A Reformation Reader by
Although deeply political, economic, and social, the European Reformations of the sixteenth century were at heart religious disputes over core Christian theological issues. Denis Janz's A Reformation Readeris unabashed in its generous selection of key theological and related texts from five distinct Reformation sites. The late-medieval background is richly discussed and the Lutheran, Calvinist, Radical, English, and Catholic Reformations are all thoroughly presented. A classroom staple for nearly 30 years, this new third edition of the text takes into account the needs of the contemporary classroom for primary source readings that are concise and focused on the subject matter at hand. Over 100 carefully selected primary documents are edited for even greater concision and capture the energy and moment of that tumultuous time. The saving of space results in a shorter, more tightly presented book that now includes even more readings! Students and teachers alike will appreciate the expanded range and fresh focus of this classic reader.
Reformation Thought by
"A superb anthology of primary sources relating most directly to sixteenth-century Reformation movements. The initial selection is from the late fourteenth century and the final two from the mid-eighteenth century. The fifty texts here are wide and well focused. They are drawn from forty-one authors with diversities across many categories-- birth, occupation, gender, religious orders, and 'the rest married women of middling and noble rank.' Fifteen are Roman Catholic with twenty-six coming from Lutheran, Reformed, and radical movements. King notes that genres include 'treatise, lecture, pamphlet, letter, speech, devotional work, martyr testament, diary, memoir, and autobiography.' So this is as representative a group of documents as one can imagine, spanning 400 years and conveying essential insights that fueled Reformation thought. "In addition to the judicious selection of pieces, the book is clearly organized. It features perceptive, focused descriptions of each selection conveying its backgrounds and contexts, and providing insights for readers to help in understanding and comprehending the content and importance of the piece. This is an immense benefit. King gives true texture and brings her masterful teaching instincts to bear on the selections. Her annotations in themselves are an instructive guide through Reformation movements. The selections are short but well-focused. They are accessible in form, and thirty-eight of the fifty pieces have been newly translated by King from a number of languages. Spelling, punctuation, and diction of pieces that have appeared in earlier English editions (sixteenth through nineteenth centuries) have been modernized. The New International Version (NIV) has been used for biblical quotations in the narratives. In short, every effort has been made--and has succeeded--in providing a reliable, accessible, and truly useful anthology to serve a number of functions. "This book has many excellencies. It can be highly recommended as a well-conceived collection of well-constructed presentations and as an eminently useful textbook." --Donald K. McKim, in Renaissance Quarterly
Reformation Theology by
Few episodes in Western history have so shaped our world as the Protestant Reformation and the counter-Reformations which accompanied it. The Reformation tore the seamless garment of Western Christendom in two, pitting king and pope, laity and clergy, Protestant and Catholic against one another. But it was also a firestorm tearing through an old, stagnant, and dying forest, sowing the seeds for a burst of new and newly diverse life.To understand why the Reformation unfolded as it did, we must understand the ideas that were so forcefully articulated, opposed, and debated by Protestants and Catholics. For Protestant or Catholic believers in our own forgetful age, the need to understand these disputed doctrines, and the logic and coherence that linked them together, is all the more imperative. This is what this volume seeks to offer for the first time: a primary source reader focused squarely on the theological questions that drove the Reformation.Beginning with the first rumblings of conflict in the late medieval period and continuing until the solidification of Protestant confessions in the early 17th century, this collection of thirty-two texts brings the modern reader face-to-face with the key men whose convictions helped shape the course of history. Concise historical introductions accompanying each text bring these writings to life by recounting the stories and conflicts that gave birth to these texts, and highlighting the enduring themes that we can glean from them.KEY TOPICS INCLUDE The doctrine of the church, and its relation to the state; the doctrine of the eucharist, and transubstantiation in particular; the doctrine of justification sola fide and the place of works; the meaning of the Protestant commitment to sola Scriptura; and others.KEY AUTHORS INCLUDE Marsilius of Padua, John Wycliffe, Erasmus of Rotterdam, Martin Luther, Thomas More, John Calvin, The Council of Trent, Thomas Cranmer, Richard Hooker, Robert Belllarmine, and many more.
