The Reformation

Looking for a short read on the Reformation? I'd recommend this one edited by Jen Cameron. It features a foreword by Lindsay Brown, an essay by Michael Reeves "The Story and Significance of the Reformation," an essay by John Stott, "Keep the Faith and Pass It On," an essay on prayer by Alan Purser, a translation of Martin Luther's 95 Theses, and other helpful features like a timeline and discussion questions.

Michael Reeves' essay is essentially a history lesson--a concise history lesson. Reeves introduces readers to Martin Luther, John Calvin, William Tyndale, etc. What we have here are the basics pure and simple.

John Stott's essay is a passionate plea for doctrinal purity. I loved, loved, LOVED this essay. The book would be worth buying for this essay alone. That is how WONDERFUL it is.

In his essay he sets out to do three things: first, to clarify WHAT the evangelical faith is; second, to examine WHY the evangelical faith matters; third to discuss HOW to pass on the faith. He uses the outline of the Apostle's Creed to dive into the subject of the gospel--what it is that Christians hold to be true. He looks at what Christians believe about the God the Father, what Christians believe about God the Son, and what Christians believe about God the Holy Spirit. Along the way, he touches upon many doctrines.

Not what I was expecting. A brief section about the reformation, followed by a bit of general theology by Stott and some archival information in the appendices... it was a bit disjointed on the whole. The sections were great to themselves. The section on the reformation gave some brief but informative insights, and the section from Stott was fantastic as an exposition on creed. How they connect is a little unclear.

This is a wonderful little book to give you a short over view of the Reformation. The first part focuses on the key events and people that set about the birth of this major step in Church history and altered shape of the world today. The second part is the theology of The Reformers ending with Martin Luther’s 95 Theses that were nailed to the door.
This book gives you a concise overview but does not intend to give you the full account and there are plenty of books that do, it Is however a very easy read that flows and will not bamboozle you. I do recommend this to anyone who wants to know the key points and not trying to pass a degree in the subject.
I have been given a free copy of this book from NetGalley in return for a honest review.

This is a great starter on the Reformation in Germany and Europe. Michael Reeves does a great job of setting out the issues and key events, and carries this off in a completely engaging manner, quoting directly from the reformers. His half of the little volume is possibly the most dynamic, perhaps because of the way he presents his material. John Stott's part is the usual solid orthodox presentation of the doctrinal issues involved in reformation and involved in the gospel message today.
This book is an excellent introductory reader for anyone without much background or context for knowledge of the Reformation in Europe. I'd recommend it to any newcomer to the subject.

A very informative but concise history of Reformation. Reader will not be disappointed if one expect that the book is indeed short review. Despite is length, both authors provide background and even some details related to the life of the main Reformers and their convictions. It is indeed a volume of "everything" one should know. Written in dynamic, easy-to-understand language author are able to explain those ideas, which became a foundation of the Protestant theology.