2,000 Years of Christ's Power, Part Three: Renaissance and Reformation

2,000 Years of Christ's Power #3

by Nick R. Needham

Following on from the highly regarded and well received volumes 1 and 2, this new volume covers the vital period of the Reformation. The author continues to combine well presented historical detail in a lively and readable style. This book will become a "must read" for this key historical period in the history of Christian's church.

Genres: Church History, History, Christian, Theology, Nonfiction, Religion, Christianity

624 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2003

About the author

Dr. Nick Needham is senior minister of Inverness Reformed Baptist Church and tutor in church history at Highland Theological College in Dingwall, Scotland.

Dr. Needham is a Londoner by birth and upbringing. He studied theology at New College, Edinburgh University, where he specialized in Church History. He also taught a course at New College on the life and works of the Swiss Reformer Ulrich Zwingli, at the same time completing his PhD thesis on the nineteenth-century Scottish theologian Thomas Erskine of Linlathen. He then taught Systematic Theology at the Scottish Baptist College in Glasgow for several years before spending a semester at the Samuel Bill Theological College, where he taught Church History. After a period as assistant pastor in a church in north London, he moved to the Highland Theological College, Dingwall, where he teaches Church History.

Reviews

[Christian Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t rave about this series enough. The inclusion of primary sources at the end of each chapter, the accessibility, and the narrative style that Needham writes with make them such an enjoyable read. This volume was particularly good compared to other Protestant histories concerning the Reformation. Instead of solely focusing on the Reformers, Needham also gives attention to the Roman Catholic Church of this time. He also includes a chapter on the Greek Orthodox Church. This information is incredible helpful, for it helps Western Protestants to see the big picture of the Christian faith and how the Reformers, the Catholics, and the Greek Orthodox all were shaped during this time to lead to what they look like today. This a must have on your shelf. I am looking forward to read the fourth volume soon.

[Matt Pitts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot recommend this series highly enough. It is clear, simple, engaging, insightful, broad, fair-minded, and faithful. If you have any interest in church history, pick a volume in this series that interests you and start reading. You can’t go wrong no matter where you start.

[Christopher Desruisseau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting read, and very informative. If you are interested in learning more about the reformation, then this book is a good start.

[Brance Gillihan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This entire series has been excellent. Each book seems better than the last. This was an insightful and fascinating history of the reformation period, covering Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox developments.

I look forward to starting volume 4!

[Craig Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third volume I have read in Nick Needham’s ‘2000 Years’ series. I gave it four stars because of what the book tries ‘to be’ rather than what I would like it ‘to be’. Let me explain. This book was given as a text book in my church history course. I personally believe this book is not of the standard needed at seminary level. I would have Carter Lindberg’s ‘European Reformation’ as a seminary text book, but as I was given Needham I read it.

Needham’s book is written for those who do not have knowledge of church history; therefore the book is very good at what it is meant to be. I gave 4 stars because the writing style, flow, and structure would be very helpful to those who are dipping their toe into church history. The book is large compared to other introductory church histories, but the simple writing style flows from section to section, chapter to chapter. There is contemporary theological commentary to help readers understand what is going on eg. Justification with Luther. The end sections are also very helpful as they give dates, important figures, and primary source excerpts to give the reader a fresh reminder of ‘the who’ and ‘when’. One thing that did annoy me was the times when there would be a quotation from someone but there was no reference to the source. Thankfully google helped me source what I wanted to file away.

To reiterate and conclude, if you know your church history you may not like this book. It may be too simplistic for you. If this is you, then read Carter Lindberg or another text at a higher level. But if you, or know someone, who does not know their church history then Needham is a great place to start He is a Reformed Baptist so unlike many church history books, this is written from a faithful foundation.

[Matt Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best of the series so far. I thoroughly enjoyed this exaploration of Reformation history. I suspect that is probably because the Reformation is perhaps personally my favourite period of Church history, but I found Needham's treatment absorbing all the same.

