Max Spoelstra

Calvin
Dr. Reid
11/2/22

Calvin Weekly Reading Summary 9

Calvin, Gordon:

The political and historical significance that Calvin had in European history is fascinating

to me. Not only is he a significant figure in theological study, but church history and civil history

have a massive intersect through the Reformation period, and through it Calvin was consistently

present. The religious and political dynamics of both England and Scotland were influenced by

Calvin and his contemporaries, and largely political events like the death and succession of new

monarchs carried significant repercussions on the Reformation and Protestant movements.

Unaccommodated Calvin, Muller:

Muller further explores the relationship the the Institutes had with Calvin’s other work.

He makes a heavy point to emphasize that the modern editions of the work, which include verse

citations, quotation punctuation, and other reference helpers, are vastly different from the

original editions whose readers we well versed enough to recognize such sources immediately.

The Institutes were written in order to provide a singular place for Calvin to explore the

dogmatic theological pieces of his understanding of Scripture, which in turn would guide readers

to approach the Bible, and more specifically his commentaries on the Bible, with greater

understanding.

Institutes, Calvin:

Salvation by the Spirit: Salvation is a Trinitarian reality. God the Father has sent the Son, and

through unity with the Son, He regards us as His beloved children. The Son, through his atoning

sacrifice on the cross, offers His grace through the forgiveness of sins. And through the Son, we

recieve the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, which regenerates the heart of man into the

image of Christ. The Spirit’s role in salvation is largely to draw the elect to know and accept the

Gospel, and to lead the believer in the process of sanctification.