Read Calvin

[JM]

You in?

 

[gord44]

I would but someone took my book.... ;(

 

[JM]

I would but someone took my book.... ;(

I'm reading that edition at the moment. I like it better than the 2 vol. edition.

Thank you.

 

[GQ Chris]

Yeah

 

[gord44]

I'm reading that edition at the moment. I like it better than the 2 vol. edition.

Thank you.

Pleased you are enjoying it!

 

[twin1954]

Have read a great deal of Calvin. Didn't find him all that interesting the first time.

 

[JM]

I'm re-reading Calvin and it really strikes me at how biblically illiterate we are. Where are the Puritans or guys like A. W. Pink? Who read their Bibles multiply times a year?

May God have mercy on us.

jm

 

[abacabb3]

I’m re-reading Calvin and it really strikes me at how biblically illiterate we are. Where are the Puritans or guys like A. W. Pink? Who read their Bibles multiply times a year?

May God have mercy on us.

jm

I wish I can do that, but I think that comes after reading it a bunch of times. Reading the Gospels or Genesis takes quicker than the minor prophets, simply because I reflect more on texts that I am unfamiliar with. I would like to get to the pace where I read through the Bible in a year, but then I get into these tangents (certain church fathers, spending months on the book of Job, etcetera), which prevents me from doing so.

Personally, I find Calvin very hard to read. Same with Aquinas.

 

[gord44]

I’m re-reading Calvin and it really strikes me at how biblically illiterate we are. Where are the Puritans or guys like A. W. Pink? Who read their Bibles multiply times a year?

May God have mercy on us.

jm

Different types of people read differently. Some people are just wired to read books like the Bible quicker and more often and in larger chunks. Some people like to read smaller amounts or focus on particular parts like Job as mentioned above. I know I always struggled reading the Bible, despite loving to read.

 

[JM]

That maybe true, the old guys didn’t allow things to distract them from digging into the word and digesting it. At least that’s how I see it. I know from personal experience that if I leave my phone on it’ll go off a dozen times an hour and my reading is interrupted. I have a feeling many Christians find themselves in this kind of situation where distractions are Legion. (see what I did there…a vague allusion to the man from Gadara possessed by demons)

 

[abacabb3]

Well, they were doing this stuff vocationally, so there is no reason why a Pastor still can't do this. A lot of what I do is at work (I'm mostly in sales so I obviously cannot make a sale every minute of the day, though I would like to.) When I go home, I usually want to write, watch Wretched TV or something, and that leaves 30 minutes to read the Bible. So, it hurts the pace.

Having the Bible on the smartphone helps so if I am stuck waiting somewhere I can read, as does mobile computers so I can listen when cleaning dishes and such. Thanks to my roomba, there isn't a chore I need to do where I cannot listen to something edifying while doing it.

I covet my time so much, I don't have cable TV, rarely watch movies or listen to music (I am listening to a commentary on Augustine when I drive, I used to listen to Renewing Your Mind when my app was working), and have to struggle against the urge to watch WW2 documentaries which I have essentially stopped entirely (though I still read up on the subject, pretty much daily.)

I have come to conclusion that in order to study the word about half as much as I want, I really cannot have any other idle hobbies. I still like to make time to walk, run, go out to eat with my wife, but these things tend to promote Godly conversation and quality time.

 

[gord44]

and have to struggle against the urge to watch WW2 documentaries which I have essentially stopped entirely (though I still read up on the subject, pretty much daily.)

 

[abacabb3]

You're into WW2?

 

[gord44]

Yes. Well any military history really. WW2 was what got me started back when I was a teenager. Then went on from there. You name it I spent time studying it for fun. Currently my fascination is with naval and air combat post WW2. Cold war era and on into advanced missile systems and tactics. Very interesting when you compare to WW2 naval and aviation tactics.

 

[Apologetic_Warrior]

Several months ago I added Calvin 500 Collection (108 vols.) to my Logos library, for a small fraction of the list price. It is awesome to have at one's fingertips on a tablet. Also have a complete hardcover set of Calvin's commentaries on a bookshelf beside my PC. The only commentaries on that shelf, and one of the more important ones to me. All the greats like Calvin are slow but rewarding to read, a real pleasure in my book, pun intended.

 

[Apologetic_Warrior]

I’m re-reading Calvin and it really strikes me at how biblically illiterate we are. Where are the Puritans or guys like A. W. Pink? Who read their Bibles multiply times a year?

May God have mercy on us.

jm

Guilty as charged. Have all kinds of excuses, but none quite good enough. I'll never compare to the great theological giants, and I'd best take inventory and remove the logs from my own before considering to remove splinters from their eyes. To think those greats before us, had not the access to massive resources or conveniences we do today....God have mercy indeed.

 

[Apologetic_Warrior]

Have read a great deal of Calvin. Didn't find him all that interesting the first time.

I've not read a great deal of Calvin, but I remember thinking "this guy doesn't hold back or mince words" while reading from the institutes, also found his 'tone' to be different in his commentaries, or maybe I should say diverse.

 

[JM]

I have been doing better. For years I read 1500-2000 pages a week but slowed the last couple of years to a few hundred. Reading Calvin again is getting me pumped. I plan to tackle Bavinck's 4 volumes again.

jm

 

[abacabb3]

I have been doing better. For years I read 1500-2000 pages a week but slowed the last couple of years to a few hundred. Reading Calvin again is getting me pumped. I plan to tackle Bavinck's 4 volumes again.

jm

I certainly cannot read at that rate, I feel like I am skipping stuff.

 

[gord44]

I would say Quality > Quantity.