Thoughts on Calvin and the Reformed tradition
I was going to work here on a list of the mix, but got all caught up on the first one that i decide then to just single it out. This is going to be a GREAT reading day, for anyone who has read all my reading posts, and gather up all the names and sources, you would have about 77% of what the MIX would be. There is no rush felt, in these latter days, a sense of unearthly serenity shall pervade all actions and demeanors. All material will be relished, time will be spent wisely and selfishly.
[b]John Calvin - The Institutes of the Christian Religion
[/b]* This is a foundational theological text, which i am blessed to have the version all the scholars use, with all those footnotes and stuff. The doctrines within this tome seen through secular eyes will be either offensive to reason or just plain useless to consider. For believers they too will be challenged, and may be offended if they are brought up or believe too highly of human nature, and too lowly of God. It is to me a fairly accurate summary of the teachings of the bible, and that is generally why i favor the Reformed tradition, which has it's most classic beginning here, which goes back to Augustine and St. Paul.
* I do not read this and the holy scribblers because i have faith, whether i do or not is to me a mystery, and hence is mysterious in and of itself why i read them. There are by products of reading them i like, as in a feeling a comfort in a tradition that is so basically different than the world, and the whole being different from the world as a mindset i favor, and the topographical terrain, that there is such a self contained and large body of literature in this vein, with the approach of a collector, this is what the last couple months have been.
* Often while reading it flies so harshly against common sense, i'm beside myself, but i want to push on, and continue to live in this funky world, and get my money's worth. Also, to read these guys, you're going to get a lot of scripture, in Reformed circles you're gonna see a high view of the bible, one of my erroneous approach facets is that for my own personal usage and purpose of study, i put these scribblers ABOVE that which they all hold to be the supreme source, and that is a big reason why it feels so strange to be reading them this way.
[b]John Calvin - The Institutes of the Christian Religion
[/b]* This is a foundational theological text, which i am blessed to have the version all the scholars use, with all those footnotes and stuff. The doctrines within this tome seen through secular eyes will be either offensive to reason or just plain useless to consider. For believers they too will be challenged, and may be offended if they are brought up or believe too highly of human nature, and too lowly of God. It is to me a fairly accurate summary of the teachings of the bible, and that is generally why i favor the Reformed tradition, which has it's most classic beginning here, which goes back to Augustine and St. Paul.
* I do not read this and the holy scribblers because i have faith, whether i do or not is to me a mystery, and hence is mysterious in and of itself why i read them. There are by products of reading them i like, as in a feeling a comfort in a tradition that is so basically different than the world, and the whole being different from the world as a mindset i favor, and the topographical terrain, that there is such a self contained and large body of literature in this vein, with the approach of a collector, this is what the last couple months have been.
* Often while reading it flies so harshly against common sense, i'm beside myself, but i want to push on, and continue to live in this funky world, and get my money's worth. Also, to read these guys, you're going to get a lot of scripture, in Reformed circles you're gonna see a high view of the bible, one of my erroneous approach facets is that for my own personal usage and purpose of study, i put these scribblers ABOVE that which they all hold to be the supreme source, and that is a big reason why it feels so strange to be reading them this way.
