A point-by-point Catholic reply to John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion — concentrating on Book IV, Of the Holy Catholic Church, where Dave Armstrong locates “the real contrast between Calvinism and Catholicism.” 388 pages of Socratic back-and-forth, organized in two parts.
Part One: Criticism — Calvin on ecclesiology (the Catholic Church versus the Bible, denial of apostolic succession, indefectibility, clerical celibacy); Petrine and Roman primacy (16 chapters tracking Calvin’s case against the papacy through the Fathers); salvation and sacraments (semi-Pelagianism, ex opere operato, baptismal regeneration); and the Holy Eucharist and the Sacrifice of the Mass (Calvin versus the Fathers, Calvin versus Luther, Calvin and Berengarius).
Part Two: Agreement — 44 chapters where Calvin lines up with Catholic teaching, on the necessity of the Church, the visible/invisible distinction, good works as proof of saving faith, the perpetual virginity of Mary, infant baptism, the gravity of contraception, and more.
Calvin is dead and cannot counter-respond. The reader is the judge. “Read and consider Calvin’s arguments and then ponder the replies that this one orthodox Catholic gives, and make up your own mind.”
Inside this book
- Calvin on ecclesiology: the Church, apostolic succession, indefectibility, clerical celibacy
- Calvin and the papacy: sixteen chapters on Peter, the Roman primacy, and the Fathers
- Calvin on salvation and the sacraments: semi-Pelagianism, *ex opere operato*, baptismal regeneration
- Calvin and the Eucharist: Calvin vs. the Fathers, Calvin vs. Luther, the Sacrifice of the Mass
- 44 chapters of agreement: the Church’s necessity, good works, Mary’s perpetual virginity, contraception