I was a little apprehensive that the feel of this volume would be substantially different from the previous two owing to the sudden change of pace: the first two volumes covered 1500 years together of history and this volume only 100. Yet, there is simply so much 'Reformation' that I hardly felt the change of pace. In a way, Needham simply recounts the same 100 year period several times over. However, each time the focus changes different group or movement, ocassionally overlapping with one another: the Lutherans, the Reformed, Radial (Anabaptist, Spiritualist, and Rationalist), the Roman Counter - Reformation, and the Eastern Orthodox church (who didn't really undergo any sort of 'Reformation'.) Some time is also spent considering the Reformation by country, with England and Scotland having their own chapter. The humanist movement preceding the Reformation is highlighted and its influence over the following century is often linked back to men like Erasmus.

I really appreciated the biographical nature of some of the leading reformers in each movement - especially Martin Bucer who often 'goes under the radar' in some other works. Furthermore, Needham gave useful context to some of the more distateful episodes of the Reformation, highlighting, for example, the differnce between anti - Semitism and anti - Judaism, and the ubiquity of the death penalty for heresy (making the incident with Servetus a little more historically representative than: Calvin burned Servetus.)

One thing I was really looking forward to reading about was the huge change in approach to the Biblical text that occured over the course of the 16th century. Particularly, the advances in textual criticism and, even, of manuscript evidence. I was expecting some discussion on the textus receptus and its surrounding issues, but I was left slightly disappointed.

Nevertheless, the series is so gripping so far, I cannot wait for the next volume!

[Nathan Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nick Needham's third volume concerning the history of the Christian church rises to the prestige of his first volume in it's wide yet concise examination of the Reformation. The author provides a strong overview of the background leading to this Reformation in his second volume and the first chapter in this volume concerning the Reformation. Nick Needham argues that the Reformation consisted of the best aspects of Medieval Christianity overcoming the worst aspects of that same time.

The author begins with the German Reformation at the hands of Luther and Melanchthon but also addresses the Swiss Reformation concerning Zwingly and Bullinger, and the event of Geneva and Strasbourg concerning Calvin, Bauer, and others. While often overlooked, the author devotes a chapter toward the radical side of the Reformation which does not merely include Anabaptists, but many other denominations too.

Perhaps the greatest strength of this work was Needham's explanation of the Eastern church. The author explains the results of the fall of Constantinople in 1453 and its corresponding effect on Russian and Greek Orthodoxy. Of particular note was conversations between the Russian patriarchy and the Lutherans, which resulted in a failed attempt to form an alliance against Rome.

This volume is perhaps the best book to receive a well-rounded description of the Reformation and can easily be read as a standalone book.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this encouraging. Needham captures pictures of men and women who sometimes vehemently disagreed with each other, yet who demonstrated genuine love and desire to follow God and impart God’s truth and goodness to others. They wrestle with difficult issues. They are flawed people, but they’re motivated by Christ’s love. And so in an age of great change and conflict and upheaval, the Gospel continues to go forward. I find that remarkable.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic. Easily the best book I've read on church history so far. I often struggle with historical books but this was a great balance of big picture and detail. Very engaging and readable style and helped me to evaluate the state of the church in our own times by comparison to the church in the reformation period. Helped me in my thinking on the relationship between church and state too. Highly recommend.

[RT · Rating 4 out of 5]

See review for volume 1

[Cale Fauver · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best church history set you’ll get and I’ve only finished 3 of 5. Needham is a great tour guide to better piece together church history’s unfolding.

[Rebecca Krug · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a history book, very readable.... I understand and care much more about the reformation after reading this.

[Joel Davison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super book, great series so far

[Reagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A necessary chapter in church history.

[Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very readable. Deals with events, people, and doctrines. Spiced up with anecdotes. Part Two is the only other volume I've read in this series, also a 5-star book. Fantastic!

[Chris Wray · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third volume in Nick Needham's epic overview of history upholds the lofty standard he set in the first two volumes. One feature of the series so far that has been particularly edifying and helpful is the fair and even-handed manner in which Needham approaches the characters in his narrative. A second is how he traces the logical flow and evolution of church history. Volume Two was particularly strong in this regard, covering a period that is often casually neglected in Protestant thinking about church history. Far from the cliche where the New Testament ends and then nothing happens for 1500 years until Luther shows up to start the Reformation, Needham lays out a rich and diverse story of the expansion of Christianity, much faithful proclamation of the gospel, and an unfortunate entanglement of the church with the world. This volume picks up where that one ended, beginning with the Renaissance.

