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John Calvin's Institutes in a Year

John Calvin's Institutes in a Year

By: Christopher Michael Patton
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Ever stared at John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion on your shelf and thought, “One day I’ll finally read that… but where would I even start?”

This podcast is for that moment.

Calvin’s Institutes in a Year is a guided, day-by-day journey through one of the most influential works in Christian theology. Together, we read through the entire Institutes over the course of a full year—one manageable section at a time—so that a book many admire from a distance finally becomes something you actually finish.

Each daily episode is short, focused, and intentional. We keep the pace steady, the sections approachable, and the explanations clear, helping you follow Calvin’s arguments without feeling buried under the weight of a theological classic. No rushing. No intimidation. Just faithful reading, thoughtful reflection, and steady progress.

This is not a lecture series and it’s not a shortcut. It’s a companion for the long walk—designed for pastors, students, Reformed readers, and anyone who wants to understand historic Christian doctrine at a deeper level by actually reading the text.

If you want more than just listening, you’re invited to read along with us at ThroughTheChurchFathers.com where you’ll find the full reading schedule, written texts, and the ability to comment and discuss alongside others making the same journey.

If the Institutes has always felt important but unreachable, this is your invitation to finally open it—one day at a time.

We begin January 1, 2026

Explore the Project:

Through the Church Fathers – https://www.throughthechurchfathers.com

Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/cmichaelpatton

Credo Courses – https://www.credocourses.com

Credo Ministries – https://www.credoministries.org

C. Michael Patton Christianity Daily Spirituality World
Episodes
  • Calvin's Institutes: July 16

    Calvin's Institutes: July 16
    Jul 16 2026

    In a world that treats death as the final end, John Calvin lifts our eyes to the triumphant power of God and the sure hope of the resurrection. Continuing his exposition in Institutes of the Christian Religion Book 3, Chapter 25, he shows how the future renewal of our bodies rests not on natural possibility but on the same divine might that raised Christ and will one day transform us to be like him. Calvin refutes skeptics, corrects errors such as the Sadducees’ denial and the Chiliasts’ thousand-year limit, affirms the immortality of the soul in its intermediate state, and calls us to live with expectant faith until Christ returns in glory.

    Today’s Readings

    John Calvin — Institutes of the Christian Religion Book 3, Chapter 25 (Sections 4-6)

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    Explore the Project

    Through the Church Fathers – https://www.throughthechurchfathers.com

    Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/cmichaelpatton

    Credo Courses – https://www.credocourses.com

    Credo Ministries – https://www.credoministries.org

    #Resurrection #PowerOfGod #JohnCalvin #EternalLife #ChristianHope #ThroughTheChurchFathers
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    13 mins
  • Calvin's Institutes: July 15

    Calvin's Institutes: July 15
    Jul 15 2026

    In a world weighed down by suffering, doubt, and the constant pull of the visible, how do we keep pressing forward in faith? John Calvin powerfully reminds us in Institutes of the Christian Religion Book 3, Chapter 25 that the hope of the last resurrection is the very anchor that sustains believers amid present trials. He calls us to fix our eyes on Christ in heaven, shows how the whole creation groans for renewal, and anchors everything in the historical resurrection of Jesus as the sure pledge and first-fruits of our own bodily resurrection—urging patient endurance until God renews all things in His perfect timing.

    Today’s Readings

    John Calvin — Institutes of the Christian Religion Book 3, Chapter 25 (Sections 1-3)

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    Explore the Project

    Through the Church Fathers – https://www.throughthechurchfathers.com

    Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/cmichaelpatton

    Credo Courses – https://www.credocourses.com

    Credo Ministries – https://www.credoministries.org

    #Resurrection #BlessedHope #JohnCalvin #Institutes #LastThings #ChristianEndurance #ThroughTheChurchFathers
    Show More Show Less
    14 mins
  • Calvin's Institutes: July 14

    Calvin's Institutes: July 14
    Jul 14 2026

    Podcast Description

    John Calvin directly addresses common scriptural objections to predestination—such as God’s stated desire that the wicked repent and that he desires all to be saved—showing that these do not contradict God’s eternal decree, but rather highlight the free offer of mercy to all while the effectual call belongs only to the elect, calling believers to rest confidently in the promises of the Gospel.

    Today’s Readings:

    John Calvin — Institutes of the Christian Religion Book 3, Chapter 23 (Sections 15–17)

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    Explore the Project:

    Through the Church Fathers – https://www.throughthechurchfathers.com

    Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/cmichaelpatton

    Credo Courses – https://www.credocourses.com

    Credo Ministries – https://www.credoministries.org

    #Predestination #GodsWill #Repentance #JohnCalvin #Institutes #ThroughTheChurchFathers
    Show More Show Less
    13 mins
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