Added! Your opinion: Would Calvin's Commentaries be useful?

Brandon Staggs

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I'd like to hear from SwordSearcher users who would like to see Calvin's commentaries added to SwordSearcher. If there is enough interest I may add it to the to-do list.

UPDATE: Calvin's Commentaries was added to SwordSearcher in version 5.2.
 
I'd like to hear from SwordSearcher users who would like to see Calvin's commentaries added to SwordSearcher. If there is enough interest I may add it to the to-do list.

I'm all for new content. I don't have to agree 100 % with it to find it useful. Luther's commentary on Romans would be a good example of this. So Calvin's would be welcome by me. (If you're already providing the Geneva footnotes, do you really feel you need to ask about providing Calvin's comm.? ;) )

It should go without saying that I don't mean anything which lies outside of mainstream, orthodox Christianity, generally speaking. And, of course, historical material has value for academic pursuits. For example, I'm not a Catholic and no fan of their doctrine, but I wouldn't be opposed to Augustine's confessions or even the writings of Aquinas. They have some historical value, especially Aquinas with respect to philosophy and ethics. But not the latest babblings from the most recent Mormon prophet, etc...

You get the idea, I'm sure. I guess it would depend in part on how wide you want to define the role of providing a tool which helps the Bible student study the Bible.

I think Online had available some modules of cult material, given with the understanding that they were not endorsing it, but providing it as a service to help equip the saints with knowledge, I think with the eye towards helping us fulfil verses such as Phil. 1.7, 17 and 1 Pet. 3.15. (I could be confusing this with some user created material, again provided not as being Biblical but helpful to the saints in our witnessing efforts).

So some historically based material like that might be useful, too. I would certainly understand why you might shy away from providing it via the official channels. Might be a good user-mod project for a budding apologist, who had the time, interest, resources and inclination.
 
Pastor Tim
Could You Say That Again.

Sure!

I'm all for new content. I don't have to agree 100 % with it to find it useful. Luther's commentary on Romans would be a good example of this. So Calvin's would be welcome by me. (If you're already providing the Geneva footnotes, do you really feel you need to ask about providing Calvin's comm.? )

It should go without saying that I don't mean anything which lies outside of mainstream, orthodox Christianity, generally speaking. And, of course, historical material has value for academic pursuits. For example, I'm not a Catholic and no fan of their doctrine, but I wouldn't be opposed to Augustine's confessions or even the writings of Aquinas. They have some historical value, especially Aquinas with respect to philosophy and ethics. But not the latest babblings from the most recent Mormon prophet, etc...

You get the idea, I'm sure. I guess it would depend in part on how wide you want to define the role of providing a tool which helps the Bible student study the Bible.

I think Online had available some modules of cult material, given with the understanding that they were not endorsing it, but providing it as a service to help equip the saints with knowledge, I think with the eye towards helping us fulfil verses such as Phil. 1.7, 17 and 1 Pet. 3.15. (I could be confusing this with some user created material, again provided not as being Biblical but helpful to the saints in our witnessing efforts).

So some historically based material like that might be useful, too. I would certainly understand why you might shy away from providing it via the official channels. Might be a good user-mod project for a budding apologist, who had the time, interest, resources and inclination.

:D
 
I'd like to hear from SwordSearcher users who would like to see Calvin's commentaries added to SwordSearcher. If there is enough interest I may add it to the to-do list.

Brandon,

I am a little hesitant to say that I would like to see them added for if it's like it is with my pastor when I say I'd like to see something done - guess who gets the job? You guessed me? Right. :)

I did a trial run again on Genesis 1:1, copying it from OLB. The problem was that when I copied this from Word to SS the fonts were all messed up, especially in the footnote areas. I would try to highlight those areas inside SS and try to change the fonts but it would not change them.

Many of the footnotes I cannot use since I know nothing about Latin and French. I can understand the Greek and English notes somewhat but it seems to me that most of the English footnotes are not by Calvin himself so I'm not sure just how much I value the footnotes anyway. I just know they are a big headache to put into SS (or they are for me).

The reason I am telling you all this is that you might consider if you'd want this work if several of us got together and tackled it (especially since the fonts might be all messed up {especially on what I did}).

Anyone else want to help? I'm not saying I will do it yet if you are interested in this proposal but I will highly consider it. The work is too much for me to tackle alone with all the other stuff I have in mind yet to put on SS.

MGB,
Regie
 
No wonder your post count is so high... you qoute yourself and reply. :)

I can't argue with the benefit to the post count BUT with that said all I did was oblige a request... :D
 
Brandon,

I am a little hesitant to say that I would like to see them added for if it's like it is with my pastor when I say I'd like to see something done - guess who gets the job? You guessed me? Right. :)

-----

Anyone else want to help? I'm not saying I will do it yet if you are interested in this proposal but I will highly consider it. The work is too much for me to tackle alone with all the other stuff I have in mind yet to put on SS.

Regie, you make an excellent point. I doubt I would have time to help much. But perhaps if the job was broken down into parts, I might be able to. I would at least consider it. I do hope Brandon continues to expand the content.
 
Anyone else want to help?

This wouldn't be necessary, actually. I am planning what to work on for 5.1, and just want to know how much interest there is in Calvin's Bible commentaries. I wouldn't need to enlist help to get it done, so no worries there. :)
 
Regie, you make an excellent point. I doubt I would have time to help much.

I'm not sure how anyone got the impression I was asking for volunteer work here. :) I just want to gauge interest to help prioritize my work.
 
I'm not sure how anyone got the impression I was asking for volunteer work here. :) I just want to gauge interest to help prioritize my work.

Well I didn't get that impression. I just think you have some friends out here that want to help you out if we can. That's fine with me though since that Calvin commentary work is scary looking to me anyway. :) Too many footnotes - too many Greek & Hebrew fonts.

Regie
 
Well I didn't get that impression. I just think you have some friends out here that want to help you out if we can.

Thanks!

That's fine with me though since that Calvin commentary work is scary looking to me anyway. :) Too many footnotes - too many Greek & Hebrew fonts.

Yes -- large and complex texts like this are best served by creating programs specifically for handling their conversion. That's my speciality. :D
 
I am always hopeful that Sword Searcher users and all Christians in general will commit to the understanding that the King James Bible is their Final Authority in all areas of their Christian life. The Sword Searcher library is a tremendous resource, but the words of men are so enticing. Commentaries can be eye candy for those with a divided “Authority”. However if they are used wisely can be a great tool. As a bumper sticker I once read stated, “Read the Bible, it will prevent trooth decay”. Sometimes commentaries are sugar coating that can dilute the Word of God, unless of course the Bible is our Final Authority.

Calvin’s commentaries could be useful for research, however if it were up to me I probably would not include them. I understand that the commentary notes are there from the Geneva Bible but they are brief segments of commentary and not long dissertations on theology.

Chris
 
Well stated, Chris

God bless
Bro. Mike
 
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