The Renaissance: Cradle of Reformation

Needham explains that “The Renaissance involved a revival of classical forms of thought, expression, and action, a revival mediated through 'humane' studies - grammar, rhetoric, poetry, history, philosophy. These were seen by Renaissance thinkers as the arts which transformed the raw material of the merely natural human being into the refined perfection of the cultured person: nature gives us birth, but the humane studies then re-create us and make us authentically human. In all this, a special emphasis was placed on human beings as communicators; the effective expression of thoughts and values in writing, speech, music, and visual art lay close to the heart of the Renaissance vision.” Further, “The Renaissance…shifted people’s spiritual concern back to the present life: not usually in the sense of denying the life to come, but insisting strongly that life on earth had a value, a dignity, and a beauty of its own.”

He also helpfully explains the concept of Renaissance humanism, pointing out that “We must not confuse it with the present-day philosophy of humanism, which is anti-Christian, denying the existence of God and treating this earthly life as the only life there is. In contrast to today's humanists, most of the humanists of the Renaissance were pro-Christian. Their commitment to humanity and human culture was normally part of a Christian view of the world; they saw a God-given-meaning and worth in the present life, as well as in the life to come. Those who promoted this Renaissance concept of humanism regarded it as nothing less than the regeneration of true culture and therefore of true humanity.” What Needham is saying here is that we won’t properly understand the Renaissance unless we recognise it as emerging in a world that was profoundly Christian.

The Early Reformation: Understanding Luther

Needham is even-handed and measured in his treatment of Luther, addressing the events of his remarkable life as they were in the moment and upholding throughout the fact that Luther was a 16th-century man and not a 21st-century evangelical. He is especially careful to avoid reading back later developments in Luther's thinking back into his earlier career, so painting a more accurate picture of a man (and indeed a Reformation) that was developing in real time. Nevertheless, Needham does highlight some particularly important milestones and core aspects of Luther's thinking: “To the end of his life, Luther was to be a wholehearted believer in Augustine's doctrine of the sovereign grace of God who chooses helpless sinners for salvation by His unmerited mercy. This was the first of Luther's two great theological and spiritual breakthroughs, and it occurred around 1513. He came to understand that the apostle Paul's phrase "the righteousness of God" (Rom. 1:17) does not mean the righteousness by which God punishes sinners, but the righteousness which He graciously gives to sinners as a free gift of salvation. At this early stage, however, Luther still understood God's gift of righteousness as the inner righteousness that the Holy Spirit produces in the heart (what fully developed Protestant theology would call "regeneration" and "sanctification"). Luther's second great breakthrough was when he came to understand faith as essentially personal trust in Christ rather than assent to the Church's teachings, and "the righteousness of God" as God's imputation of Christ's right-eousness to the believer's account, changing the believer's legal status before God but not the believer's heart ("justification" in the sense in which evangelical theology uses the term). This second breakthrough did not happen till much later, probably in the period 1518-19.”

Another important doctrine that the Reformers recovered was a properly Biblical understanding of authority. Again, Needham’s nuanced comment is helpful: “Scripture was not some abstract authority: it was very specifically the Word of this God, the God who created the universe and sent His only Son to be the Saviour of sinful humanity through His cross and resurrection. Only as the Word of the true God, the Father of Jesus Christ, did Scripture have authority in the Church…The Protestant Reformers also granted a subordinate authority to the creeds of the ecumenical Councils, especially the Nicene Creed and the Creed (or Definition) of Chalcedon; these, they maintained, were providential landmarks in the life history of God's people, and had to be reckoned with seriously as digests of biblical truth which Christians had always received. Finally, the Protestant Reformers had no intention of rejecting the ongoing teaching ministry of the Church through its preachers and theologians. It was not infallible, but used discerningly, it was an invaluable source of wisdom.”

