"This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice.
St Augustinus complains, in his work entitled 'The Labour of Monks,' that certain people were, even in his time, exercising a dishonest trade, hawking about relics of martyrs, and he adds the following significant words, 'should they really be relics of martyrs,' from which we may infer, that even then abuses and deceits were practised, by making simple folks believe that bones, picked up any where, were bones of saints. Since the origin of this abuse is so ancient, there can be no doubt that it has greatly increased during a long interval of years, particularly as the world has been much corrupted since that age, and has continued to deteriorate until it has arrived at its present condition."
"John Calvin’s commentary on the letter to the Ephesians. Translated from the original Latin by the Rev. William Pringle. This audiobook version is read as written from the printed edition. The Greek is retained except where it is unnecessary or a hindrance in a spoken version."
"Martin Luther and John Calvin are household names, where people have little knowledge of them besides their vast impact on Christian thought and culture. It is surprising how closely their language and concerns reflect modern times.
Martin Luther was a rabble-rousing man of the people, filled with invective and the emotional force of connecting with humanity rather than culture or wealth.
John Calvin’s sardonic sense of humour permeates a constant barrage of mythbusting that would do a modern-day fact checker proud.
Three less well-known writers round out the collection. Zwingli, Melancthon and Savonarola all preach with a force befitting true Christians fighting against the vast powers of a Catholic church that was the most powerful entity in Europe, and had consolidated a wide range of practices that broke the people away from an experience of divinity.
Savonarola speaks with the voice of a travelling preacher, a man of the people whose voice matched that of Eugene Debs. Zwingli spoke with a proud nationalism and pride that was wounded by the use of foreign armies, when the land could provide for all its citizens if managed correctly. Melancthon is an academic, providing a point-by-point deconstruction of the Pope’s claimed powers in ways that were irrefutable even for the Jesuit strains that held the Catholic Church’s intellectual force.
Just as with the liberation fighters, socialists, and anarchists of previous volumes, these historical figures lived under great threat, attacking vast forces with little more than courage and the certainty of their beliefs. They stand as the bridge over the cultural change between the middle ages and the renaissance."
"New Translation of John Calvin's Classic Work Explores What It Means to Live the Christian Life
For centuries, Christians have read John Calvin's On the Christian Life to answer a fundamental question: What does it mean to live faithfully as a Christian? This fresh translation of what is often referred to as Calvin's 'Golden Booklet' introduces a new generation of readers to a classic work of Christian spirituality.
In the book—a portion of the Reformer's magnum opus, Institutes of the Christian Religion—Calvin suggests that a deep understanding of theology is worthless if the gospel has yet to 'penetrate into the most intimate affection of the heart.' Touching on essential themes like self-denial, submission to God, bearing one's cross, enduring suffering for the sake of righteousness, and meditating on the life to come, this accessible work will help believers reflect on their lives as Christians and lean on the grace of Jesus in everyday life.
- A Brand-New Translation: Translated from the original Latin edition by Calvin scholar Raymond A. Blacketer—making this classic work more accessible to modern readers than ever before
- A Fresh Introduction: Includes an all-new introduction by editor Anthony N. S. Lane, professor of historical doctrine at the London School of Theology
- Explores the Christian Life: Addresses themes including self-denial, taking up one's cross, submitting to God, and suffering for the sake of righteousness"
"This collection of correspondences between Calvin and Sadoleto is an excellent primary source view of the most controversial issues facing Christians at the time. The split between Reformation and Roman Catholic beliefs was growing ever larger and the consequences more severe. While Calvin writes with deep theological arguments and in defense of individuals searching for truth, Sadoleto's pleas sound more like an emotional cry for unity, peace-keeping, and the return of the Catholic Church's lost children. This exchange and the ideas laid out in Calvin's letters are not only pertinent to the understanding of the history of the Christian church, but are also indefinitely relevant to individuals of any time period or circumstance looking to defend their faith and those in pursuit of truth."
