The Reformation: A Brief History

In 1517, the actions of a simple monk ushered in a period of unparalleled religious and political upheaval. The Reformation: A Brief History provides a succinct yet comprehensive introduction to this extraordinary period, showing how and why the Protestant Reformation arose and unfolded.  In this rich account, the author skillfully blends social history, religious and theological ideas with economic and political factors. The description is well–rounded, drawing not just on the actions of the main characters, but also the experiences and ideas of ordinary people, the quest for social justice, and the conflicting approaches to Christian unity. The events of the Reformation are placed in the context of Christian history to offer a fuller understanding of the period. The result is a truly engaging narrative that shows the reader exactly what was at stake, and why, as the events unfurled.  Accessible, lucid and based on the best of current research, this book offers readers a wonderful overview of one of the most critical periods in Western history.

Preface. 1. The Different Paths of Medieval Christianization. Christianity Among the Rural Poor. Two Sides of Medieval Christianization. The Rise of the Papacy: Centralization and Reform. The Papacy′s Decline. The Mendicant Critique of Wealth and Property. Conclusion. Bibliography. 2. The Luther Phenomenon. Luther′s "Ninety–Five Theses". Rome′s Response. Luther the Reformer. Luther′s Theology. Bibliography. 3. Reformation Reforms. The Politics of Reform. Zurich, Zwingli, and the Cities. Rural Revolution of the ′Common Man′. The Anabaptist Alternative. Bibliography. 4. The Reformation′s Establishment. The Princes Take Charge. Reformation Beyond the Empire. Calvin and Geneva. Catholic Reform and Counter–Reformation. Bibliography. Epilogue: The Reformation′s Legacy. Index.

Kenneth G. Appold is the James Hastings Nichols Associate Professor of Reformation History at Princeton Theological Seminary. He is the author of two books on early Lutheranism and numerous articles on a variety of historical and theological topics.

" Appold has presented us with an introduction to Reformation history that is brief, clear, up–to–date, and blessedly free of exaggerations. […] Those who take up Reformation history today should begin here.” ( Tom A Brady jr., University of California, Berkley , 1 January 2013) “Anyone interested in a brief history of Reformation theology would do well to read this book first to review the historical context of the debates surrounding [it] … I was sorry when it came to an end. Fascinated by the brief historical account it offered, I was left wanting more. I highly recommend it.” (Theology Today, 19 September 2012) “This engaging book provides a fairly thorough synthesis of much of the historical writing on this period.”  ( Theology , 1 July 2012) “A history of the reformation, even ‘a brief history’ in two hundred pages? In fact, because too much detail is impossible the author turns this to advantage and is able to stand back slightly and give an overview … A highlight is Appold’s description of the indulgence controversy – the clearest and most concise I have ever read … ‘Does exactly what it says on the tin’ has become rather a cliché, but a ‘brief history’ of the reformation is exactly what Appold provides.”  ( Evangelical Quarterly , 2 April 2012) "Historian Appold (Princeton Theological Seminary) offers a clearly written overview of Christianity in the Reformation era that frames 16th–century events as outgrowths of a centuries–old reforming impulse, rather than a sudden religious convulsion. . . The book is unique in providing an extended discussion of the spread of Lutheranism to Scandinavia, filling in a notable gap in many accounts of the Reformation, but this comes at the expense of reforms in the British Isles. . . Summing Up: Recommended. Undergraduate collections." (Choice, 1 November 2011) “Anyone interested in a brief history of Reformation theology would do well to read this book first to review the historical context of the debates surrounding [it] … I was sorry when it came to an end. Fascinated by the brief historical account it offered, I was left wanting more. I highly recommend it.” Theology Today