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The Reformation: A History

4.08 of 5 stars 4.08 · rating details · 717 ratings · 68 reviews

At a time when men and women were prepared to kill—and be killed—for their faith, the Reformation tore the Western world apart. Acclaimed as the definitive account of these epochal events, Diarmaid MacCulloch’s award-winning new history brilliantly re-creates the religious battles of priests, monarchs, scholars, and politicians—from the zealous Martin Luther to the radical...more

Paperback, 864 pages

Published March 25th 2005 by Penguin Books (first published 2003)

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Nov 06, 2010 Adam Snider rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is simply put the best popular history book I've ever read. The subject is the Reformation, but MacCulloch goes far beyond the traditional "Luther to Westphalia" timeline, using the first few chapters to flesh out the world of Latin Christianity as it existed during the century or so before Luther arrived on the scene. Geographically the book also extends well beyond the borders of what we often view to be the main sphere of the Reformation - Germany, France, and England - to explore how th...more This is simply put the best popular history book I've ever read. The subject is the Reformation, but MacCulloch goes far beyond the traditional "Luther to Westphalia" timeline, using the first few chapters to flesh out the world of Latin Christianity as it existed during the century or so before Luther arrived on the scene. Geographically the book also extends well beyond the borders of what we often view to be the main sphere of the Reformation - Germany, France, and England - to explore how the same forces for reform and spiritual experimentation were alive in Italy, Spain and other countries usually seen as solidly (and stolidly) orthodox Catholic. The lands east, north and south of Germany, including Transylvania, Bohemia, the Balkans and Scandinavia are also given a much more detailed examination than usual.

Nor is this at all accidental. MacCulloch is clearly determined to eliminate what he sees as blank spots and misinterpretations in the popular conception of what the Reformation was and how it came to be. The role of such famous characters as Erasmus and Loyola, Bethlen Gabor and Archbishop Laud, are reexamined, and pains are taken to give those who are often dismissed as bit characters or historical peculiarities - Zwingli, for example, who is so often overshadowed by the more well known Calvin - are given back their true significance. The book is thick with detail - if there is a flaw to it, it's that some readers may well be exhausted by the book, but it's all put together so skillfully that most readers will, I think, end up working their way through the whole massive tome in record time.

Despite all this detail within the main text, MacCulloch sets aside a few chapters at the end to deal with specific questions - gender roles and sexuality, for example - in a more specific manner. These are excellent resources, and ones which would have been difficult to include in the main text without either having to dilute them considerably in order to fit with the more chronological narrative of the rest of the book or breaking up the flow.

All in all, an excellent piece of work. Considerably better, in my opinion, than his (nevertheless quite good) History of Christianity, which suffers from the sheer vastness of the subject set into a single volume. The Reformation, on the other hand, shows what MacCulloch can do with a rich but temporally more limited subject, and the result is a thing of beauty.(less)

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Jul 17, 2012 Lawrence is currently reading it

I finished the first four chapters which go through the break between Luther and Rome and the Zwingli/Zurich events and then onto the Rebellion of 1524, Strasburg and Calvin. As this is a detailed and long book (but well written and thematic), I think this is a good place to stop and take a break before launching into material that's not as familiar to me. One thing: I am still not quite sure how the Luther "revolution" took off with such energy. The author expresses the "power of an idea" (the...more

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Jul 05, 2009 J. Dunn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction, contemporary, 16th-century, british, history, europe, religion, culture, customs, politics, christianity, catholicism, protestantism, war, reformation, renaissance, owned, find-etext

I picked this up because I knew almost nothing about the Reformation, and I felt like I should at least have the basic history straight for events which were so vital to the shaping of the modern world.

And, it mostly covered me for that. He did an excellent job of putting you inside the very alien worldviews and socio-cultural arrangements of the time, and illustrating just how revolutionary and sudden a change the Reformation really was. He gave engaging and detailed sketches of most of the mai...more I picked this up because I knew almost nothing about the Reformation, and I felt like I should at least have the basic history straight for events which were so vital to the shaping of the modern world.

