According to the author this book can be seen as the follow-up to his John Calvin's ideas (2004). Here also Helm compares Calvin's theology with other thinkers in the Christian tradition like Thomas Aquinas, Peter Vermigli, Pierre Bayle, John Owen and Karl Barth. This comparison is not connected to analyses of influence on Calvin, nor of influence by Calvin. Topics are epistemological, metaphysical and ethical issues in Calvin's thinking like the knowledge of God and of ourselves, providence and predestination, compatibilism, the visibility of God, and the intermediate state, mainly on the basis of his Institutes. Although the author does talk about Calvin as an heir of tradition as well as of Calvin's heirs, he has a strict theological and philosophical approach, leaving out any historical one. This means that he does not want to demonstrate influence but describes intellectual connection, coincidence and overlap. Taking this stand, the author does not enter the – endless and sometimes useless – discussions on the place of Calvin in the history of ideas and how he received traditions before him or on the reception of Calvin's theology. Helm deals with Calvin as an individual theologian and describes his thoughts in a lucid way. However, it can be debated whether this concept can be worked out without taking – at least in some way – into account the historical context, which is not only the context of the intellectual tradition but even more the context of his biography, i.e his everyday life and that of Geneva and Europe in general. Yet by taking Calvin as the centre – this explains the title – of a stream of theologians, Helm does succeed in pointing out this reformer's specific place.