Thursday, September 10, 2009

Book Note John Calvin A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine & Doxology

This is a cracker book published by Reformation Trust. It's hard back for a start - which is always a winner. It is a compellation of 19 essays summarising the life and teaching of John Calvin. Contributors include Sinclair Ferguson, Derek Thomas, Eric Alexander, Jay Adams, Michael Horton, Jerry Bridges, Joel Beeke - it is an amazing line up of scholars. The chapters are fairly short and easily read at one sitting. With the variety of authors this book keeps freshness throughout. Every detail of the teaching of the great reformer are covered. Some chapters are absolutely outstanding with the best left to the very end, The Communion of Men with God by Joel Beeke. The five points of Calvinism are covered, Calvin's teaching on the doctrine of the church, union of Christ, the work of the preacher and much more. If you are wanting a summary of Calvin this is the book for you. If you are wanting a primer for getting in to the writings of Calvin - this will help you see the way in.
Any young person not to sure of what Calvin and Calvinism is about must read this.

One word of caution - just because you have read one summary book on Calvin will not make you a Calvin scholar. Anyhow the man himself wouldn't have wanted anyone to become a Calvin scholar. His goal was pointing sinners to Jesus Christ.

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