Needham provides a concise summary of the flow of church history from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance to the Reformation when he writes, “The young humanists of Germany, personified in Melanchthon, were rallying to Luther's cause: the river of Renaissance learning was flowing into the sea of the Reformation. And it heralded the fact that the Reformers were no longer just attacking Rome; they were starting to produce a positive theology of their own, logically arranged and clearly stated, as a counterpart to Rome's teaching. The protest against Roman abuses was turning into the establishment of an alternative Church…The ten years between Luther's defiant stand at the Diet of Worms in 1521 and the death of the Swiss Reformer Ulrich Zwingli at the battle of Kappel in 1531 were crucial for the future development of Western Christianity. On the one hand, these years witnessed the penetration of Lutheran and Zwinglian ideas into northern Europe and major parts of central Europe, a process which culminated in the creation of many new nationally based Protestant Churches. On the other hand, these same years also saw the great rebellion against Rome solidify into three distinct forms, hostile to each other as well as to the Pope: the Lutherans, the Reformed, and the Radicals.”

Recapturing Momentum: Growth of the Reformed

Needham continues: “Despite what could be seen as its temporary loss of momentum…Protestantism recovered in the 1540s in a massive way, through the extraordinary growth and consolidation of its Reformed wing. Apart from the Scandinavian countries and most of northern Germany, Lutheranism began to be supplanted in one region after another by Reformed Christianity, which became the cutting edge of the Reformation in Europe. Prior to this, we must remember that the Reformed faith was concentrated in the four city-states of Switzerland (Zurich, Basel, Berne, and Schaffhausen), and in Strasbourg. By the 1560s, it had spread with startling speed and vigour across France, southern Germany, the Netherlands, England, Scotland, and large swathes of Eastern Europe, mounting a militant challenge to Roman Catholicism, creating Church structures and forms of Christian life that transformed entire cultures, and producing writings of such high spiritual and theological calibre that they have stood the test of time and are still being widely studied today…This astonishing development was not the work of a single man, but undoubtedly there were five key figures who more than any others helped to articulate the Reformed vision: Ulrich Zwingli, Heinrich Bullinger, Martin Bucer, Peter Martyr, and John Calvin.”

Martin Bucer emerges particularly positively from Needham's survey, not least in his genuine desire for faithful unity: “Bucer's quest for harmony with Lutherans was typical of his lifelong passion for Christian unity, of which he was the outstanding advocate among 16th-century Protestants. Chiefly, this was unity among all forms of the Magisterial Reformation, but Bucer was also committed to dialogue with Roman Catholics. He was willing to learn even from Anabaptists, despite finding them a distasteful bunch; Strasbourg was a safe haven for Radicals until the 1530s. Bucer's "ecumenism" flowed from the way in which the Church occupied an ever more central place in his theology. He dissented from the state control of the Church that had marked the Reformation up till then; for Bucer, the Church was a divine society, quite distinct from the state, and Christ was the Church's only Lord and Head.”

Inevitably, however, Calvin looms large: “Martin Bucer and Peter Martyr were theological giants by any standard, and the fact that their present-day reputation is almost totally eclipsed by the more celebrated John Calvin must not blind us to their significance as founding fathers of the Reformed faith, nor impel us to give an undue prominence to Calvin. Calvin was never to Reformed Protestantism the dominating figure that Luther was to Lutheranism. Nonetheless, it remains true that if any single person among the Reformed pioneers had ultimately the most far-reaching influence on Church and world, it was surely Calvin.”

