TITLE - THE CHURCH AND THE AGE OF REFORMATIONS (1350 - 1650)
WRITTEN BY - JOSEPH T. STUART & BARBARA A. STUART
PUBLISHED BY - AVE MARIA PRESS
PUBLICATION DATE - 8TH APRIL 2022
The latest volume in the “Reclaiming Catholic History” series documents the era from 1350 to 1650, incorporating the years leading up to the Protestant Reformation and its aftermath. The series aims to present an unbiased and objective timeline of “Christian history” - ostensibly a “just the facts” from “God’s point of view” - whilst making the story accessible and entertaining. I am not a Christian, but I applaud any attempt at an overview of history from a more honest and human perspective.
The title of the book is a statement of intent - this was the era of not just THE Reformation, but of many. The authors, Joseph T. Stuart and Barbara A. Stuart, offer a contemporary and modern reassessment of the Reformation that is never boring, writing accessibly and vividly to bring the era and it’s people to life. Towering historical figures such as Thomas More, Johanes Gutenberg (whose printing press would have a profound effect on the accessibility of the Reformation) and of course Martin Luther, a personal hero of mine. Rightly remembered as the instigator of change, this book shows that the genesis of that change had begun much earlier.
The book includes a chronological timeline of the era from 1350 to 1650, a map, bibliography and a full index. Sidebars entitled “Up Close And Personal” give concise biographies of the key players of the time, and the “You Be The Judge” panels invite the reader to make up their own mind about events and institutions such as the Spanish Inquisition; the latter having many of its enduring myths debunked.
This book was a refreshing read. It looks at history from a new perspective whilst remaining eminently scholarly, and deserves to be widely read.
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