If the question is, “Why are these books SO great–so as to be esteemed above all others?”–the answer, in my opinion, would be, “Because they are totally committed to the service of the One, True, and Only God, who has revealed Himself in His Son our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

It is my humble opinion, that the two greatest and most important books ever written, since the end of the closing of the canon of Holy Scripture, are Augustine’s City of God, and John Calvin’s Institutes of The Christian Religion.  Both of these tomes (and they are pretty long), took their brilliant authors some time to finish (Augustine), or perfect (Calvin).

 Augustine started on De Civitate Dei in about 413 AD, and he finally finished it in 426 AD–some four years before his death.  Calvin began his work on Institutio Christianae Religionis in 1534 AD; and his final version of it was published in 1559 AD–some five years before his death.  So, we can perceive that these men thought of these, their magnum opuses, as long-term and very worthwhile studies.  (All together, their labors on these books would encompass some 38 years [of their two remarkable lives].)

 If it is wondered why these two books would be esteemed above all others (excluding the Holy Scriptures, of course), the reasons would go along these lines. . . . One, the Subject Matter: essentially they are consumed with the Three Persons of The Holy Trinity.  Two, the authors themselves: two of the church’s (and world’s) greatest thinkers/pastors/theologians of all time.  And three, the scope, complexity, and eternal relevance of the works.

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