John Calvin: The Necessity of Reforming the Church

by John Calvin

The year before, Charles V ... in view of turning all his strength against the French, promised the Germans that, for a short period, until a general council was held, which he engaged to see done, neither party should suffer prejudice on account of religious differences, but both enjoy equal laws. The Roman pontiff, Paul III, was exceedingly offended, and addressed a very severe expostulation to the emperor because, forsooth, he had put heretics on a footing with Catholics and, as it were, put his sickle into another man's corn. Caesar gave what answer seemed proper; but Calvin, because the truth of the gospel and the innocence of the godly were deeply injured by that letter, repressed the audacity of the pontiff. A diet of the empire was as this time held at Spires, and Calvin, availing himself of the occasion, published a short treatise on The Necessity of Reforming the Church. I know not if any writing on the subject, more nervous or solid, has been published in our age.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Church History, Christianity, History, Nonfiction, Church

Nook

First published January 1, 1544

About the author

French-Swiss theologian John Calvin broke with the Roman Catholic Church in 1533 and as Protestant set forth his tenets, known today, in Institutes of the Christian Religion (1536).

The religious doctrines of John Calvin emphasize the omnipotence of God, whose grace alone saves the elect.

* Jehan Cauvin
* Iohannes Calvinus (Latin)
* Jean Calvin (French)

Originally trained as a humanist lawyer around 1530, he went on to serve as a principal figure in the Reformation. He developed the system later called Calvinism.

After tensions provoked a violent uprising, Calvin fled to Basel and published the first edition of his seminal work. In that year of 1536, William Farel invited Calvin to help reform in Geneva. The city council resisted the implementation of ideas of Calvin and Farel and expelled both men. At the invitation of Martin Bucer, Calvin proceeded to Strasbourg as the minister of refugees. He continued to support the reform movement in Geneva, and people eventually invited him back to lead. Following return, he introduced new forms of government and liturgy. Following an influx of supportive refugees, new elections to the city council forced out opponents of Calvin. Calvin spent his final years, promoting the Reformation in Geneva and throughout Europe.

Calvin tirelessly wrote polemics and apologia. He also exchanged cordial and supportive letters with many reformers, including Philipp Melanchthon and Heinrich Bullinger. In addition, he wrote commentaries on most books of the Bible as well as treatises and confessional documents and regularly gave sermons throughout the week in Geneva. The Augustinian tradition influenced and led Calvin to expound the doctrine of predestination and the absolute sovereignty of God in salvation.

Calvin's writing and preaching provided the seeds for the branch of Protestantism that bears his name. His views live on chiefly in Presbyterian and Reformed denominations, which have spread throughout the world. Calvin's thought exerted considerable influence over major figures and entire movements, such as Puritanism, and some scholars argue that his ideas contributed to the rise of capitalism, individualism, and representative democracy in the west.

Reviews

[Douglas Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great. Listened to it again in March of 2017. Good stuff.

[Kofi Opoku · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic read! Calvin is very articulate in defending the Protestant faith and explaining what we are actually protesting. I also think the book is relevant in issues pertaining to perversions within the Protestant tradition itself; particularly, with regards to misunderstandings of the duties of pastors and the proper application and function of the sacraments.

[Peter Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this every year. I love it because it speaks so clearly and directly about the primary reasons for the Reformation and it indicts our current Protestant church culture which treats worship with a fearful lightness that Calvin would find just as dangerous at the Roman Catholic excesses of the day.

[Zack Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first foray into Calvin’s works and it did not disappoint. It was well written and reasoned through argumentation. Listening to his Biblical arguments against the Catholic church’s failings of that time while reflecting on the current church as it is seen across denominations and especially in America gives much to think on. It’s both Biblically beautiful doctrine and persuasive rhetoric. May all Christians read and then watch for similar signs within our current church of needed reformation.

[Grant Van Brimmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful little dense treatise. Lays out a few of the main errors which the Reformers were working to correct. Calvin's rhetorical skill is 🤌

[Carissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear, concise, and doesn't mess around. Great for understanding the reasons for the Protestant Reformation.
Calvin calls out corruption in the Catholic church and all the ways they clearly deviate from the Bible.
This serves as a historical and theological time capsule for the context in which they were living, but also has current relevance. It is good to see what's actually important for the church and the beauty and freedom found in the gospel

[Drew Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Outside of God and Calvin, the star of the show is the translator. This edition of Calvin’s letter was the easiest thing I’ve read of Calvin. It would be a great introduction for anyone wanting to glean from the genius of John Calvin.