Documents of the Reformation by
An engaging and accurate introduction to the Protestant Reformation, told in the words of those who led it, opposed it, and lived it. The Protestant Reformation was a pivotal event in world history and religion. Documents of the Reformation collects more than 60 primary documents that shed light on the personalities, issues, ideas, and events of the 16th-century upheaval and will help readers to understand how and why the Protestant Reformation began and transpired as it did. The book is divided into 12 sections on topics such as indulgences, persecution, and women in the Reformation, each of which offers five document selections. Detailed introductions preceding the documents put them into historical context and explain why they are important, while a general introduction and chronology help readers to understand the Reformation in broad terms and to see causal connections. Bibliographies of current print and digital resources attend each document, and a general bibliography lists seminal works on the Reformation.
The Protestant Reformation by
Originally published more than forty years ago, this important collection--now revised and updated--brings together the works and writings of the revolutionary minds behind the Protestant Reformation and remains a major resource for teachers, students, and history buffs alike. Over the decades, modern scholarship has shed new light on this tumultuous period, raising probing questions and providing new connections that have radically changed our understanding and outlook. With this updated edition of this essential work--now including texts written by women as well as entries dealing with popular religion--modern viewpoints are cogently addressed, while the scholarly integrity that has made this book a revered classic has been scrupulously maintained. Throughout, Hans J. Hillerbrand's basic assumption remains consistent: religion--no matter how dependent on societal forces--must be seen as the pivotal element in the story of the sixteenth century.
Voices of the English Reformation by
Spanning the different phases of the English Reformation from William Tyndale's 1525 translation of the Bible to the death of Elizabeth I in 1603, John King's magisterial anthology brings together a range of texts inaccessible in standard collections of early modern works. The readings demonstrate how Reformation ideas and concerns pervade well-known writings by Spenser, Shakespeare, Sidney, and Marlowe and help foreground such issues as the relationship between church and state, the status of women, and resistance to unjust authority. Plays, dialogues, and satires in which clever laypersons outwit ignorant clerics counterbalance texts documenting the controversy over the permissibility of theatrical performance. Moving biographical and autobiographical narratives from John Foxe's Book of Martyrs and other sources document the experience of Protestants such as Anne Askew and Hugh Latimer, both burned at the stake, of recusants, Jesuit missionaries, and many others. In this splendid collection, the voices ring forth from a unique moment when the course of British history was altered by the fate and religious convictions of the five queens: Catherine Parr, Lady Jane Grey, Mary I, Mary Queen of Scots, and Elizabeth I.
Zwingli and Bullinger by
Selections from the writings of Ulrich Zwingli and Heinrich Bullinger, two lesser-known church reformers, are contained in this volume. Also included is an account of the life, work, and theology of each of these Swiss reformers of the sixteenth century. Long recognized for the quality of its translations, introductions, explanatory notes, and indexes, the Library of Christian Classics provides scholars and students with modern English translations of some of the most significant Christian theological texts in history. Through these works--each written prior to the end of the sixteenth century--contemporary readers are able to engage the ideas that have shaped Christian theology and the church through the centuries.
The Reformation to the Modern Church by
Engagement with primary sources is an essential part of effective teaching and learning in the church history or theology course. And yet, pulling together and distilling the right readings can be challenging, especially in more recent periods where tracing the diverse traditions that flow from the momentous events of the sixteenth century requires nuance. In this all-new primary-source anthology, Keith D. Stanglin has done the heavy lifting for a new generation of classrooms. Stanglin has edited and introduced over 100 selections to create a reader that orients students to the ebb and flow of thought that moves out from the pre-Reformation period. Attentive to major movements such as confessionalization, pietism, skepticism, liberalism, and revivalism, Stanglin organizes the readings into nine chapters and provides helpful introductions to each: Late Medieval Contexts, Outbreak of Reform, Radical Reformation, Roman Catholic (Counter-) Reformation, Protestant Codifiers and Confessionalization, Enlightenment and Skepticism, Pietism and Revivalism, Liberal Protestantism and Responses, and Late Modern Fragmentation and Ecumenism.
Readings in the History of Christian Theology, Volume 2, Revised Edition by
William Placher and Derek Nelson compile significant passages written by the most important Christian thinkers, from the Reformers of the sixteenth century through the major participants in the contemporary theological conversation. Illustrating the major theologians, controversies, and schools of thought, Readings in the History of Christian Theology is an essential companion to the study of church history and historical theology. Excerpts are preceded by the editors' introductions, allowing the book to stand alone as a coherent history. This revised edition expands the work's scope, drawing throughout on more female voices and expanding to include the most important twenty-first-century theological contributions. This valuable resource brings together the writings of major theologians from the church's history for a new generation of students.
