The Institutes

Dave and I have taken the plunge and are attempting to read Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion this year, along with the gentlemen over at Reformation21. And if you are wondering why on earth we would try to do that, read J. I. Packer's take on the importance of the institutes:

For Calvin, the angle of these pastoral presentations was just as
important as their substance. Doxological theocentrism shaped everything.
His compassionate concern that everyone should know God’s
grace was rooted in a deeper desire, namely that everyone should glorify
God by a life of adoring worship for the wonder of his work in creation,
providence, and salvation, fully recognizing the realities that the Reformational
slogans sola Scriptura, solo Christo, sola fide, sola gratia, and soli
Deo gloria, were put in place to guard. Knowledge of God as Creator
and Redeemer, holy, just, wise, and good, comes to us by Scripture
alone, not by our own independent insight or guesswork. The blessings
of redemption—reconciliation with God, the gift of righteousness
and sonship, regeneration, glory—come to us by Christ alone, not by
any fancied personal merit or any priestly mediation on the part of the
church. Christ and his gifts are received by faith alone, not earned by
effort. That very faith is given to us and sustained in us by grace alone, so
that our own contribution to our salvation is precisely nil; all the glory
for it must go to God alone, and none be diverted to us. We are simply
the sinners whose need of salvation is met by the marvelous mercy of
him who “did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all” (Rom.
8:32 esv).
~ J. I. Packer, "Foreward", A Theological Guide to Calvin's Institutes

So, we are off and running, and looking forward to a year of learning and being challenged. Won't you join us?