[John Houston · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matt. 16:18)

Praise God for prophetic figures like Calvin who, out of a rich and fiery zeal for God’s Word, could not help but throw themselves into the line of fire to protect God’s people and their worship of Him. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants a comprehensive picture of what was going on during the Swiss Reformation. Calvin exposes the utter wickedness of the Roman pontiff and pleads with the civil magistrate to rightly judge the “schism” that he is accused of perpetrating. In his “reply to Cardinal Sadoleto,” added as an appendix to the book, Calvin humbly directs his plea at the main enemy, defending his ministry as a necessary measure to advance the church. Moreover, he defends the components of the Reformation, appealing consistently to the Word to form proper ideas of justification, the sacraments, church polity, teaching, and more.

While courageous and arguably accurate on every topic in systematic theology, Calvin does acknowledge the lack of discipline that his congregation had. Being freshly torn from the dark and gloomy chains of a works-based salvation, and serving the pope as if he is the Christ himself, the new members of Calvin’s church had little other options. What else would the proper cure to their burdened and anxious souls be than to shout loudly and frequently the freedom of God’s grace? Pastorally, this was a wise approach from Calvin, though required a significant amount of patience and forbearance toward those under his care. From a 21st century perspective, I look upon this snapshot of the Reformation with great appreciation and now look to retain this spirit of zeal into the continued maturation of Christ’s church by prizing the Word of God above all.

[Eric Rankin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really, really respect John Calvin. He systematically dismantles the Medieval Western Christian Church. Like a slow time-released literary bomb, quite a few of his very valid criticisms were eventually corrected following the release of this theological manifesto, from the Council of Trent and the First and Second Vatican Councils. While Rome has not completely reformed yet, it's good to see that Calvin was not completely ignored. But Rome still has a long way to go.

Calvin addresses the need for reform if you can't tell by the title. He identifies the need for doctrinal purity, biblical authority and ecclesiastical discipline. In a time and place marked by theological compromise and moral laxity, Calvin's call to return to the foundational principles of the Christian Faith are as relevant today as the day that he penned them.

I think that there are some points that he made about Ecclestical reform had a lot of weight to it, but after Trent and Vatican I and II, a lot of this actually was addressed but still remains on the tongue of many Protestants with an axe to grind. Interestingly enough his calls for liturgical reform took a lot longer to implement and ironically, Calvin is now closer to Pope Francis than most traditional Catholics because of the changes implemented in Vatican II.

Overall it is a must read for anyone interested in Reformed theology or Protestant apologetics.

[Peyton Mansfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short book sums up very clearly why the reformers believed reformation was necessary (as the title says).

I've always been told what was wrong with the Catholic Church at the time (and even now), but it's an entirely new eperience to read it for myself. These were not issues we know better in retrospect, but even then, the reformers knew the importance of biblical worship and salvation. The arguments Calvin dealt with in this book certainly have implications for our worship and belief today. And though Calvin rambles a little at points, the book is still a crisp ~100 pages (plus 50 more in the secondary work, A Reply to Cardinal Sadoleto) -- less intimidating than some other primary sources on the topic, especially this translation.

I would definitely recommend to anyone who wants to learn about the reformation -- about the problems with Catholicism and the solutions in Protestantism.

[Sean Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

These letters are a sort of “2 Corinthians” for Geneva, in which Calvin defends his ministry: in one letter to Holy Roman Empire Charles V asking for his support, and another letter which is a reply to Cardinal Sadoleto who was writing to Geneva to try to win them back to Rome.

Calvin is a pleasure to read as always. I have appreciated his brilliance in other works, but in these letters he displays clearly his pastoral care and his courage.

Some observations:
1. Calvin is a man who writes as though he has real enemies—even within the church. The modern concern for winsomeness is almost entirely lacking, though he does show humility in admitting his faults where necessary. (He invariably points out that anything he’s doing wrong, Rome is doing worse!)
2. Calvin is very aware, even as the Reformation is happening, that something significant was taking place in church history.
3. Calvin was very sure that God would preserve his church through whatever came against it—yet he writes with great urgency about the need for reform to Charles V.
4. The subtext of the first letter, which comes to the surface towards its end, is that Calvin believes the civil magistrate has a duty (and an historic opportunity!) to be an instrument of God in the reform of the church. The post-enlightenment fairy tale of a religiously neutral state doesn’t slow him down at all.

[Jon Beadle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who seeks to understand who Calvin was, and what he truly believed, look no further than this book. It demonstrates his typical flare for powerful rhetoric, temperance in authority, and command of the church fathers.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to this as an audiobook.

[Sam Nesbitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Calvin’s (1509–1564) The Necessity of Reforming the Church is a crucial document curated for the Diet of the Holy Roman Empire called by Charles V in 1544. At the encouragement of Martin Bucer, Calvin articulated the doctrines that made up the body and soul of the church, namely worship and salvation.
Calvin seeks to justify what the reformation is necessary and warranted and to do so in such a way that rebuts the objections against him and his cause, a central objection being that the reformers are introducing novel and rash changes into the church. In so doing, Calvin proposes a threefold structure: outline evils that require remedies, outline the specific remedies the Reformers have proposed, and explain why these remedies must be applied swiftly and effectively. Calvin then quickly moves on to elaborate on each of these four categories, beginning with worship.
Worship is to be done “in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:23) and according to (what would come to be known as) the regulative principle of worship, which posits that God is to be worshiped only in the ways that he has explicitly commanded in his word. If this is the case, then the corruptions of the church’s worship are many, and Calvin lists them: prayer to the saints, adoration of images and relics, the observance of ceremonies, and asceticism or self-abasement. All of these corruptions must be corrected by the light of true teaching as derived from God’s word.
After worship, Calvin outlines how salvation is obtained with three points, namely our depravity, life-giving knowledge of Christ, and an abiding trust and confidence in the grace of God found in Christ’s death and resurrection. As for the corruptions of this doctrine, Calvin offers a parallel list of three: the utter neglect of our depraved state and the sinfulness of sin, the merit of works as a component for our justification, and the forbiddance of any assurance of salvation in the heart of the believer.
Calvin then moves to the issue of the sacraments, choosing to exposit truth and error in closer conjunction than in the previous sections. First, he contends that the sacraments have been corrupted by ceremony. There are two sacraments, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, not seven. Furthermore, the sacraments ought to be given with clear instruction and connection to the word of God, not by mumbled Latin phrases that sound like magical incantations. These corruptions lead to an even deeper one, namely the superstitious view of the sacraments among the laity that thinks the sacraments are efficacious apart from any semblance of faith. Worse yet is that this superstition is affirmed as dogma by the teachers of the church who uphold an “ex opere operato” view of the sacraments. Lastly, the consecration of the host in the Lord’s Supper is given so much reverence that it is functionally idolatry according to Calvin.
Calvin’s treatment on church government is similar in method; Calvin quickly outlines the errors of church leadership by pointing out the weakness of the pastoral office, especially when ceremonies have precedence over the word, the lack of ethical purity and holy conduct, the failure to follow biblically outlined methods for the calling and election of pastors, and the tyrannical rule and application of laws over the consciences of the laity.
The following major section of the work is devoted to further elucidating and correcting these errors within worship, salvation, the sacraments, and government. Much of the same ground is covered, but more detail and finer arguments are provided. There are interesting details, however, that lead to interesting doctrinal implications and connections. First, when arguing against the institution of ceremonies in the worship of the church, Calvin makes a typological argument that clarifies why such ceremonies were on the Old Testament but have now been fulfilled in Christ in the New. In doing so, he refers to “the covenant of grace,” a central concept in covenant theology. Calvin thus begins to lay foundations for later doctrinal development in this regard. Second, we find further confirmation that Calvin did not see the Reformation as a separation from the medieval church, but as a genuine internal renewal of Scriptural and Patristic Christianity. Contrary to some popular level understanding of the Reformation, the reformers saw themselves in more continuity with their heritage and predecessors that discontinuity.
Calvin continues his deeper treatment on the corruptions he has listed, but spends much time on the Lord’s Supper, devoting an entire section of the treatise to the subject, albeit baptism and church government are also addressed. Issues in church government actually take large precedence here, no doubt due to the ties between the practice of the Lord’s Supper and the priesthood. Calvin addresses many issues, one of which is the binding of conscience with mandated, but unscriptural, practices, such as fasting from meat on specific days, celibacy for priests, and private confession to a priest.
The next section, “Christ, Our Redeemer, was in a great measure defrauded,” Calvin recapitulates the same subjects, arguing against meritorious works as contributing to our salvation, the sacrificial and meritorious understanding of the Lord’s Supper, and more. Significantly, Calvin aligns with the state and contends that it is lawful and necessary for magistrates to manage abuse and wealth in the church if it has run amok.
In the final section, Calvin addresses practical issues of reform. He rebuts the appeal to General Councils and the necessity of holding a council with the Pope presiding. Calvin does not find hope of reformation in Rome, hence the reason for this entire treatise: “Let your Majesty, then, be assured, and do you also, Most Illustrious Princes and distinguished personages, lay it to heart, as a certain fact, that the Church, not only betrayed, deserted, and left destitute by her pastors, but vexed, overwhelmed with calamity, and doomed to destruction, throws herself on your protection.”
We thus find major continuities of Reformation concerns from the first to second generation of reformers; one can easily see the similarities between Luther’s Babylonian Captivity of the Church and Calvin’s The Necessity of Reformation. Furthermore, this document represents a crucial example for how the reformers viewed the church’s relationship with the state at this time. One must be careful to not find Calvin’s example as ideal or normative; in the context of the 16th century, the reformers were forced to choose between the state and the papist church, and they would much rather settle with the former rather than the latter.

To be frank, the repetitive structure and verbose content of this work makes it a slog to read.

[Tracie Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Necessity of Reforming the Church” by Jean [AKA, John] Calvin

BIBLIOGRAPHIC DETAILS:
-Print: [1544, 1843] September 2, 2015; Palala Press; 302 pp. ; 978-1341257384 (Info from Amazon.com)
-Digital: [1544, 1843] July 4, 2012; Fig; 9781619790674 (Info from Amazon.com)
-*Audio: COPYRIGHT: 7/10/2016; PUBLISHER: christianaudio; DURATION: 5 hrs. (approx.) (Audio info. Libby app./ LAPL version)
-Feature Film or tv: No

SERIES: N/A

SUMMARY/ EVALUATION:
-SELECTED: After the book about North American Colonies that discussed the establishment of various churches, I wanted more information about the individual doctrines. Calvinism was one of those I wanted to know more about.
-ABOUT: This is John Calvin’s letter to Emperor Charles V of Rome, presented in 1544, discussing the character and need for reform in the Roman Catholic church. It asserts that worship, salvation, sacraments and church government are all corrupt, and requests urgent reformation. Among many assertions, in regards to the ongoing debate among Christians of works vs. faith; Calvin, a predestination advocate, held that salvation was not won through works but through faith.
-OVERALL: This satisfied my curiosity regarding some of the tenets of Calvinism.

AUTHOR:
John Calvin (From Wikipedia)
“John Calvin (/ˈkælvɪn/;[1] Middle French: Jehan Cauvin; French: Jean Calvin [ʒɑ̃ kalvɛ̃]; 10 July 1509 – 27 May 1564) was a French theologian, pastor and reformer in Geneva during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of Christian theology later called Calvinism, including its doctrines of predestination and of God's absolute sovereignty in the salvation of the human soul from death and eternal damnation. Calvinist doctrines were influenced by and elaborated upon the Augustinian and other Christian traditions. Various Congregational, Reformed and Presbyterian churches, which look to Calvin as the chief expositor of their beliefs, have spread throughout the world.”

NARRATOR:
P. J. Ochlan. (From Wikipedia)
“P. J. Ochlan is an American actor and voice actor best known for his roles as Damon Wells in the feature film Little Man Tate and Lester Shane in the television show Police Academy: The Series. He has narrated hundreds of audiobooks and has won the Audie Award and several AudioFile Earphones Awards. Ochlan appeared on Broadway in Abe Lincoln in Illinois and in the New York Shakespeare Festival production of Love's Labour's Lost for Joseph Papp.”

GENRE:
Nonfiction; Religion & Spirituality; Calvinism

SUBJECTS: (Not Comprehensive)
Religion & Spirituality; Calvinism; Catholicism; Worship; Salvation; , Sacraments; Church Government

TIME FRAME:
1500’s; 16th Century

DEDICATION:
“To the most invincible Emperor Charles V and the most illustrious Princes and other Orders now holding diet of the Empire a Spires A Humble Exhortation seriously to undertake the task of restoring the church presented in the name of all those who wish Christ to reign”

EXCERPT
“August Emperor
You have summoned this Diet, that, in concert with the Most Illustrious Princes and other Orders of the Empire, you may at length deliberate and decide upon the means of ameliorating the present condition of the Church, which we all see to be very miserable, and almost desperate. Now, therefore, while you are seated at this consultation, I humbly beg and implore, first of your Imperial Majesty, and at the same time of you also, most illustrious Princes and distinguished Personages, that you will not decline to read, and diligently ponder, what I have to lay before you. The magnitude and weightiness of the cause may well excite in you an eagerness to hear, and I will set the matter so plainly in your view, that you can have no difficulty in determining what course to adopt. Whoever I am, I here profess to plead in defense, both of sound doctrine and of the Church. In this character I seem at all events entitled to expect that you will not deny me audience until such time as it may appear whether I falsely usurp the character, or whether I faithfully perform its duties, and make good what I profess. But though I feel that I am by no means equal to so great a task, I am not at all afraid, that after you have heard the nature of my office, I shall be accused either of folly or of presumption in having ventured thus to appear before you. There are two circumstances by which men are wont to recommend, or at least to justify, their conduct. If a thing is done honestly, and from pious zeal, we deem it worthy of praise; if it is done under the pressure of public necessity, we at least deem it not unworthy of excuse. Since both of these apply here, I am confident, from your equity, that I shall easily obtain your approval of my design. For where I can exert myself to better purpose or more honestly, where, too, in a matter at this time more necessary, than in attempting, according to my ability, to aid the Church of Christ, whose claims it is unlawful in any instance to deny, and which is now in grievous distress, and in extreme danger? But there is no occasion for a long preface concerning myself. Receive what I say as you would do if it were pronounced by the united voice of all those who either have already taken care to restore the Church, or are desirous that it should be restored to true order. In this situation are several Princes, of not the humblest class, and not a few distinguished communities. For all these I speak, though as an individual, yet so that it is more truly they who at once, and with one mouth, speak through me. To these add the countless multitude of pious men, who, scattered over the various regions of the Christian world, still unanimously concur with me in this pleading. In short, regard this as the common address of all who so eminently deplore the present corruption of the Church, that they are unable to bear it longer, and are determined not to rest till they see some amendment. I am aware of the odious name by which it is thought proper to designate us, hear our cause, and, after you have heard, judge what the place is which we are entitled to hold”

RATING:
4.5 stars (not a reflection of agreement with precepts but on my opinion of the writing)

STARTED READING – FINISHED READING
2/29/2021 to 3/10/2024

[Chris Comis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think Reformed guys should have to read this prior to reading his Institutes. This book gives you a much closer look at how Calvin viewed the Church, practical ecclesiology, the importance of worship and the sacraments, etc. If you think Calvin would be happy with American baptyrianism, think again my friend.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Calvin I stan, I can stan no other.

In seriousness this is a great introduction to both Calvin and the reformers. It centers around defending the necessity of the reformation. There is little to no talk of election, total depravity, or the five points of TULIP. Those who dislike those doctrines would still find much benefit from this work.

[Juliana Knot]

TLDR summary:
pope: stop causing schism
calvin: tell your bishops to stop using church money to pay for prostitutes


(Obvi more time spent on doctrine, but still large chunks of his argument devoted to Catholic leadership’s “lazy bellies” aka bishops and co hoarding money at the expense of poor parishioners)

[Nathan Albright · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got out of this book of about 100 pages what I expected to get out of it.  I expected to see lawyerly attempts to defend the legitimacy of a deeply compromised and even self-contradictory worldview and that is what I found, although admittedly Calvin is a great deal easier to read, for all of his personal history, than many of the Calvinists I have read over the course of my life, and his writing is at least to the point (even if sometimes that point is a very long one).  I am no friend of Calvinism [1], but by and large I found a great deal to appreciate about this book.  I am especially pleased that this book is an honest one--it states its aims and makes a stand on what it considers to be legitimate grounds, and does so with a surprising and remarkable degree of restraint and moderation, and even if I disagree with the author's perspective, I do not think it unreasonable that he should defend the necessity of reformation in the face of the gross abuses of the late medieval Catholic Church.

This short book, ostensibly written to the Roman Catholic Emperor Charles V in 1543, although it was probably not appreciated nor perhaps even read by him, is divided into several parts.  Most of the parts have titles that seem greatly unconnected from their contents, and there is a consistency in approach overall.  The author occasionally comments to his audience about the mildness and even timidity by which Luther and other reformers (possibly including himself) sought to redress the obvious wrongs present within the contemporary Catholic Church, points out some of those abuses, refers to a verse or two in isolation, makes some generally sound interpretations when it comes to the issue of priests marrying (for example), and points out the evils of believing that the saints have merit that believers can access, making a strong case for faith alone.  The author shows obvious familiarity with Augustine and other Hellenistic Church Fathers and shows himself to be a post-Nicene and post-Chalcedonian Christian who considers himself obviously legitimate to correct the mistakes and issues within Christendom as a whole.  Perhaps most strikingly, the latter parts of the work point out the use of synods and an open discussion of issues in a quick fashion so that things do not get out of control, as they did in the 16th century.

It is important, though, to recognize this work for what it is. Calvin, like Luther and others, wanted to reform the Hellenistic Catholic Church.  They accurately pointed out errors and flaws within that church and sought to see those abuses.  They viewed themselves as good Christians and successors of Augustine and did not see any need to return to the apostolic practice, but rather hand in mind a post-Nicene church purified of its medieval accretions as their ideal.  I must admit that as a reader I have a different viewpoint.  I look in Calvin's statements looking at divine law and see him as woefully ignorant of biblical law and not interested in following the pattern of behavior of Jesus Christ and the Apostles and rejecting Hellenism outright.  As a result, while there is a great deal of worth in the author's desire to junk a lot of obviously corrupt and unbiblical practices and superstitions, the author himself does not have a firm basis in biblical truth and practice, and so his recommendations are of the nature of rearranging deck chairs on or repainting the smokestacks on the Titanic as its heads for its maiden voyage into the iceberg of post-Reformation religious experience.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2012...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2018...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2018...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2018...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...

[Bob Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

The church had major problems. The clergy didn't know the Bible, sought political gain, and didn't care for the people. The laity didn't know the Bible, let popular whims dictate their theology and turned the church into entertainment. There were those who argued that the Church didn't need to fix itself and that people like Calvin went too far.

John Calvin addresses these issues in this little book The Necessity of Reforming the Church. This little volume from Ligonier includes and overview from Dr. Robert Godfrey, this and the text of Calvin's rebuttal to Cardinal Soletto.

For Calvin, the driving issue is the gospel. He could not let the Church continue on its current path unaddressed. Address he does. He talks about the reforms he has implemented in the church, such as making the clergy and the laity learn the Bible, hold themselves to a high moral and ethical standard and to reform worship.

Calvin highlights the fact that the church exists to worship...salvation, while important, is a secondary concern. The church does not exist to save people, but saved people exist to worship God. Calvin's focus is always on God because it is only in knowing God that we can know ourselves (he makes this point in Book 1 of the Institutes.

Needless to say that if you do not like Calvin's theology, you are probably not going to like this book. But even if you don't agree with him, it might be helpful to gain insights as he defends what he has done in Geneva.

This edition is written in a modern English, making it easier to read. Not as theologically intricate as the Institutes, this book may also serve as a good introduction to Calvin.

This book's message is just as important today as it was back when it was written. Today's church faces many of the same challenge and Calvin, I believe would have a great deal to say to us.

I highly recommend this book to all Christians.

Grade: A

[Jeffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Not a review- Jeff’s notes). DTS for Jan 2025

Worship (p.xviii forward, W. Robert Godfrey)
We usually think of the Reformation as so much about the authority of the Bible and about salvation that it comes as a surprise that But he is reminding us that In glory, we will have unbroken fellowship with God, but for now public worship is one of the most important expressions of our fellowship with God.

Calvin divided his treatise into three parts.

1. the present evils of the church,
2. the remedies the Protestants had introduced in their churches
3. the reason they had made those changes without waiting for any approval from emperor, pope, or council.

In each of these parts, Calvin examined four topics:

Worship
Salvation
Sacraments
Church government

The first 55 percent of Calvin's treatise covers the areas in which reform was required, and the last 45 percent covers how that reform was to be carried out.

Calvin was to write this treatise for a very special occasion: a meeting of the Diet of the Holy Roman Empire, which was to be held in the city of Speyer with Emperor Charles V present on February 20, 1544. The treatise would be addressed to the emperor as an explanation for the actions of his Protestant subjects in reforming the church. Calvin, in writing the treatise, was clearly aware of the political, religious, and legal issues troubling Europe and Germany in particular.

Politically, things were extraordinarily complicated in Europe. In 1544, the two greatest political powers in Europe were at war with each other: Emperor Charles V and King Francis I of France. This was a frequently recurring problem because Charles ruled not only the Holy Roman Empire-roughly Germany and Austria-but also the Netherlands and Spain and a significant part of Italy. These lands formed a ring of wealth and power in Europe with France at the center of the circle.

The Fourth Imperial Diet of Speyer, also referred to as the Diet of 1544, was a Diet of the Holy Roman Empire, called together on February 20, 1544 by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. Charles called the meeting because he wanted to fight a war against France, which he acknowledged required the support of the Lutheran princes, many of them members of the Schmalkaldic League. He received their support by granting them concessions and almost completely abandoning his Catholic position, disregarding the wishes of Pope Paul III. It was decided at this meeting that no formal action should be taken against the Lutherans until a free council met.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the copy translated by Casey Carmichael and published by Reformation Trust.

It is somewhat difficult to rate a book that contains two one sided letters. These documents allow us to look into a window of the past, but they are not the full picture. Robert Godfrey, the writer of the introduction, did provide some historical context with a brief outline to help guide the reader before they would begin reading Calvins letters. Although great, the introduction is incredibly brief making it difficult to really assess the historical context at large.

Regardless, the contents of Calvins letters showed how he was a very intelligent reformer that knew how to write to the hearts of his audience.

You will find much of Calvins theology here in a brief format. Much of which I cannot divulge into because this review would be written great length.

I have some other reviews that say that Calvin comes back to some topics over and over again. I think this criticism does not take into account that these are letters and not systematic works. Once again, he is trying to get the heart of his audiences.

Before I conclude, I must also talk about the translation and the added footnotes with a small nitpick. I have studied two ancient languages, and I know how difficult it can be to draw an archaic language to English. In other words, to make a language make sense in such a way that isn't wooden or stiff is difficult. Carmichael said that he aimed for "an essentially literal translation". I'll have to take his word for that since I have not read these letters in the original languages (nor do I have any plans to do so). But, I will say, that the English is not stiff. I would feel comfortable giving this to someone who would want a starting point for reading Calvin.

I also enjoyed the fact that Carmichael added footnotes for historical context to the reader.

All that said, as a small nitpick, I wish that Carmichael would have given the reader interpretive sub headings in addition to Calvins text. The first letter is nearly 100 pages, which makes it difficult to read it all in one sitting. (Albeit possible, but not always). Subheading would help the reader get an understanding of where they are in the test and brief oneliner reminder of what they have read.

[Stuart Gunner · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Let us now see what is meant by the due worship of God. Its chief foundation is to acknowledge Him to be, as He is, the only source of all virtue, justice, holiness, wisdom, truth, power, goodness, mercy, life, and salvation; in accordance with this, to ascribe and render to Him the glory of all that is good, to seek all things in Him alone, and in every want have recourse to Him alone' (127).

A helpful breakdown of Calvin's take on the reformation. One of the themes that Calvin weaved into his argument was adhering to the Regulative Principle, worshiping God solely as He has prescribed in His Word. Through this, Calvin breaks down the sacramental system, the corruption of clergy, the misuse of prayer, idol worship, and so much more. Calvin has a wonderful breakdown of justification by faith in comparison with the Roman approach to salvation. Reading this book has strengthened my soul to worship God, the only one who can save wretched man.

This book was helpful to read following Luther's Three Treatises. Calvin refers to Luther frequently throughout the book, yet seems to come with a more gentle approach. However, Calvin often would refer to the graciousness of Luther.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel bad giving this only 3 stars. There is nothing particularly wrong with the content of this book; rather, Calvin makes many fair arguments on why the Protestant Reformation was necessary. But nothing about this book particularly stands out either (except for, perhaps, the arguments for reforming the worship of the church, which are quite good). The book is weighed down significantly in my estimation by the translation, which is brand spanking new but honestly feels like it was done 200 years ago. It is just difficult to read. You know you have a problem when the translator himself apologizes for the translation being stilted in the introduction. The awkwardness could also stem from the underlying writing being difficult itself, as there are numerous double negatives (and even a couple triple negatives, if memory serves me right) throughout the work, which sometimes just makes it hard to tell what the author is trying to say. Whatever the reason, this book is a slog with a moderate payoff at the end. Also, Godfrey's introduction is about 1/5th of the whole book, which seems just a little bit excessive to me.

