An essential work for any student of Scripture and Christian doctrine. And this translation is superior to the old Beveridge translation. It is also well put together. Thin pages and smith sewn binding make it lay open nicely. The print is large and clear. Don't buy another book until you buy this one! ( )

Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion is a masterfully written systematic summary and defense of the basic tenets of Christianity. It is exegetical in substance, Christ-centered in focus, worshipful in tone, and polemical in style.

Exegetical in substance - Calvin has been called the "father of modern exegesis" and rightly so. He pioneered the literal-historical-grammatical method of exegesis. This is especially true of his excellent commentaries, but also reflected in the Institutes. The final court of appeal for Calvin is Scripture. His arguments are laced with quotations from the Bible and one senses that Calvin was very hesitant to go further than Scripture in his surmizings.

Christ-centered in focus - This has really struck me in my reading Calvin (I'm now in volume 2 of this edition). Calvin's Christology was robust and it pervades virtually every page of the Institutes. This is especially true in Book III, which is especially rich.

Worshipful in tone - Despite what some people may think, Calvin is not a dry theologian. Some Calvinists could benefit from soaking in their fore-father - perhaps picking up some of his reverence and humility. Seriously, this book lifts my gaze to God. That's good enough reason to recommend it.

Polemical in style - Along with everything above, Calvin was a polemicist, no doubt about it. This book is saucy! Calvin didn't hesitate to call his adversaries by name AND call them names. That may seem harsh to modern readers and leave a sour taste in some mouths. But even Jesus could call the Pharisees vipers and Calvin doesn't stray too far from his master in this regard. We should also remember the turbulent times in which Calvin wrote. He says in his preface that one of the reasons he wrote the Institutes was to make clear what young French pastors who were being martyred were dying for. Remember that his friends were being killed for their convictions before getting too critical of Calvin's language.

This edition is probably the best available with helpful notes and an excellent team of scholars under J. T. McNeil behind the text. Calvin's quotations are documented and the text is keyed with symbols showing the development of the Institutes from its initial version in 1536 through its five reprints (the final in 1559).

An excellent read for anyone interested in Reformed theology, historical theology, systematic theology or . . . just theology! ( )

Calvin has this wonderful skill of making the most meaty theologies easy to understand and digest. The Institutes are legendary amongst Christians, to almost the level of Augustine's Confessions or the 95 Theses. And it is deserving of such an honor. Even in this abridged version, we can see the wonder and glory of God coming through as Calvin seeks to explain what he has seen in the Bible.

It is not inspired, of course. There are many places where I would part company with Calvin. That doesn't mean that we cannot learn from his insights and wisdom, especially because he is so rooted in the Scripture as he writes about them. I would recommend this book to any Christian who is serious about following his Lord. ( )

With all this resurgence of study in John Calvin the man with the 500th birthday of the pastor-theologian I decided to read an abridged version of the Institutes. This book which is a good introduction to Calvin’s theology is an abridgement of Calvin’s much larger “Institutes.” Tony Lane has paraphrased sections of Battles’ translation into crisper, more modern English so as to make Calvin’s writing accessible to the contemporary reader. The guiding principle of Lane’s abridgement is that Calvin’s positive theological statements and arguments are, more or less, left in tact, while the polemics against the Catholic Church that Calvin indulged in are removed. Lane follows the standard referencing system for the “Institutes” used in the Battles’ translation. This is extremely useful, because when Lane indicates that he has abridged Calvin in a certain chapter or section, one can then go to the Battles’ version to see what he has left out! Lane gives the reader enough of the “Institutes” so that one can grasp the flow of Calvin’s arguments and penetrate to the center of his theology. After reading this, I got the impression that I hadn’t read a disjointed series of abstracts but a COHERENT argument. It’s Lane’s ability to maintain the structure of Calvin’s overall argument that makes this abridgement especially good.

Calvin’s work highlights the main doctrines and key Biblical concepts that encompass the principles necessary for Christian vitality. In this condensed version of his Institutes, the brilliant reformer effectively expounds on all the important aspects of Bible doctrine. Calvin was not one to shy away from the controversial elements of Biblical Christianity. Throughout the Institutes, God’s sovereignty is a focal point of Calvin’s commentaries. The glory of God, His mercy and grace towards helpless sinners and the substitutionary work of Christ the Savior are some of the important truths documented by this immensely gifted theologian!

John Calvin was a significant theologian and scholar. I recommend his work for anyone who is looking for a deep study of reformed theology. Anyone who cast Calvin off for his work is missing out on the writings of an astute theologian that they could greatly benefit from. Calvin himself writes later in the Institutes, “Doctrine is not a matter of talk but of life. It is not grasped by the intellect alone, like other branches of learning. It is received only when it fills the soul and finds a home in the inmost recesses of the heart” Above all, the Institutes is a book about the Christian life. Now I venture to read the 2 Vol. original work by Battles. ( )

'...a systematic masterpiece, one that has carved out a permanent niche for itself among the greatest Christian books.' J.I. Packer