Read The Institutes of the Christian Religion by Jean Cauvan (1509 -1564) known to English speakers as John Calvin! From an age long before theology became a predominantly academic discipline, Calvin was a life-changer! His theology was not just written to be of interest – but to call and motivate people to become ‘living sacrifices’ in the service of Christ.
In his own day, he was one of the most influential of all theologians. He still is!
The quality Calvin admired most in communication was lucid brevity and his writings show us what he means by that, pressing passion, logic and insight into the service of true Christian education and devotion. Calvin saw himself principally as an explainer of the Bible but, in order to explain the theological parameters that governed his exegesis, he penned The Institutes of the Christian Religion, setting out his theological system. The first edition appeared in 1536 – shortly after his ‘sudden conversion’. The fourth and final edition in 1559.
The Institutes is divided into four sections, or books. Their titles are:
- The Knowledge of God the Creator
- The Knowledge of God The Redeemer, in Christ, First Disclosed to the Fathers Under the Law, and Then to Us in the Gospel
- The Way in Which We Receive the Grace of Christ: What Benefits Come to Us from It, and What Effects Follow
- The External Means or Aids by Which God Invited Us Into the Society of Christ and Holds Us Therein
If we treat the Institutes as we might many another theological text, turning first to the index then dipping into the section(s) that deal with our focus that day, we will find it disappointing. It is an organic whole. The way subjects are dealt with builds on what has gone before and lays a foundation for what comes after. Make the effort to read it from cover to cover!
The buttons below link to Q&A files I have written to help readers grasp Calvin’s thought and meaning (insofar as I grasp it myself). I apologise for the gaps in coverage, which I hope to remedy in future. Some of them are incomplete or in need of revision. Please let me know (use the ‘Contact’ page) if you find them helpful or if you spot any ways they could be improved.