Tracts & Letters (Vol 2) - Calvin - I - Translator's preface

Required reading
Tracts and Letters (Volume 2) by John Calvin (Available from Amazon or free here).  Commence Volume 2 by reading the 'Translator's preface'.

My summary
This week we begin the second volume of Calvin's Tracts and Letters by reading Beveridge's preface.

Like Volume One, the preface serves as a nice summary of what each of the tracts are about and also places them in their historical contexts. 

If anyone is considering reading the Volume Two with us, then I advise you to read the preface to inform your decision. 

From my reading of the Preface today, it looks like majority of Volume Two is concerned with discussing the Lord's Supper.

What grabbed me
Included in today's reading was an excellent discussion on the writing of catechisms.

I particularly enjoyed Beveridge's assertion that writing a catechism for children is not as easy as you might think: 'In regard to all the ordinary branches of knowledge, it has too long been the custom to leave the composition of elementary treatises to those, whose names had never before been mentioned in connection with the subjects of which they treat. It would seem to have been regarded as a chief recommendation that they themselves knew little more than the elements, and were thus effectually prevented by their ignorance from overleaping the bounds within which it was meant to confine them. But surely when we consider that an elementary treatise is a representation in miniature of the whole subject of which it treats—a condensation in which every fundamental truth is distinctly expressed, and yet occupies no more space than its relative importance entitles it to claim—it seems to follow of course, that it requires for its right performance, not a mere smattering of knowledge, but such thorough mastery as may place its possessor on a kind of vantage-ground, from which the whole field can be at once accurately and minutely surveyed.'

I find children's ministry enormously difficult.  To distil great subjects into a form easily understood by children requires a great mind.  It will be interesting to see what the great mind of Calvin achieved when we look at his catechism next week.

Next week's reading
Commence the Catechism of the Church of Geneva by reading up to, but not including, the section entitled 'Of Prayer'.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.