Calvin’s Institutes: A Comparison Between the 1536 and 1559 Editions
This article by Martyn McGeown examines the development of John Calvin's theological thought by comparing the 1536 and 1559 editions of the Institutes of the Christian Religion, demonstrating how Calvin expanded and refined his mature theology while maintaining doctrinal consistency. The resource traces how Calvin reorganized his material from six chapters into four books, covering epistemology, revelation, grace, and the means by which believers are incorporated into Christ. This work is valuable for understanding both the historical development of Reformed theology and Calvin's foundational contributions to Protestant doctrine.
Martyn McGeown Calvin’s magnum opus, the Institutes of the Christian Religion, first published in 1536, went through several revisions in Latin and French during Calvin’s lifetime. The final edition of 1559, published just five years before the Genevan Reformer’s death, contains Calvin’s mature theological thought. Calvin’s theology developed little over time and he did not see any need to retract anything in his Institutes. There was some maturation of his thought, and he has expanded on many...