Calvin's Institutes - any watchouts?

[jrdnoland]

This is a section from Calvin's Institutes, the prefix to the second edition 1539.

I may add, that my object in this work was to prepare and train students of theology for the study of the Sacred Volume, so that they might both have an easy introduction to it, and be able to proceed in it, with unfaltering step, seeing I have endeavoured to give such a summary of religion in all its parts, and have digested it into such an order as may make it not difficult for any one, who is rightly acquainted with it, to ascertain both what he ought principally to look for in Scripture, and also to what head he ought to refer whatever is contained in it.

For those of you that have read all or most of the institutes is the previous assertion true? Did you find Calvin's Institutes a good summary of religion in all its parts?

I've just started to read it, having only gotten through the prefix's and introductions; I'm wondering if there are any "watchouts? so to speak. It is a lengthy discourse and am just curious as to what others think of the work in its whole.

 

[DMcFadden]

Jeff,
I just re-read the Institutes during 2009 and found it immensely benefiicial to my knowledge and spiritual life.

There are minor quibbles anyone will have with any theology so large and magisterial. However, it is one of the handful of most significant books ever written. Enjoy! While Luther was the theologian of justification, Calvin was the theologian of the Holy Spirit and the Christian life. We are especially indebted to Calvin for Book 2, Chapter 15 on the munis triplex (three fold office). If broad evangelicalism had rightly understood Christ as "prophet, priest, and king," rather than reducing him to "savior and Lord," we would never have had that silly argument of "Lordship salvation" in the 1980s.

 

[jrdnoland]

Thank you Dennis, I am tying to get up to speed with reformed theology. And there isn't enough time to read everything I want to and I'm hoping the Institutes is a step in the right direction.

 

[VictorBravo]

Absolutely. Calvin is a wonderful first step. Sitck with it!

 

[Michael]

You won't 'catch' everything the first time you read Calvin, but keep it up! The scope is deep and magnificent. Plow through it, take a little break, and read through again. You will gain tremendous perspective in your bible studies...

 

[jason d]

read it for the first time through 2009 and there were parts that were hard to get through but overall it was very very edifying and still very relevant today. I highly recommend reading through it.

 

[Jeffriesw]

Hoping to buy it this week and start reading it myself

 

[Sven]

Jeff, last year a reading plan for reading Calvin through in a year was posted by some folks at Princeton Seminary. I think it is one of the best things to happen for Calvin's Institutes. It makes reading him a little more do-able for folks not used to reading16th century literature. Here is a link to the plan. May I suggest that this plan might be the one for you?

Blessings

 

[jrdnoland]

Hoping to buy it this week and start reading it myself

I took the same approach, I know it's online but having the book makes it easy to take it with me. I always read theology at lunch time where I work and God has used it to have many people at least question me.

 

[jrdnoland]

Jeff, last year a reading plan for reading Calvin through in a year was posted by some folks at Princeton Seminary. I think it is one of the best things to happen for Calvin's Institutes. It makes reading him a little more do-able for folks not used to reading16th century literature. Here is a link to the plan. May I suggest that this plan might be the one for you?

Blessings

Thank you I will look at the plan. I use a plan for my Bible reading, so it's probably similar.