The Necessity of Reforming the Church

The Necessity of Reforming the Church with A Reply to Cardinal Sadoleto presents two of John Calvin’s most significant writings in defense of the Protestant Reformation, offered in a fresh English translation by Dr. Casey Carmichael with a foreword by Dr. W. Robert Godfrey.

In The Necessity of Reforming the Church (1544), Calvin addresses Emperor Charles V and the princes of the Holy Roman Empire, arguing that the Reformation was not a reckless disruption but a faithful response to deep corruption in the church’s worship, doctrine, sacraments, and governance. He contends that the Word of God alone must govern how the church worships, what it teaches, and how it exercises authority over souls. Calvin identifies the recovery of scriptural worship and the doctrine of justification by grace through faith as matters of urgent concern—not trivial disputes, as the Reformers’ opponents alleged.

A Reply to Cardinal Sadoleto (1539) responds to Cardinal Jacopo Sadoleto’s appeal urging the citizens of Geneva to return to Rome. Calvin defends the Reformation’s commitment to the authority of Scripture, the sufficiency of Christ’s mediation, and the church’s accountability to God’s Word rather than to human tradition. Together, these two works reveal Calvin as both a careful theologian and a pastor deeply concerned for the spiritual welfare of the church. This book includes a foreword and subject index.

Key Themes

• The authority of Scripture as the sole rule for worship, doctrine, and church governance
• Justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone
• The corruption of the sacraments and the tyranny of unbiblical ecclesiastical authority
• The pastoral urgency of reforming the church according to God’s Word

Featured Quotes “God disapproves of all worship that has been established beyond His Word.”

“Your Word, which should have shined like a lamp on Your people, was taken away from us or at least suppressed.”