"The church reached a turning point in the sixteenth century. Worship had become a spectacle, the gospel was distorted, the sacraments were replaced by superstition, and ministers lived in immorality. To restore the church to the teachings of Christ, the Reformers cried out for a return to God's authoritative Word. In this classic treatise, John Calvin presents four areas of the church's life and doctrine that must be carefully guarded and guided by Scripture. This timeless call for biblical faithfulness beckons us today. How will we respond?
This new translation by Dr. Casey Carmichael, with a foreword from Dr. W. Robert Godfrey, also includes A Reply to Cardinal Sadoleto, Calvin's letter defending the work of reformation as it was applied in the city of Geneva."
"John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion is over 1000 pages long. “Of Prayer” is a manageable excerpt from this monumental work highlighting the theologian’s views on the nature and benefits of prayer. Calvin describes why praying to an omniscient God is still a necessary practice for Christians. He provides some helpful guidelines for prayer, detailing how to invigorate one’s spiritual life through reverent communication with God. "
"“On the Christian Life” is an excerpt from John Calvin’s monumental work, Institutes of the Christian Religion. This section focuses on how being a Christian influences a person’s day-to-day life. Calvin describes how a Christian must deny himself daily in order to bear the cross of Christ and live out the duties of his faith. Christians are to live with an eye on the future, but Calvin also provides guidelines for how to enjoy the present comforts of life. "
" John Calvin describes the Catholic church as “very miserable, and almost desperate” in this 1543 work. He appeals directly to Holy Roman Emperor King Charles V, pointing out the failures of the church and demanding change. On behalf of the reformers, Calvin details his proposed solution. He gives a stirring call to reinstate sound doctrine and rethink everything from worship practices, to church governance, to administration of the sacraments in this lesser-known, yet important work."
"Institutes of the Christian Religion is John Calvin's seminal work on Protestant systematic theology. Highly influential in the Western world and still widely read by theological students today, it was published in Latin in 1536 and in his native French in 1541, with the definitive editions appearing in 1559 (Latin) and in 1560 (French).
The book was written as an introductory textbook on the Protestant faith for those with some learning already and covered a broad range of theological topics from the doctrines of church and sacraments to justification by faith alone and Christian liberty, and it vigorously attacked the teachings of those Calvin considered unorthodox, particularly Roman Catholicism to which Calvin says he had been "strongly devoted" before his conversion to Protestantism. The over-arching theme of the book - and Calvin's greatest theological legacy - is the idea of God's total sovereignty, particularly in salvation and election.
The Institutes are a primary reference for the system of doctrine adopted by the Reformed churches, usually called Calvinism.
Book Four of the Institutes discusses "the Church and the Communion of Saints, or of the external means or helps by which God invites us to fellowship with Christ, and keeps us in it." This includes Church government, with scathing denunciations of the Papacy and Catholic Church. (Summary from Wikipedia & TriciaG)"
"John Calvin was an influential French theologian and pastor during the Protestant Reformation. Calvin's writing and preachings provided the seeds for the branch of theology that bears his name. Originally trained as a humanist lawyer, he broke from the Roman Catholic Church around 1530. After religious tensions provoked a violent uprising against Protestants in France, Calvin fled to Switzerland. Calvin developed his theology in his biblical commentaries as well as in his sermons and treatises. Calvin produced commentaries on most of the books of the Bible. His first commentary on Romans was published in 1540, and he planned to write commentaries on the entire New Testament. However, it took six years before he wrote his second, a commentary on I Corinthians. He did not lose any more time in reaching his goal. By 1555 he had completed his work on the New Testament, and he also continued with commentaries on many of the books of the Old Testament as well. These commentaries have proved to be of lasting value to students of the Bible, and they are still in print after over 400 years. (Summary by Wikipedia)"
"The Necessity of Reforming the Church has been considered by many to be one of John Calvin's most important works. In this short letter, Calvin lays out his polemic for why the church must bring her beliefs and practices in line with scripture. Written to address the abuses and corruptions that occurred in the church during the Middle Ages, Calvin pastorally and forcefully addresses issues that carry into our present day. Though the forms and appearances of these corruptions in the church may have changed since 1543, the truths given in this book remain ever applicable to our modern situation."
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