Perfidious Albion: The English Reformation

As an Anglican, the English Reformation is a subject that is particularly interesting to me. Pleasingly, Needham does not disappoint in this section of the book! Again, his thoughtful nuance is clarifying: “The schism - the separation of the English Church from papal jurisdiction - took place through the Reformation Parliament, which Henry summoned in 1529. The Anglicans' separation from Rome was thus not an act of the monarch alone (as is often mistakenly thought), but of the monarch acting in concert with parliament. First the English Church lost its legislative independence in 1532 through the "Submission of the Clergy", which stripped the Church of its right to make laws without the consent of the laity in parliament. Next (also in 1532), it lost its financial independence: parliament passed an act diverting "first fruits and annates" (clerical taxes) from Rome to the English crown. Initially this was a conditional measure, pending the success of Henry's divorce; but the following year it was made permanent through the Act in Restraint of Annates. This was accompanied by the Dispensations Act which stopped all payments to Rome. Finally the Church lost its judicial independence: in 1533 parliament passed the Act in Restraint of Appeals (to Rome) which deprived the papacy of any right to judge English cases in either Church or state. This act contains a famous assertion that "England is an empire" - that is, as the term was understood in cases in the 16th century, a self-sufficient sovereign state whose king owes to no other power on earth.”

Having set the scene with this summary of the political Reformaiton in England, Needham continues: “By Henry's death in 1547, Protestantism was firmly established in southern England, especially in London. Much of it was the product of the spiritual Reformation which had been going on alongside Henry's political Reformation and owed little to the king's break with Rome. English Protestantism was also unique in being neither fully Lutheran nor fully Reformed; it developed an individual character of its own, marked by an intense love of the Bible, an emphasis on vital personal godliness, and a swelling English nationalism which saw England as God's chosen nation, always at the forefront of His purposes in history, especially His quarrel with the Roman Antichrist. Henry VIII, however, never embraced Protestantism himself, remaining a traditional Catholic in most of his beliefs (apart from his rejection of the papacy), and he continued to inflict periodic persecution on outspoken Protestants as well as on stubborn supporters of the pope. Things turned especially bleak for Protestants in 1539 when Henry decreed a new test of orthodoxy, the "Six Articles", which reaffirmed transubstantiation, a celibate priesthood, and other medieval dogmas. Latimer and Shaxton resigned their bishoprics in protest; Cranmer publicly opposed the articles in the House of Lords but survived.”

Cranmer is a character that I was pleased to see emerge positively from Needham’s analysis: “Cranmer is often depicted as a cowardly time-server, but the facts do not bear out this interpretation. A cowardly time-server would not have dared publicly to oppose a tyrant like Henry VIII. Cranmer's remarkable ability to survive the twists and turns of Henry VIII's policies and moods was due more to Henry's huge personal esteem for Cranmer, whom Henry seems to have felt was the only man who sincerely loved him.”

Finally, Needham explains the distinctly Reformed flavour of English Protestantism: “It was significant for the future of English Protestantism that no Lutheran theologians took refuge in England, although Cranmer did invite Melanchthon. Leading Reformed Churchmen, however, such as Martin Bucer, Peter Martyr, and Jan Laski, did settle and work in England during Edward VI's reign, helping to inject a strong dose of the Reformed ethos into English Protestantism. Martin Bucer in particular worked with Cranmer in preparing the second edition of the Book of Common Prayer (see below); Cranmer included many of Bucer's suggestions in the final text…Edward VI's Church combined a Lutheran attitude to Church government (state control through king, parliament, and royally appointed bishops), with a Reformed perspective on other doctrinal issues, notably the Reformed view of the Lord's Supper…It was, however, in the realm of public worship that the deepest impact was made.”

The Empire Strikes Back: Catholic Counter-Reformation

In keeping with his aim to write a comprehensive history of the whole church, Needham includes extensive sections on the Radical Reformers and a whole chapter on what was happening in the Orthodox world during these tumultuous years. Nevertheless, it seems appropriate to close this review and set the scene for the impending catastrophe of the wars of religion by considering his penultimate chapter, on the Catholic Counter-Reformation. Needham’s overview (including an invaluable explainer on the Council of Trent) identifies the four main effects of the Roman Catholic reforms:

The triumph of the papacy: “The Catholic Reformation strengthened the papacy against its internal enemies, both conciliarists (who gave highest place to an ecumenical Council) and imperialists (who looked to the Holy Roman Emperor). The popes had managed the Council of Trent masterfully. It also restored the public reputation of the papacy from the depths of scandal in which it had been mired as the 16th century began its course. The popes were once again grand, impressive spiritual figures, worthy successors to the apostle Peter in the eyes of the Roman Catholic faithful, with something of the aura of Hildebrand and Innocent III about them.”

