The Necessity of Reforming the Church

The church reached a turning point in the sixteenth century. Worship had become a spectacle, the gospel was distorted, the sacraments were replaced by superstition, and ministers lived in immorality. To restore the church to the teachings of Christ, the Reformers cried out for a return to God’s authoritative Word. In this classic treatise, John Calvin presents four areas of the church’s life and doctrine that must be carefully guarded and guided by Scripture. This timeless call for biblical faithfulness beckons us today. How will we respond?

This new translation by Dr. Casey Carmichael, with a foreword from Dr. W. Robert Godfrey, also includes A Reply to Cardinal Sadoleto, Calvin’s letter defending the work of reformation as it was applied in the city of Geneva.

Endorsements

“Among Calvin’s many treatises and letters, these two are outstanding and deserve your close attention. They were written at a turning period in his ministry and at a crucial point in the history of the Reformation. They reveal his gifts as a humanist scholar, as a defender of the Reforma- tion, and as a pastor who cared for the spiritual well-being of the flock. He knew that the Reformation had recovered the gospel and that Rome sought to persuade evangelicals to sell their birthright for a pottage of salvation by grace and works. These are truths we need to hear and learn again.”

—Dr. R. Scott Clark

“For those who wrestle with the place of the church in the midst of change and challenges, this new translation of The Necessity of Reforming the Church will be a welcome guide. Though it was written in a time so different from ours, its pastoral and practical teachings on the Word of God and the church remain relevant as it offers clarity and priority, qualities we often lack in the present-day church.”

—Rev. Joel E. Kim