And, it mostly covered me for that. He did an excellent job of putting you inside the very alien worldviews and socio-cultural arrangements of the time, and illustrating just how revolutionary and sudden a change the Reformation really was. He gave engaging and detailed sketches of most of the main actors involved in the religious, political, and cultural arenas. He covered enough of the intricate theological problems which developed and were fought out, but not so much as to make my eyes glaze over. And he did an excellent job of taking you down to the level of everyday people and looking at how and why they embraced such a sudden change in such a vital part of their existence, and what the consequences were for their way of life going forward.

Where he fell down just a bit was in connecting the ground-level with the elite, and the religious with the political and especially the military. He did a good job on the elites insofar as they related to religion, but the political history was pretty thin. He also certainly covered all of the major conflicts of the time, but they always seemed like something that happened in the background and only flashed into full view at a few crisis points. I came in with a vague idea of how and why the French Wars of Religion, the English Civil War, and the 30 Years’ War were fought, and left with a not much clearer one.

Of course, any one of those conflicts can and has merited many an extensive history of its own, but I think he could have done a better job of fully describing them and linking them more thoroughly and organically with the political, social, cultural and religious turmoil that caused and sustained them. The 30 Years’ War especially seemed to be elided over. Constraints of space were probably a big concern, as the book still came in at over 700 pages, but I would have rather read another 100 or so and been left with a more complete picture.

Still, pretty minor quibbles for a book that taught me lot about a subject I came in with little background on, and that had plenty of major strengths to outweigh that one notable weakness. Definitely read if you want a solid social, cultural, religious, and basic political history of the Reformation from a modern point of view. If you’re more interested in the military history or in any of the specific conflicts, pick up a more specialized history of the case in question.(less)

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Jul 12, 2009 David Ozab rated it 4 of 5 stars

An excellent overview of the cataclysmic splintering of Western Christianity, The Reformation is long (700 pp) and intricate in detail, but the narrative never drags. Diarmid MacCulloch is thorough and almost always balanced in his view of both the Protestant and Catholic sides of the struggle.

The only time his biases seem to show are when he discusses the English Reformation. He seems to have very little patience for the more conservative and, to be honest, catholic side of the Church of Engla...more

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Jan 06, 2010 Ron rated it 4 of 5 stars

There is so much information in this volume that it could easily have slipped into a sort of almanac. But thats not what happens, not at all. Its basic structure is chronological, with some of the usual overlapping of time and events as is required to tell a story this complex, and is infused with many cross references to other parts of the book which I found very useful. Its written with a very appealing combination of straightforward historical narrative and insightful opinion, and sprinkled w...more

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Nov 20, 2011 Christopher rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: history

This is another book that has been sitting on my shelf, unread, for some time. Now, I've finally finished reading it and I am glad that I did. Mr. MacCulloch sweeps through the Reformation with an energy and verve that is not found in many similar, one-volume accounts of history. And he is quite adept at switching between the historical, theological, and social aspects of the period that tore Western Europe apart. For those who have taken a course on modern Western history, the basic outline of...more

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Oct 07, 2010 Kaput rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, non-fiction, worth-reading

I consider it a minor achievement just to have finished this book. If it was written in the same print size as say, Cormac McCarthy's The Road it would be about, I dunno a million pages long. As it is you have to sift through 700 pages of fairly dense print. Beyond the stamina needed for such a venture it's a very easy and accessible read.

It really does gives some sense of the staggering enormity of the reformation on Western Europe. It didn't just affect the people who lived through it but con...more I consider it a minor achievement just to have finished this book. If it was written in the same print size as say, Cormac McCarthy's The Road it would be about, I dunno a million pages long. As it is you have to sift through 700 pages of fairly dense print. Beyond the stamina needed for such a venture it's a very easy and accessible read.

It really does gives some sense of the staggering enormity of the reformation on Western Europe. It didn't just affect the people who lived through it but continues to influence to this day and in some cases the religious divide literally redrew the map. The arguments between different Christian groups may seem archaic now but, propelled by an expectancy of the end of days and the correct way to love god you do get a feeling just why these disputes were so important, even if, as often happened they became hysterical.

The book is split in to three parts. Part one deals with the reasons and grievances for change and introduces you to some of the early people and groups that sprung up. You get a sense of the diversity of religious opinion and the huge number of possible interpretations of scripture and the bible. Some of the philosophical differences here can quite quite intricate, but this was very clealy a battle of ideas propelled by the invention of the printing press.

After I'd finished part one I felt like I'd read a book in itself, but part two starts to explain the divide in each country between those who believed in the old catholic ways and those who felt it was corrupt. Warfare and persecutions are central along with monastic upheaval and betrayal. Very few, if any countries were not affected and each tried to deal with the problems in their own way. Attitudes harden and both Protestantism and Catholicism become more fixed. At the same time ideas and books are circulated widely which may find themselves incorporated in place or another. In its own way this was also a time of innovation for religious practices. A good example is the introduction of rosary beads for laypeople or the first bibles in the vernacular.

Part three deals with the social aspect of these changes. It deals with the effect on ordinary people. Throughout, the book gives a wonderful impression of how central religion was to peoples lives. Seeing a preacher in action deliver a thundering sermon was probably the highlight of peoples life after a hard weeks toil. Priests were personalities, almost like the TV stars of their day giving the people what they wanted. This section deals with love, death and the family structure.

Some long winded sentences apart this was well worth reading.(less)

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Mar 03, 2012 James rated it 3 of 5 stars

When deciding on the rating to give to the books I've read, I'm always torn between giving it a score reflecting how I enjoyed the book subjectively and a score reflecting how good I recognised the book to be objectively. Frequently I'll find these two perspectives agree (it's certainly easier to enjoy a book that you recognise to be a literary achievement than to enjoy one you don't), but that really wasn't the case here.

Let the record show that I didn't enjoy this book. It is long, dense and c...more When deciding on the rating to give to the books I've read, I'm always torn between giving it a score reflecting how I enjoyed the book subjectively and a score reflecting how good I recognised the book to be objectively. Frequently I'll find these two perspectives agree (it's certainly easier to enjoy a book that you recognise to be a literary achievement than to enjoy one you don't), but that really wasn't the case here.

Let the record show that I didn't enjoy this book. It is long, dense and comprised of a seemingly endless string of names and locations. It's my own fault: I wanted to school myself on the history of the Reformation (a period of history I've always been a little foggy about) and perhaps I should have waded into something shallower first before diving into the dark, deep waters that Diarmaid McCulloch has formed here. I'm comfortable with longer, denser books normally, but I must say that completing this one was something of an ordeal, and I was a little relieved when I finally completed it.

But perhaps I'm being a little negative: the trajectory of the narrative (and the text does largely take the form of a narrative, spanning the years 1490-1700) is clear and consistent, and McCulloch's style is always readable. Those who expecting a thorough account of these tumultuous years will not be disappointed, and I can't imagine that there is a more authoritative account of the Reformation currently available on the market. The chapters dealing with the religious situation prior to the Reformation are particularly informative and worth reading, as are the sections dealing with the early schisms that existed within Protestantism from the beginning (i.e. the disagreements between Luther and Zwingli, the constantly shafting sectarian battles in 16th-17th England and so on). If you are prepared for the level of detail, this book really does stand tall as a work of quality scholarship that manages to remain eminently readable throughout. But its that degree of detail that represents this book's biggest problem.

Since this book intends to examine the effects of the Reformation in its entirety, we are treated parallel accounts of religious developments in almost all of Europe's countries during the period described. Some of these developments - such as those in England, Holland, France, Germany, Italy etc. - were genuinely important, and there is little doubt that the ramifications of these developments in such countries have left a deep impression in the course of global history. But did we really need dozens of pages of detail when describing the course of the Lithuanian church? Or the politics of 17th century Denmark? Or the plights of minor Bohemian religious sects? Did these developments in any way shape the course of the Reformation - let alone subsequent history - outside of these countries?

