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Besser kann man es nicht machen [it couldn't be done better] (Peter Blickle, Historische Zeitschrift )
It has hardly ever been told better (Alec Ryrie, English Historical Review )
This is history as it should be written: meticulous, provocative and intelligent. By studying the past for its own sake, and on its own terms, it also illuminates the present and the future (William Whyte, Church Times )
It has hardly ever been told better (Alec Ryrie, English Historical Review )
This is history as it should be written: meticulous, provocative and intelligent. By studying the past for its own sake, and on its own terms, it also illuminates the present and the future (William Whyte, Church Times )
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The Reformation transformed Europe, and left an indelible mark on the modern world. It began as an argument about what Christians needed to do to be saved, but rapidly engulfed society in a series of fundamental changes. This Very Short Introduction provides a lively and up-to-date guide to the process. It explains doctrinal debates in a clear and non-technical way, but is equally concerned to demonstrate the effects the Reformation had on politics, society, art, and minorities. Peter Marshall argues that the Reformation was not a solely European phenomenon, but that varieties of faith exported from Europe transformed Christianity into a truly world religion. The complex legacy of the Reformation is also assessed; its religious fervour produced remarkable stories of sanctity and heroism, and some extraordinary artistic achievements, but violence, holy war, and martyrdom were equally its products. A paradox of the Reformation - that it intensified intolerance while establishing pluralism - is one we still wrestle with today.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The Reformation is one of the pivotal moments in all of World History, and not just history of Religion. It encompassed almost all of the Christendom, and its ramifications had been felt far beyond it. Most Christians today live in the palpable shadow of Reformation, and yet very few are completely aware of its extent and history. Although the full history is probably beyond any single book's reach, this very short introduction provides us with an excellent and informative overview. One of the things that I like the most about this book is the fact that it doesn't treat reformation in vacuum, but it rather puts it in context of other political and religious upheavals of the 16th and 17th centuries. It also doesn't make the (protestant) reformation as much of a discontinuity as most people have come to think of it over the past few centuries, but it rather points out many points of contact and continuity within and without the Catholic Church in late Middle Ages. In fact, there is such a thing as Catholic reformation and this book dedicates a considerable amount of space to it. The book shuns two extreme views of reformation - as a completely societal development and as a purely religious one. It acknowledges the great importance that religion had in people's lives at the time, which can be very counterintuitive to many people today, but it also doesn't downplay the purely secular considerations as well. In fact, the distinction between the two would have been very hard to grasp for people at that time. The book also talks about the major figures of Protestant Reformation - Luther, Calvin and Zwingli - and discusses the contributions that each one of them made. The timeframe that this book covers is approximately that of late 15th century until the early 18th. As it is quite obvious, this is a lot of history to put in a single book, but Peter Marshall does a remarkable job of accentuating the highlights of that period that pertain to Reformation and does so with remarkable ease. The result is a book that is very readable and informative, and a good stepping stone for further exploration of this fascinating subject.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Refreshingly clear and balanced, insightful, precise and comprehensive, witty - excellent! In fact, I would say this little book is the best introduction to the 'Reformation' that I have read to date. (Perhaps not as strong in the theological section as the other sections in the book.)
Format:Paperback
If you are looking to grasp the broad strokes of the Reformation, and quickly, you will not do much better than this book. Marshall's entertaining, ironic style makes for very easy reading and he really brings the events to life. I sailed through it. For such a brief piece it's remarkably comprehensive, encompassing the theological, political and social causes and effects of this momentous period in history. This is no dry historical document - it comes across like a soap opera and really engages the reader. A must for anyone looking for a grounding in this area of study.
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