Exploring Christian Heritage by
Exploring Christian Heritage provides students and teachers with a rich and substantial introduction to the texts that have shaped the Christian faith. Including works by Augustine, Aquinas, Martin Luther, John Wesley, John Calvin, and Karl Barth, among others, this collection also highlights essential movements--from the second to the twenty-first centuries--often glossed over in primary source readers. From Pentecostalism and Baptists to feminism and religious liberty movements, Exploring Christian Heritage succinctly joins together the most influential voices of Christian history and theology with those that have been forgotten and sometimes ignored. Now in its third edition, voices ancient and modern, such as Timothy I of Baghdad, Margery Kempe, and Fannie Lou Hamer, have been added to deepen and widen the story of Christianity in varied forms.
The European Reformations Sourcebook by
This collection of primary sources brings together in one volume for students documents on the European Reformations not easily accessible otherwise.
Reformed Scholasticism by
Ryan McGraw presents an introduction of historic Reformed orthodoxy (1560-1790) and its research methodology. This book establishes the tools needed to study Reformed scholasticism and its potential benefits to the church today by describing the nature of Reformed scholasticism and outlining the research methodology, the nature and the character of this branch of theology, and providing a retrospective view on the contemporary appropriations. McGraw discusses the proper use of primary and secondary sources and offers instructions on how to write historical theology. Each chapter draws extensive examples from primary source evidence, published books and articles in this field; as well as engaging with a wide range of ancient and medieval sources. This volume is an excellent guide for students as it teaches them how to identify primary and secondary sources, suggests good links and tips for learning Latin; and provides an overview of the most important figures in the period.
The Oxford Handbook of Martin Luther's Theology by
As celebrations of the five-hundredth anniversary of Martin Luther's initiation of the most dramatic reform movement in the history of Christianity approach, 47 essays by historians and theologians from 15 countries provide insight into the background and context, the content, and the impact of his way of thought. Nineteenth-century Chinese educational reformers, twentieth-century African and Indian social reformers, German philosophers and Christians of many traditions on every continent have found in Luther's writings stimulation and provocation for addressing modern problems. This volume offers studies of the late medieval intellectual milieus in which his thought was formed, the hermeneutical principles that guided his reading and application of the Bible, the content of his formulations of Christian teaching on specific topics, his social and ethic thought, the ways in which his contemporaries, both supporters and opponents, helped shape his ideas, the role of specific genre in developing his positions on issues of the day, and the influences he has exercised in the past and continues to exercise today in various parts of the world and the Christian church. Authors synthesize the scholarly debates and analysis of Luther's thinking and point to future areas of research and exploration of his thought.
The Cambridge Companion to Martin Luther by
Martin Luther (1483-1546) stands as one of the giant figures in history. His activities, writings, and legacy have had a huge effect on the western world. This Cambridge Companion provides an accessible introduction to Martin Luther for students of theology and history and for others interested in the life, work and thought of the first great Protestant reformer. The book contains eighteen chapters by an international array of major Luther scholars. Historians and theologians join here to present a full picture of Luther's contexts, the major themes in his writings, and the ways in which his ideas spread and have continuing importance today. Each chapter serves as a guide to its topic and provides further reading for additional study. The Companion will assist those with little or no background in Luther studies, while teachers and Luther specialists will find this accessible volume an invaluable aid to their work.
The Cambridge Companion to John Calvin by
John Calvin (1509-64) stands with Martin Luther (1483-1546) as the premier theologian of the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation. Calvin's thought spread throughout Europe to the New World and later throughout the whole world. His insights and influence continue to endure today, presenting a model of theological scholarship grounded in Scripture as well as providing nurture for Christian believers within churches across the globe. Dr Donald K. McKim gathers together an international array of major Calvin scholars to consider phases of Calvin's theological thought and influence. Historians and theologians meet to present a full picture of Calvin's contexts, the major themes in Calvin's writings, and the ways in which his thought spread and has increasing importance. Chapters serve as guides to their topics and provide further readings for additional study. This is an accessible introduction to this significant Protestant reformer and will appeal to the specialist and non-specialist alike.