And let it be noted that I'm not simply complaining because I find such detail to be tedious or time-consuming, I think it really does detract from our ability to grasp the bigger picture. It becomes impossible to see the forest for all the trees and McCulloch only rarely raises us upon his great shoulders to get a better view. The spread of Protestantism and fate of Catholic Church is spelled out in great detail for (as I mentioned) almost every country in Europe, comprising a disorienting blur of minor names and locations, but we are never given a broader overview or explanation as to why, for instance, northern Europe came to be dominated by Protestantism while the south remained largely Catholic. An entire chapter (of over 50 pages, from memory) is devoted to the 30 Years War, and I'm still left almost completely unaware of what role religion might have played in the conflict. For those with a solid background understanding of the period this mightn't be such a problem, but it left me feeling like I'd learned little from the best part of a month of committed reading.

But, as I said, I must blame myself for much of this. I should have started with something simpler, and McCulloch can hardly be blamed for failing to tailor his work to my needs. If you have the kind of time, patience and knowledge that I don't, you're not going to find a better narrative account of the Reformation than this. Objectively, I cannot deny that this is an incredible book. I just really didn't enjoy reading it.(less)

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Jul 09, 2012 Ben rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, i-own, history-and-non-fiction

Masterful in its depth and argument, epic in its scope, and clearly and beautifully written; there is no question this book can, should, and will become one of the standard and most long-lasting texts on the Reformation. As with his wonderful A History Of Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years, Professor MacCulloch goes back before the technical 'beginning' of the topic covered. He uses Medieval European Christianity, with healthy doses of information from even earlier Christianity, to hel...more

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May 21, 2009 David rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: history, church-history

If you want a one-stop history of the Reformation, this book is the place to go. Rather than tackling each area separately (German Reformation, Swiss Reformation, Catholic Reformation, etc.), MacCulloch provides us with a story that weaves all of these various plots together. In doing this some depth is sacrificed, so if you want to learn more about a particular figure or event you have to look elsewhere. But if you want to see the whole story, complete with background leading up to the Reforma...more

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Oct 25, 2008 Rich rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: religion, history

This is a comprehensive, single-volume history of the Reformation. It is more encyclopediactic and complete than other histories of the Reformation.

MacCulloch had to sacrifice some details for coverage of the whole Reformation. He cannot fully describe every important work by every figure involved and some figures make multiple reappearances and the effect is jarring. For example, John Jewel is only mentioned once. For this reason, the book is more captivating if one has some background knowledg...more

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Nov 20, 2007 Paul rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: about-history

The story of the Reformation is long and complex, and so are many of MacCulloch's sentences, but never mind. This is a rich and full account of the Reformation, in which the motivations of faith and feeling, power and practicality are woven fine, the players in the drama are presented as whole people, and the meaning of this chapter of Western cultural history is modeled "in the round." Rakow and Torda are meaningfully placed in it, as are Calvin's two foils: Michael Servetus and Marguerite de N...more The story of the Reformation is long and complex, and so are many of MacCulloch's sentences, but never mind. This is a rich and full account of the Reformation, in which the motivations of faith and feeling, power and practicality are woven fine, the players in the drama are presented as whole people, and the meaning of this chapter of Western cultural history is modeled "in the round." Rakow and Torda are meaningfully placed in it, as are Calvin's two foils: Michael Servetus and Marguerite de Navarre. The effort of concentration sometimes demanded is relieved by memorable and meaningful stories, and richly rewarded in the end.

