demonstrates the digital companion for Junius’ True Theology, is now available: