John Calvin (1509 to 1564) is considered by many church historians to be the greatest theologian after Augustine. Superbly educated, creative, and devoted, his teachings have influenced every aspect of modern Christian faith and life. Born in France, Calvin is best defined by his work in Switzerland, where he shaped his enduring ideals for Christian faith, government, and lifestyle. Setting forth his beliefs in The Institutes of the Christian Religion, he built a far-reaching doctrinal system that highlights God's glory and sovereignty. In this short biography, listeners can meet a man with a passion for finding and living the truth without compromise.
I never realized just how much modern protestantism is indebted to John Calvin for the foundational practices that define the weekly services and declarations of faith. His work for the Reformation was enormous had an impact not just in Switzerland and France but in many other countries during his life.
Great introduction to John Calvin. Short read, interesting throughout, a marvelous primer to begin an exploration of the man and the ideas that profoundly impacted the Protestant infancy and growth.
I just could not get into this book. The narrator was horrible. The fiction-like opening did not help. The text was heavily didactic and obviously written from a Calvinistic worldview. While the author does acknowledge the shortcomings of evidence about Calvin's early life, his text on Calvin's later life (when plenty of evidence exists) lacks sufficient depth to make up for the earlier shortcoming. The only good thing about this highly superficial book is it's short length.