The definition of doctrine: “The Council of Trent had authoritatively clarified the teaching of Rome: Roman Catholic theologians now had a standard of doctrine to use, promote, and defend against Protestants. A new sense of theological self-confidence returned to Roman Catholicism after the initial upheavals and tormenting uncertainties in which Rome had wallowed after 1517.”

The flourishing of spirituality: “Roman Catholicism was once again producing great saints and masters of the spiritual life - Ignatius Loyola, Philip Neri, Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross. With such holy men and women abounding, no committed Roman Catholic doubted that his Church was the home of a divine sanctity, God's true Spirit-indwelt Church on earth.”

The recovery of zeal: A fresh enthusiasm returned to the Roman Catholic Church. The moribund institution of the early 16th century, which had so disgusted even its friends, was now on fire with a heroic zeal to recreate its spiritual empire in Europe, and to spread Christianity into the newly discovered or newly colonised lands of America, Africa, and the far East. Morale had been mightily reborn among a once dispirited army, and nothing seemed impossible.”

Needham ends with a question. “In the first shock-waves of the Protestant Reformation, the question had been: can Rome survive? As a result of the Catholic Counter-Reformation, a new question arose: can Protestantism survive?”

Spoiler alert - it does! But I will need to read Volume 4 to find out how…

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been impressed with Needham's historical writings for a while now. His first two volumes in this series are excellent, his lectures are first rate (I prefer to hear no one more) and he's a really nice guy. Though as a kind of 'high-church' Baptist he doesn't fully fit anywhere (which in our day is probably a good sign!)

This volume is learned but layman friendly. It fills in many gaps and doesn't avoid the areas most reformed folk like to ignore or never find. It gives particular place to liturgical changes and issues, recognising that the Reformation was positively liturgical and not merely iconoclastic. Sufficient place is also given to the Radicals, the Catholic Evangelicals and the Jesuits that arguably make the period 'the Reformations' rather than just 'the Reformation'.

Loved it. Perfect for home-schooling.

[Caleb Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be well written, and thorough.

[Blake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volume 3 of this four volume series on Church History was much more enjoyable to read than Volume 2. As I read Volume 3, and Volume 2 as well, one of the things that struck me was, "The Founding Fathers of America were absolutely brilliant." You might be wondering what in the world do the founding of our country and the founding fathers have to do with church history, stretching all the way back to the dark ages up through the Reformation? Ah, you see, the Founding Fathers put into the constitution very specific points about keeping the government and the church separate. I can't help but think that it wasn't only the ugly corruption of the Church of England in the 1700's that drove that, but certainly these men had knowledge of what happens when government and religion are combined. Power, absolute power, corrupts absolutely and there is no better way to see that principle fleshed out than to study church history. In Volume 3, there was much about light that came out of the darkness of centuries of the corrupt, depraved, power hungry Roman Catholic church and the Roman Empire. Ugh! That was what I thought over and over as I read of how much brutality was poured out on people who opposed the papacy and all that was tied to the Roman Catholic theology. In volume 3, one gets to learn of significant individuals such as Melanchthon, Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, etc. as well as many other significant reformers, as many broke free from the stranglehold of the Roman church. It was fascinating to read of Radical Reformers, of Reformers who both agreed with and disagreed with Luther, of the religious movements up into Russia (and the starting of the Russian Orthodox religion). Likewise the author wrote of the spread of the reformation into Scotland and England, the heroic acts of men such as Knox, and he wrote about the corruption of the various kings and queens who tried to wreak havoc upon true followers of Christ. Christ will build His church and the gates of hell will not stand against it and this is clearly demonstrated throughout the book as the true gospel of Jesus Christ spread throughout Europe. Some of the 556 pages of this book provided a breath of fresh air from reading of the claustrophobic religious air of Europe and the Middle East and northern Africa from AD 300 up through 1557 and the years that followed. I highly recommend this book to those who want to understand a critical era of Church History.

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good survey of the Reformation Era. A piece with the previous two volumes, though taking more space to cover a shorter period of time (though this is historically justified, I think). Needham designed this volume to serve both as the third entry in this series and as a stand alone volume on the Reformation Era.

