The Reformation: How a Monk and a Mallet Changed the World

Stephen J. Nichols is starting to build a reputation for making Christian history acessible and fun to read. This little primer on the Reformation is no exception. It serves as a great refresher for those a bit rusty on the big picture or an introduction to those first interested in the topic which undoubtedly is quite daunting. This would also make a great text for homeschoolers. Nichols gives a brief overview of the key reformers like Luther, Zwingli and Calvin. He surveys the Anabaptist reformers and spends 2 chapters on the Reformation in Great Britan including the exploits of Henry VIII and the Puritans. The book starts with an excellent chapter on why the Reformation is important to study and understand. It was a large scale recovery of the heart of the Christian faith, the gospel itself as expressed in the 5 solas of the Reformation: scripture alone, faith alone, Christ alone, grace alone and to the glory of God alone. The last chapter focuses on important but often forgotten women of the Reformation. Finally the book ends with several apendices that include excerpts from key documents, confessions, catechisms and prayers of the Reformation. The text itself is accompanied by a number of highlighted sections focusing further attention on important issues. There are also quite a number of illustrations, photos and portraits of the reformers that make the book more acessible and enjoyable. What I like about this little primer is that Nichols inserts at key points important lessons to be learned from the Reformation. Standard academic histories often try to treat its topics with a neutral point of view (however impossible that is). Even when a historical work is sympathetic to its topic it usual tries to hide the fact by being subtle about it. Nichols doesn't wear his sympathies on his sleeve, but he does seek to point out the Biblical truths the Reformation teaches us. He also does not hide the weaknesses, failures and even sins of the reformers. Those are lessons too. This is a short book by design and so it will not cover many topics. However, I was dissapointed that nothing was said about William Tyndale, the early English reformer and Bible translator. Some emphasis on the precusors to the Reformation might have been helpful as well - men like John Wycliffe and Jan Hus. Otherwise, I was pleased with the book and heartily recommend it to all.

If you've new to Reformed thinking or if you've not really ever really payed that much attention to Reformation history or Theology, this is a great place to start. I've always been a fan of Dr. Nichol's writing, and this book is a good example. It has just enough history and theology to keep you reading. It is not overwhelming, and it serves as a great springboard for more reading and study. I especially appreciated his treatment of all aspects of the Reformation including the Puritans as well as the Women of the reformation. This is a nice, concise introduction to the Reformation which includes handy references to other works that may be of interest, including Luther and Calvin's best works, as well as those of the Puritan writers. If you didn't pay much attention in history class, and you are new to Reformed thought, this is definitely well worth the read.

If you're not a church history scholar but are interested in the main players of Christian ecclesiology, this is the book for you. Progressing from the 1500's and on, Dr. Nichols traces the rapid movement of Christian doctrine through history without boring the contemporary church member to death. This book captures the main characters in Reformation history covering everyone from Martin Luther to Thomas Cranmer and even including people like Johannes Oecolampadius. Without going into too much detail about the intricacies of theology but just enough to give general ideas, Nichols conveys a clear picture of the historical events that brought about certain doctrinal pillars that still stand today. Each chapter gives insight into a specific time period and geographical location of the Reformation. Starting with Luther in Germany, Nichols moves to Zwingli/Calvin/Anabaptists and the Swiss Reformation, and then to the Anglicans/Puritans and the British Reformation. Within each chapter, there are spotlights with more information on certain people or events that stand prominently in church history. Though these spotlights can be somewhat distracting when reading straight through the book, they are helpful nonetheless. The part of the book that I appreciated the most was Nichols' focus on the women of the Reformation, found in the last chapter of the book. I felt this chapter shed new light on the progress of Christianity through history, breaking away from the stereotypical patriarchal image that most Americans gather about the Reformation. As the Reformers championed the institution of marriage and family, there was a need to develop a theology of marriage. What does a minister's family look like? was one of the questions that ran through the minds of the Reformers. But as Nichols writes, "They had formidable wives to help them figure it out." Women like Katherina von Bora (Martin Luther's wife) and Lady Jane Grey (who was persecuted Bloody Mary) were pillars and defenders of correct theology and faithful women in the life of the church. One of the book's strongest points, Nichols does a great job of capturing the loyalty of strong-minded women during the chaos of the Reformation. To begin to understand the sacrifices, martyrdoms, and persecutions that our Christian brothers and sisters had to go through in order to stay faithful to God's word is humbling at the very least. In a world where most American Christians live comfortably without demand to be decisive about our theology, this book made me wonder whether I would have been so loyal to such doctrines, which therefore makes me examine my convictions more thoroughly. If our goal as Christians is to stand firm upon the truth of God's word, then it is only fitting to be encouraged by those who sacrificed for the truth in centuries past. Though a short and concise book, The Reformation will give you a clear picture of the men and women who did just that. bc

Read this book in just a few days. I am fairly new to the Reformed faith and enjoyed this book immensely. The writing style is very engaging and the overall history of the Reformation was informative. I highly recommend this book to both adults and as a read aloud for families seeking to learn together. It is 8 chapters, each hitting a specific person/region in Reformation History. As a woman I also appreciated the last chapter which covered a few of the women and roles they played.

This is an excellent introduction to the reformation. The book is written in an enjoyable and highly readable style. Dates, facts and figures are weaved into an engaging text.

On the plus side, it was written in easy to follow language without too much 'church jargon' left unexplained. On the down side, because it really only gives a short snippet about each person, there is so much left unexplained about these fascinating people and events. It also means that chapters are a bit choppy at times jumping from one thing to another without a clear flow.

all was great

very mine blowing

Nichols' The Reformation: How a Monk and a Mallet Changed the World, is an OK introduction to the Reformation. It's a broad survey in a little book, complete with fact boxes and extracts from the writings of Reformers. It's also a bit muddled, as it jumps from one Reformer to another in the space of a few paragraphs, and then switching to another country in the next chapter (and even bizarrely disappearing into the Puritan era). It never feels like you get long enough with any individual characters to feel the power of the story and history. It's also... dare I say it, too American for a British audience? That said there's a nice chapter at the end on the contribution of women to the Reformation, which is a nice counter to much of the male dominated discourse usually written on the era. If you're after a compelling introduction to the Reformation, this isn't it. It'll stimulate for a few hours but the book you're looking for is Mike Revees' The Unquenchable Flame on the Reformation.