MacCulloch gave me a better understanding and appreciation of two figures active in Italy during the Reformation: Juan de Valdes and Reginald Pole. Valdes "developed a circle of friends and admirers, wealthy or talented or both, who shared his passion for humanist learning and his deep commitment to promoting a vital, engaged Christian faith." It included Bernardo Ochino, Peter Martyr, Vittoria Colonna, Giulia Gonzaga, Gasparo Contarini, and Pole. (Pole, a cousin of Henry VIII with a better claim to the English throne, was in Italy because he sided with the king's wife, Catherine of Aragon, and was exiled.) "Divergent themes naturally emerged from such a creative and articulate group, yet central was a renewed emphasis on the grace which God sent through faith, together with a consistent urge to reveal the Holy Spirit as the force conveying this grace – so that associates of the movement were soon characterized as Spirituali. ... Valdes ... believed that some favoured children of God would be led to ever deeper union with Christ, and the Scriptures might not be the only or the chief illumination on the way." He died in 1541; the next year the Roman Inquisition was created, and many in his circle fled Italy to influence the Reformation in Switzerland, southern Germany and eastern Europe. Pole remained in Italy and was a papal legate to the Council of Trent. When the death of Pope Paul III offered an opportunity "to turn the tide of authoritarianism in the Roman Church, [Pole was] one of the favourite candidates to succeed [him] ... a tribute to the continuing respect in which he was held... There were many diverse hopes invested in him – too many and too diverse for his own good. Even the dying Paul III had recommended him. The [Holy Roman] Emperor [Charles V] approved of him because he had ... championed Charles's aunt Catherine of Aragon..., because he was of royal blood, and because he was not Italian. Pole's upbringing linked him to the high-minded, tidy-minded clergy and their royal admirers who had made early Tudor England one of the best-run parts of Christendom... His cosmopolitan education made him a humanist scholar at the centre of a cultured international circle worthy of Erasmus. His patronage and friendship had attracted some of the most creative minds of southern Europe ... and ... he was generally recognized as one of the most thoughtful churchmen of his day. Perhaps only Marguerite [de Navarre] could rival him as a magnet for reformers who wished to remain true to the old Church... Yet Pole failed. ... the proceedings became drawn out (it was one of the longest conclaves in papal history) and Pole did not have the stomach for a face-to-face fight in such atmospheres of bitterness. Once more he drew back from the brink instead of seizing the hour [and] the last chance passed away for a Reformation such as Erasmus had sought." Who knew?

In portraits like these are food for thought about today's leaders and the import of their choices. And of yours.(less)

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Sep 17, 2007 Charles Nicholas Saenz rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: those with time on their hands

Shelves: early-modern-europe

Writing a one-stop survey of Reformation history offers one of the great challenges for historians. In few historical circumstances do so many themes intersect. The whole process is as much an act in not writing on certain areas as choosing to expound on other themes at length. Ultimately, Reformation narratives are almost universally cumbersome - MacCulloch's 700+ pages are no exception to the rule. His work does, however, introduce the reader to a flurry of characters and plots without sacrifi...more

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Aug 23, 2007 Bart Williams rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: history/religion buffs

Shelves: bartsreferencelibrary

I, for one, have never understood the conplete time-line of the Reforamation, it eluded me no matter how many history courses I audited. I just assumed there was a through-line to the religious upheval. Well, it seems logical through-lines and religion are chalk and cheese, that the upheaval was extant long before Martin Luther, and that a majority of the political and relgious warfare the world is curently mucking about in is directly related to this continuous disarray. Enter 'Reformation:Euro...more

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Aug 22, 2007 Cat rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historyofchristianity

Even though it clocks in at seven hundred plus pages, I wouldn't call it the definitive book on the reformation. Perhaps that's because one needs more then a single volume to deal with this particular subject. It's really more like a very good introduction to a difficult historical subject. I applaud MacCullough for his objectivity, but I'm not convinced that objectivity is something that's possible, or really even necessary for a project like this.

I was struck, time and time again about the ma...more

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Jan 18, 2012 Maria rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is dense literature! I enjoyed it, though, because the author is able to give you a broad panorama of this fascinating period of political, social and (above all) religious change. MAny different threads merge, converge and diverge as you read on and on, and you can see an enormous panorama evolving before your eyes.
When you are not accustomed to all the names and events (and I surely was not) its a little bit difficult to get on without loosing the thread but it is worth it!

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Jan 09, 2013 Christina Crites rated it 1 of 5 stars

A very dry, boring, and tedious read. Which is a shame, really, because the subject matter can be so excitiing if told the proper way. However, in this author's hands, the material just turns in to uninteresting facts, dates, names and places, with no element of the human experience to be found. If you're looking for a good, engrossing read on the subject of the Reformation, find another book, because this one will leave you bored and ultimately, disinterested.