[Pig Rieke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I only listened to this one on Hoopla.

During the time of the Reformation, the idea of a separation between church and state was unfathomable. The discourse found here is Calvin’s address to the Holy Roman Emperor and princes of Germany as they gathered to consider the states response to the rapid changes occurring around them. Calvin’s work consists largely of his pointing out the egregious wickedness of the clergy of Rome and stating the necessity of reforming the church’s practices to the manner dictated in Scripture. Due to the fact of the audience Calvin is writing to, the discourse can be dry at times. While I didn’t find anything objectionable in the work (outside of his advocating for Presbyterian polity), compared to Calvin’s theological writings, this work will provoke little today to interest. Thus, the average rating.

[Bennett Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why was the Reformation necessary? Calvin said it was necessary to reform: 1) the worship of God; 2) Christian doctrine; 3) the sacraments; and 4) church order according to the Word of God.

Though I don't enjoy Calvin's polemics as much as Luther's or Tyndale's, Calvin's work provides important insight into his assessment of the Medieval Church's problems and remedies, as well as his defense of the Reformers' actions. His repeated appeals to the Patristic Fathers are also a helpful reminder that the Reformation was about recovery and renewal, not innovation and destruction.

I'm reading it with the elders of my church, and it is of limited value beyond historical interest. Perhaps the biggest takeaway for us (a reformed Baptist church) is Calvin's exposition and application of the regulative principle of worship, which dominates the work.

[Will O'kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The single most illuminating work I've read thus far for understanding what the Reformation was really about. Calvin masterfully and succinctly captures the heart cry of the Reformation when he says that the central issue is/was worship. Fascinating to see how the regulative principle of worship was at play in Calvin's thinking. Furthermore, this work clearly shows how Calvin, though primarily committed to the authority of Scripture was familiar enough with the early church fathers to know that many of the practices of the Catholic church of his day were a far cry from what even those early fathers advocated. The introduction to the version that I read by Dr. Robert Godfrey was also excellent/helpful for understanding the context and possible applications of the work.

[Kevin Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great stuff. Calvin identifies here two main reasons for reformation, one is the understanding of salvation of the Roman Catholic Church (soteriology) and second (and maybe less focus on today) what he understands as an idolatrous form of worship. He further breaks down those two, so as to make it plain that the church is indeed in need of a reformation.

Taking those two points as laid out by Calvin in this treatise, it seems to me the differences between Rome and the Reformed church are still irreconcilable, as Rome has but reaffirmed its positions on this two subjects.

Calvin strikes me as a very systematic thinker, contrasted with Luther who comes across as somewhat more visceral.

[Jon Pentecost · Rating 5 out of 5]

Those with strong convictions about the word of God will always be accused of being divisive. And often, those accusations are fair. Young men in particular seem to struggle with how to be hold fast to Scripture convictions and be kind, careful, pastoral in their actions.

This was written as a justification for the Reformers' break with the Roman Catholic to the Holy Roman Emperor. Excellent as a brief summary of why the pain of the Reformation was necessary for the health of the church. But as Calvin explains why swift action was required, that broke the external appearance of unity in order to preserve the gospel, he also gives a good example of weighing when and how to divide over issues in a way that is instructive not only for believing Protestant doctrine, but in working out how to hold true to biblical convictions in a God-honoring (ie biblical) way.

[Mark Bennon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Calvin was a truly brilliant man. While he's clearly an intellectual, he is able in this treatise to write in plain simple language a strong argument justifying the need for reformation from the Catholic Church. But in this treatise, more than his other writings, he shows that he isn't a disembodied mind, but a pastor with a titanium backbone. He throws haymakers here and it was delightful to this reader to be in the hypothetical audience.

I did a bit of googling post read to try to find out how the treatise was received by Charles V as he was the intended recipient. I didn't find much good info though! If there are any historians that read this, I'd really appreciate the answer.