As the former, it is a great volume, well tuned to the series. Needham as always makes steady progress with the story, and covers a wide range of people, events, and topics with a very even hand. This has definitely been a strength of this whole series so far. We can excuse his one obvious indulgence on the reformation in Scotland, an authorial "guilty pleasure," I suppose.

As a stand alone volume on the Reformation, it is very good, but not entirely top tier for this kind of work. I would of course recommend Sunshine (The Reformation for Armchair Theologians) at the top of my ranking. But Needham is a worthy entry in the second tier. I very much appreciated his chapters on Eastern Orthodoxy during this period, and of the short-lived Evangelical Catholic movement. Also, his coverage of the Radical Reformation is much appreciated. One great advantage and disadvantage (as any historical teacher would know) comes from the organization of the chapters. By fitting things into neat little boxes, Needham makes complex material much easier to digest, but as a consequence some of the narrative quality (that Sunshine exemplifies so well) suffers somewhat noticeably. Consequently, I felt less attached to the various characters in this book than I did in the previous volume, or than I have in other Reformation-era survey books.

All in all, a fine volume in a fine series. A pleasure to read, and highly recommended.

[David Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent volume. It's interesting to read about the lives and events which have shaped Christianity through the years. One thing is sure, God uses imperfect people to carry out His perfect plans and this is shown in the lives of the characters in this and the previous volumes. Too often men are placed on pedestals and this for example came across very much last year as I listened to several people praising Luther for what he did. I certainly don't wish to critical of him or his companions, the work of the Reformation certainly needs to be praised, but I do wish that we could have 'warts and all' for these men. Reading these volumes should go a long way to correcting this.
I have just started Vol 4 and in the Introduction the author makes this point which I feel is most apposite to what I have tried to say above:

'Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the Utopian whose agonizing life-journey led him at last to humble Trinitarian faith, was an avid reader, and his comment on histories of the English Civil war (one of the central conflicts of this volume) can be applied more widely to our theatre of events:

How many books are still written and published about Charles First and his times! Such is the fresh and enduring interest of that grand crisis of morals, religion, and government! But these books are none of them works of any genius or imagination; not one of these authors seems to be able to throw himself back into that age; if they did, there would be less praise and less blame bestowed on both sides.

Quoted from: S. T. Coleridge, Tabletalk Nov 9th 1833

[Adam Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant piece of historical writing. A very readable introduction to the period, with good geographical coverage and embracing the full breadth of Christian traditions. Nick Needham also understands the theological debates well, and so can explain the issues clearly for non-specialists. I also appreciated the short primary-source extracts at the end of each chapter. This book was a gift I've had on my shelf for a while, and I look forward to now exploring the rest of the series.

Nevertheless, there is one shortcoming, although it's a wider issue in Christian historical works, so I'm still happy to give Needham five stars. The issue: You could come away from this book thinking that in the 16th century, Christ’s power mostly just worked through men. He lists 221 “Important People”. Only SEVEN are women, mostly queens. Occasionally, anonymous women are mentioned too, but not hugely favourably. As an example, on Catholic Evangelicals, he writes “Women were particularly prominent in the group.” Having thus dealt with women in 5 words, men’s contributions then get 7 pages! So, a brilliant book, but also an illustration of how Church history is too often written as the history of literate men, where women get brief mentions based on who they marry, or provide a side story suitable for separate books marketed at women.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

See my reviews of Volumes 1 and 2. It's outstanding.

Thorough, stunning, great. As with Volume 2, I appreciate how much time a Scottish Reformed Baptist spent tracing parallel developments in Greek and Russian Orthodoxy. It's only a chapter on the sixteenth century for the entire East, yet given how most histories focus on developments in the West during the Renaissance and Reformation I'm glad he kept them included. I am eager to see how Volume 4 develops the themes.

Maybe the only room for improvement was that the Catholic/Counter-Reformation felt a little rushed. I am glad that Needham paid attention to the Catholic Evangelicals and some lesser-known figures in the Reformation like Peter Martyr Vermigli and Martin Bucer. The Reformation in Poland, Hungary, and Bohemia also got attention that is often left only for dedicated volumes on it (such as Diarmaid MacCulloch).

