Doing Theology with the Reformers

by Gerald L. Bray

The Reformation was a time of tremendous upheaval, renewal, and vitality in the life of the church. The challenge to maintain and develop faithful Christian belief and practice in the midst of great disruption was reflected in the theology of the sixteenth century. In this volume, which serves as a companion to IVP Academic's Reformation Commentary on Scripture, theologian and church historian Gerald L. Bray immerses readers in the world of Reformation theology. He introduces the range of theological debates as Catholics and Protestants from a diversity of traditions―Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican, and Anabaptist―disputed the essentials of the faith, from the authority of Scripture and the nature of salvation to the definition of the church, the efficacy of the sacraments, and the place of good works in the Christian life. Readers will find that understanding how the Reformers engaged in the theological discipline can aid us in doing theology today.

Genres: Theology, History, Church History, Christian

288 pages, Paperback

Published July 16, 2019

About the author

Gerald L. Bray (Ph.D., University of Paris--Sorbonne) is director of research for the Latimer Trust, based in London, and a research professor at Samford University, teaching in the Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama. A priest of the Church of England, Bray has also edited the post-Reformation Anglican canons. He has edited several volumes of the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture and Ancient Christian Texts, as well as volume one of the Ancient Christian Doctrine series, all for IVP Academic. General EditorTimothy George (Th.D., Harvard University) is a renowned Reformation historian and author of Theology of the Reformers, as well as many other theological and historical works. He is founding dean of Beeson Divinity School of Samford University and an executive editor of Christianity Today.

Reviews

[Jimmy Reagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book by Gerald L. Bray, a known Reformation expert, isn’t exactly what I expected—it’s better. For some reason, I imagined something of a brief systematic theology cast in the History of the Reformation. There is some of that, to be sure, but much more. It wasn’t until the mid-point of chapter 3 (nearly 100 pages in) before the book really mentioned some of those subjects. My favorite part was those first 100 pages! Mr. Bray writes history with verve. I found the pages turned quite easily. I got more out of it than some far lengthier books for sure.

Whether he talked about Bible interpretation, the Covenants, reformed theology, he always infused it with clear historical context. That he could write so thoroughly and yet so winningly suggests his profound knowledge of his subject. To me, he could sift through reams of data and clearly distinguish what was most significant.

The look of this book might tip you off that it is a companion to the larger Reformation Commentary on Scripture (RCS) series before you even read that it is. There is that distinctive green. More importantly, there is that same labor of love behind its careful scholarship.

You don’t have to follow reformed theology to benefit from this book. It will lead you to clear historical context of a pivotal moment of church history.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

[Caleb Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bray certainly knows his stuff: there's a wealth of information contained in this book but only a few footnotes to speak of--the sign of a copious mind. Perhaps as a result of this, however, this book is not as systematic as its counterpart, Worshiping with the Reformers by Karin Maag, which proceeds topic by topic, discussing how every major confessional group of the Reformation thought of this topic; I would appreciated a bit more of this systemization in Bray's book.

[Douglas Fyfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was the perfect length, and the right depth for a primer. I learned a bunch of new things, was reminded of others, and enjoyed Bray’s wit and story telling prowess. A reading list at the end of each chapter would be the only addition I would like, but I was thankful through the footnotes I have directions to the primary texts.

[Coyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

"In six lengthy chapters, Bray gives us a thorough introduction to the world and theology of the Reformation era. In these chapters, he covers the shaping of the Reformers, the sources they drew from, their view of Scripture, their theology of the Holy Spirit, their political theology, and the end of the Reformation era in the rise of Confessionalism. Along the way, we meet Luther, Calvin, and especially Cranmer in detail.

In fact, those might be the two weak points of the book (though they may be requirements of the Commentary series they are intended to serve as a prologue for). First, Bray is really only doing theology with the magisterial reformers. The Anabaptists do make the occasional appearance, but they are only mentioned in passing rather than being included as Reformers who were also doing theology in the 16th Century."

Read the rest here: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/schaeff...