Piety's Wisdom: A Summary of Calvin's Institutes

“Though road maps (or a GPS) are no substitute for the experience of traveling through the country side, they can be a great help to the traveler in identifying the best route and the high points of the trip. J. Mark Beach’s Piety’s Wisdom is such a help for the reader who hopes to travel or navigate his or her way through Calvin’s great exposition of the Christian faith, The Institutes. Written for the general reader, Beach offers a useful guide that identifies the important landmarks, points the way through, and thereby whets the reader’s appetite for a first-hand acquaintance with Calvin’s theology.”

“Mark Beach’s Piety’s Wisdom provides a finely done summary and analysis of Calvin’s Institutes that should be of considerable service to Christian laity, pastors, and students in coming to terms with the thought of the Genevan Reformer. Beach writes clearly and concisely, and with considerable insight into Calvin’s thought. The book includes a short biographical sketch and a contextual introduction to the Institutes. It stands as one of the best and most trustworthy introductions to Calvin presently available.”

“J. Mark Beach has provided us with a concise guide to Calvin’s Institutes that succeeds in identifying its contours and emphases. Calvin’s magnum opus can prove tricky for the uninitiated and this volume will be invaluable as a quick and precise summary of the Reformer’s thought. An ideal accompaniment for those eager to get their teeth into one of the most important theological texts ever written.”