Great. Read it even if your interest is only passing.

[Ronnie Nichols · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can highly recommend this series and this volume to you. Mr. Needham gives a thorough and detailed account of the the history of the Reformation era in church and world history and highlights almost all the notable figures, councils, and events that made this era what it was. Great stuff! I knew when I started this series that my understanding of church history left much to be desired, and I can tell you that my eyes have been opened to so many things I had no idea played a role in the development of body of Christ. I deeply enjoyed the articles, letters, poetry and prose included at the end of each chapter written by the subjects discussed. Looking forward to diving in to Volume 4 and learning more, and Lord willing I will go back and read this volume again. So much to learn and this is a great source!

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't imagine attempting to write a one volume history of the Reformation without overwhelming consumer anxiety as to what all to include. Needham, as in the other volumes, again does a wonderful job of covering this period of church history with efficient and judicious use of his space limitations.

Yes, there is a lot missing, but I think Needham accomplishes his purpose well of giving an introduction and general overview of this most eventful time in history. His bibliographies at the end are also very helpful for those wanting to read deeper into certain areas or key figures that he introduced in this volume.

Like the other volumes, it was very easy to read and follow along with. And again, his charitable spirit in presenting the views of those whom he doesn't necessarily agree with theologically is certainly commendable.

[BJ Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is part 3 of a 5 (and counting?) part series regarding the history of the church. This part includes the Renaissance (of which Needham did an OK job) and the Reformation (excellent). There is some but not much historical, cultural, or philosophical context. In large part, we simply see the history of the church through the lens of key individuals who made a major impact. Each chapter also ends with primary source writings from one or more individuals addressed in that chapter.

The book is academically solid and well researched while at the same time being readable and fairly easy for anyone to follow and enjoy no matter how weak or strong their historical and theological understanding might be. Needham also does not allow his reformed bias flow through too heavily and so anyone from any perspective should be able to enjoy this book.

[Caleb Meyers · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars It could have been the best of series. He has nine chapters: 6 of them were excellent, describing the Reformer's doctrine and basic principles. His chapter of the Counter Reformation was really weak on the Catholics, assuming many were Christians, and that had the Reformers not arisen the Catholic Church might have become Christian again. This is gross naiveness. The other chapter was on the Radical Reformation. He spent a majority of the time talking about the Anabaptists, which is fine and all, but he lumps these believers in with People who denied the Trinity and other basic Christian principles. His last chapter on the Eastern Orthodox was Ok. He again assumes they were believers.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Volume 3 done. This amazingly readable history of the church is correcting so many of my learned errors about the church. The steady hand of the Lord has been on His church, the body of true believers on earth since Pentecost. This volume covered the Renaissance and Reformation and showed clearly the difference between the reformed theologies and the religious tradition of man. Though the Catholic church also reformed somewhat, it seemed to push it further to mysticism rather than true orthodoxy. This volume has already encouraged me to read several other early reformed writers and I anticipate a further strengthening of my faith.

[Hank Pharis · Rating 4 out of 5]

(NOTE: I'm stingy with stars. For me 2 stars means a good book or a B. 3 stars means a very good book or a B+. 4 stars means an outstanding book or an A {only about 5% of the books I read merit 4 stars}. 5 stars means an all time favorite or an A+ {Only one of 400 or 500 books rates this!).

The great news is that I can listen to a book a day at work. The bad news is that I can’t keep up with decent reviews. So I’m going to give up for now and just rate them. I hope to come back to some of the most significant things I listen to and read them and then post a review.

This the third volume in an outstanding series which I highly recommend. You can see the things I highlighted.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is #3 of 5 in the series. I've learned so much already, and while it's true that keeping every detail properly categorized and integrated with every other detail, I am beginning to have a greater sense of the "lay of the land" of church history. One of the nice things about Needham's series is that I will be able to use the glossary and indices of each volume to return to a topic or person when I encounter them in other works to refresh on the context of their lives, work, and controversies.