Theodore Beza has long lived in the shadow of John Calvin, whom Beza succeeded as chief pastor of Geneva. Although fairly well known to scholars of the Reformation, Beza (Théodore de Bèze in French) is virtually unknown to the general public. In this book, Donald McKim and Jim West seek to change that by offering an easy-to-digest introduction to Beza and his theology.

The book begins with a brief biography. Unusually for the time, Beza lived to the ripe old age of 86, so keeping the biography brief is a challenge. The authors appropriately focus on Beza’s early, formative life rather than on his long years as a pastor in Geneva.

The rest of the book deals primarily with Beza’s theology, particularly as expressed in English translations of his catechetical books, A Book of Christian Questions and Answers, the Brief and Pithy Summary of the Christian Faith, and Propositions and Principles of Divinity. This focus has the advantage of keeping Beza’s language clear and succinct. It has the disadvantage of often making it difficult to see in what ways Beza was an original thinker. The nature of these works is such that Beza’s simple explanations on most topics differ little from those of Calvin and other Reformed theologians of the time.

Readers of this journal should be aware that the book is aimed primarily at a devotional audience rather than the academy. The authors end each chapter with questions for discussion, many of which prompt the reader to reflect on the relevance of the chapter’s topic for spirituality and the church today. The book’s conclusion, too, poses the question, “What is the abiding significance of Theodore Beza for Christian churches and Christian believers today?” (163). Thus, for some readers, the book will serve well as the “introduction to Beza’s life and theology” promised in the title. Scholarly audiences will be better served by referring to recent works by Kirk Summers, Scott Manetsch, and Alain Dufour.