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May 24, 2012 Scott Parker rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Reformation sets out to provide a comprehensive history of the Reformation in Europe, and largely succeeds. While many of the characters you know like Martin Luther get plenty of coverage, lesser known but equally-fascinating people like Zwingli and Erasmus get their due as well. What's more, Diarmaid is careful to balance the individual human stories of the Reformation against the history and evolution of Christain thought in this time. You emerge from the book understanding both the people...more

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May 17, 2012 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a long and dense book so if you are looking for something to casually read about the Reformation, this is not the book for you. The author does a superb job in researching this topic and goes into immense detail. However, reading that much detail does get tedious after awhile. I would only recommend this book to someone who seriously wants to learn more about the Reformation and everything that went into it.

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Sep 06, 2010 David rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: european-history, religious-studies

Excellent but it's, occasionally, difficult to see the forest for the trees. Too much detail and written too close for comfort. A little on the dry side as well. But if you can persevere then you will learn a very great deal about the Reformation (1490-1700). Doesn't matter whether you are an atheist or one of the faithful baboons this will be a useful contextualizing history. Brilliant. Highly Recommended.

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Aug 06, 2011 Yael rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: history

Absolutely *brilliant* book. Meticulous research. Captivatingly well-written. And I learned so much. I love historical nonfiction, and tend to be very picky about which people I trust to give me not just a solid sense of time & place, but also a deeper understanding of the facts. This book would be of interest to any reader wanting to delve into historical European theology, politics, culture, etc.

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Feb 21, 2013 Pat Anderson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

An excellent book that covers all the major themes of the Reformation. I had always thought that Luther was rebelling against corruption in the Church but that was not the case. Being brought up a Catholic I had no idea of the beliefs of major Protestant churches but this book got right to the core of the differences. I think everyone should read this book, whether interested in History or not. Even though I was a Catholic as a child I attended Church of Scotland sunday school as well but I stil...more

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Jun 27, 2012 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

I had to read this recently for a course I was doing at Uni, I found myself drawn into the subject matter and I found that it gave me a fantastic background on which to expand. Whether you already know the subject matter or are starting on it for the first time, this book is a great starting point and I would highly recommend it!

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Jun 28, 2010 Brennan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Meh. This book is written in a bloodless style that prevents the reader (or in fairness, "this reader") to really get to know the people behind the movements of the age. Good place to start as a survey, but know going in the author's strong (and stated) protestant feelings and fairly narrow focus on Luther, Cauvin (Calvin) and Knox.

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Aug 28, 2011 Fred R rated it 3 of 5 stars

Well this is the most complicated history I've ever read.

The subtext of the story is the complicated relationship between abstruse religious debate and broader social trends. Generally it looks like it takes a few decades for intra-elite controversies to trickle down to the common people, and then explode.

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Jan 27, 2011 Graham Starfelt rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, history

Though this might be a touch dry and a trifle long for those who prefer their history books on the light side, it is still an excellent, informative read. MacCulloch does a wonderful job illuminating this transformative period in Western culture, and the relevance of this material to our modern world is striking.

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Jul 26, 2011 Stuart rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: history

This is a great readable history of the reformation, written with scholarly knowledge but with lay readership in mind (me). It brings a new viewpoint to the history, describing the time in terms of mass movements rather than individuals. Very good. But be prepared to devote a lot of time to it!

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May 28, 2012 Tsun Lu rated it 3 of 5 stars

"A learned, enlightening and disturbing masterwork."---Michael Dirda, The Washington Post Book World. Very fun to read, good very political interpretation of the Reformation history, but don't expect to find providence or love for Church there.

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Apr 20, 2008 Russ rated it 3 of 5 stars

This comprehensive survey of the Protestant Reformation is a long book (700+ pgs.), but is engaging throughout. The work explores the causes of the Reformation, the personalities of its greatest figures (Luther, Erasmus, Calvin, Zwingli, etc), as well as the Counter-Reformation and the other historial figures influential at the time (royalty, the papacy, etc), and the effects of the movement on Europe and elsewhere. The book also features a 'coda' describing cultural aspects of life in Protestan...more

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Aug 09, 2011 Turan added it · review of another edition

Outstanding. A very important book if you want to get a feeling about Europe during the Early Modern Time and its connections with nowadays religious differences and struggles in Christendom.

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