Reformation: A world in turmoil

by Andrew Atherstone, Kate Benson (Primary Contributor)

The dramatically compelling story from the Renaissance to the 17th-century wars of religion

The Reformation marked a period of profound upheaval—one of the greatest turning points in the history of Christianity—and sent shock waves through the western world. Andrew Atherstone traces the dramatic and compelling story from the Renaissance to the 17th century wars of religion, following the drama from its beginnings in Germany, through France, England, Scotland, and Rome. Focusing on the key personalities and events, he explains the often complex ideas that were at stake—and the political as well as religious issues involved. This is a lucid, authoritative account of a movement that changed the face of Europe forever. The great figures, such as Martin Luther and John Calvin, are brought vividly to life in an accessible, lively, and engaging overview of this critical period.

Genres: Theology

256 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2011

About the author

Andrew Atherstone is tutor in History and Doctrine, and Latimer research fellow, at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and has published widely on a number of Anglican personalities such as Charles Golightly (Oxford's Protestant Spy, Paternoster, 2007), and George Carey.

Reviews

[Tim Kimberley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrestled with giving this book either 5 stars or 4 stars. I ended up with 5 stars because the book itself is really good. It is full of illustrations so I thought it wasn't going to be very in depth and I was wrong. Don't be fooled by it's coffee table book size and style. The book is dense with incredibly detailed movements of the reformation throughout Europe. The reason I leaned toward 4 stars is because the book is pretty depressing. The amount of torture of murder between Protestants and Roman Catholics for about 100 years following the Reformation is staggering. The cruelty would make ISIS blush. The book is good, many of the details in the book need to be known to be make we never go back to such a time and place.

[Ligia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andrew Atherstone's book “The Reformation: faith and flames” is an exceptional introductory book for anyone looking to dive into the history of this transformative period. It captures the long battle of the Catholic Church to eliminate the reformed views which developed throughout Europe especially in the sixteenth century.

The author accentuates how greatly interlinked were the religious, political and economical spheres in that day and how governors, kings and queens were hand in hand with religious scholars and priests/cardinals.

The author’s skillful integration of pictures of key figures adds a valuable dimension to the book, helping readers place a face to the names. Additionally, the inclusion of various photos of historical places and statues makes the historical context more tangible.

One downside is that the author recounts the brutal measures employed by the Catholic Church against reformers in a very elaborate way, overwhelming the reader. Instead, Atherstone could have talked more on the essence, the impact of the Reformation and on doctrinal differences between the two stands.

Overall, this book is a thoroughly engaging and informative introduction to the Reformation. Despite its few imbalances, it offers a detailed and also visual account on one of history's most pivotal periods.

[Ryan Reeves · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty good introductory effort, long on pictures though short on prose. This would be the sort of book you would hand someone who asked, "What would be a good book on the Reformation if I know absolutely nothing?"

Some may not like the book as a stand alone volume, but there are other, longer historians of the Reformation that are superior for students wanting something heartier. As an introductory walk through the period, this is a solid volume.

[Charlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short book but still I learned a great deal . . . helped me put some of today's happenings with the Islamic fundamentalistics in better context considering what the Catholics and Protestants did to each other in the 1500s. This gave good overview of the Reformation in various countries and I particularly appreciated the many color illustrations, paintings of the major figures, photographs of important places, etc.

[Rhonda Erway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read for those interested in church history.