Cor meum tibi offero domine prompte et sincere
"MY HEART I OFFER TO YOU LORD
PROMPTLY AND SINCERELY!”
PROMPTLY AND SINCERELY!”
The background of the man behind the books helped to set the stage for this class. Being a young man, the 26 yr. old Calvin first published his Institutes in 1536. The completed books, five times larger, were published in 1559. The Prefatory Address of the first book was written for King Francis 1 of France - as he addresses him "most glorious King" Calvin writes, " My purpose was solely to transmit certain rudiments by which those who are touched with any zeal for religion might be shaped to true godliness, and I undertook this labor especially for our French countrymen, very many of whom I know to be hungering and thirsting for Christ; but I saw very few who had been duly imbued with even a slight knowledge of him. The book itself witnesses that this was my intention, adapted as it is to a simple and, you may say, elementary form of teaching."
This basic instruction for Christianity is not simply raw theology, as some would think. It is written almost as a devotional guide. The biblical teaching is applicable to life and cuts to the heart. Readers are drawn into the persuasive character of Calvin's writing. He brings out the Bible's clear teaching and allows the mysteries of God to stand. Behind the explanations we see a humble man who was truly sincere about his faith and desired others to know the God who is Creator and has revealed Himself in His son.
When I first thought of studying John Calvin's Institutes I expected his writing to be way over my head. Surprisingly most of it is not. The fact that we are discussing what we read is an added bonus. We have talked about the knowledge of God and answered questions like: What feelings prompt us to see that true wisdom rests in God alone? What is innate in all of us? What is the straightedge to which we must be shaped? May God be known without piety? What does Calvin mean by piety? Can you describe the knowledge of God to which we are called?
Another sample of our class centered on how Calvin sees the close bond between the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, as seen in this quote - "Therefore the Spirit, promised to us, has not the task of inventing new and unheard of revelations or of forging a new kind of doctrine, to lead us away from the received doctrine of the gospel, but of sealing our minds with that very doctrine which is commanded by the gospel" Other topics so far have included: the Trinity, creation, and man's sin.
Calvin's Institutes are widely revered by many because of their straight forward teaching with nearly 7,000 Bible references. John Calvin set out to help his fellow countrymen and in the process has touched countless others across the globe. We are privileged to have a group of students interested in taking up these discussions at Caedmon College.
This basic instruction for Christianity is not simply raw theology, as some would think. It is written almost as a devotional guide. The biblical teaching is applicable to life and cuts to the heart. Readers are drawn into the persuasive character of Calvin's writing. He brings out the Bible's clear teaching and allows the mysteries of God to stand. Behind the explanations we see a humble man who was truly sincere about his faith and desired others to know the God who is Creator and has revealed Himself in His son.
When I first thought of studying John Calvin's Institutes I expected his writing to be way over my head. Surprisingly most of it is not. The fact that we are discussing what we read is an added bonus. We have talked about the knowledge of God and answered questions like: What feelings prompt us to see that true wisdom rests in God alone? What is innate in all of us? What is the straightedge to which we must be shaped? May God be known without piety? What does Calvin mean by piety? Can you describe the knowledge of God to which we are called?
Another sample of our class centered on how Calvin sees the close bond between the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, as seen in this quote - "Therefore the Spirit, promised to us, has not the task of inventing new and unheard of revelations or of forging a new kind of doctrine, to lead us away from the received doctrine of the gospel, but of sealing our minds with that very doctrine which is commanded by the gospel" Other topics so far have included: the Trinity, creation, and man's sin.
Calvin's Institutes are widely revered by many because of their straight forward teaching with nearly 7,000 Bible references. John Calvin set out to help his fellow countrymen and in the process has touched countless others across the globe. We are privileged to have a group of students interested in taking up these discussions at Caedmon College.
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